Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-27

| "'sS SfnoSohao'y palhy ouo W ti'
fact that this nation of ours which ha,
grown to such wondrous might and
power before the whole earth, anC
which is In fact the hope of the world in
all that relates to the highest civiliza
ton, that sympathy with this nation
and respect for this great power leads tc
these offerings OF coincidence and expires
sions OF sympathy and grief from the
various nations OF the earth, and be
cause they have learned to respect this
nation, and recognize that the nation q
stricken in fatal blow that has taken
our President from US, and yet this will
by no means account for this world
wide sympathy of which We are speak.
ing. Yet 1t cannot be attributed To
mere Intellectual greatness; for there
have been and there are other great acts
and acknowledging in all that the most
enthusiastic heart could claim to our
beloved leader, it is but fair TO say there
have been more eminent educators,
there have been greater soldiers, there
have been more skillful and expert
enced legislators and leaders OF mighty
parties and political forces. There ia
no department in which he has
won eminence where the world
could not point to others who attained
higher and more intellectual greatness.
1t might not be considered more right.
eously here than in many other cases,
yet perhaps it is rare in the history Of
men and in the history Of nations that
any one man has combined 30 much ex-
cellence IN these various departments,
and where as an educator and lawyer
and legislator and soldier and party
chieftain and q ruler has done so well,
80 thoroughly we'll, in all departments,
aud brought out such successful results
as to inspire confidence and command
respect and approval in every part OF
the life in which he has walked
and in every department of public ac-
tivity which he has occupied.
When We come to a proper esti-
mate OF his character and seek after the
secret OF his worldwide sympathy and
affection, We shall find 1t rather in the
richness and integrity OF his moral ma
ture and in that sincerely, in that trans.
parent honesty, in that truthfulness
that lay basis for everything of great
ness to which We do honor to-day. !
may state here what perhaps is not gen.
orally known as an Illustration OF this:
When James A. Garfield was yet mere
lad in this county, series OF religious
meetings were held in one OF the towns
of Cuyahoga county by minister by
no means attractive as an orator,
possessing none of the grace OF oratory,
and marked only by entire sincerity, by
good reasoning powers, and by earnest
ness in seeking to win souls from sin to
righteousness. The lad Garfield attend
ed these meetings for several nights.
and after listening night after night to
the sermons, he went one day to the
minister, and said: "Sir, have been
listening to your preaching night after
night, and am fully persuaded if these
things you say are true, it is the duty
and highest interest OF every man, cape
cially of every young man, to accep-
that religion and seek to be a man, but
really don't know il this thing is true
or not. | can't disbelieve it; but dare
not say that | fully and honestly believe
it. III were sure that it were true, /
would nost gladly give it my heart and
my lfe."
So after a long talk, the minister
preached that night on the text, what
is TRUTH" and proceeded to show, rot
withstanding all the various and con.
flicting theories and opinions in enthe
real science, and Notwithstanding all
the various and conflicting opinions in
the world, there was one assured and
eternal alliance for every human soul in
Christ Jesus as to the way OF the Lord
and the life that every soul OF mine was
safe with Jesus Christ, that he never
would mislead, that any young man Civ
ing him his hand and heart and walking
in his pathway would not 20 astray, and
whatever might be the solution OF 10000
insoluble mysteries, at the end all things
the man who loved Jesus Christ and
walked after the footsteps OF Jesus, and
realized in spirit and life the pure NOR.
ais and the sweet piety that he tonight
preached was safe, il safety there were,
in the universe Df God; sale, whatever
else might prove unworthy and perish
forever, and he seized upon it after
due reflection, and came forward
and gave his hand to the minister in
pledge of acceptance of the guidance OF
Christ for his life, and turned back on
the sins of tn. world forever. The boy
is father TO the man, and that pure hon
esty and integrity, and that fearless
spirit to inquire, and that brave sur
render of all the charms of sin to con-
victions of duty and right, went with
him from that boyhood throughout his
life, and crowned him with honors that
were so cheeriully awarded to him from
all hearts over this vast land. There
was another thing; he passed the condi-
tions OF a virtuous life between the log
cabin in Cuyahoga and the White
House, and in that wonderful
rich and varied experience still
moving up from higher to higher, he has
touched everv heart in all this land at
some point or other; and he became a
representative OF all hearts and lives in
this land, and not only teacher, but an
Interpreter of all the virtues. for he
knew their wants and he knew their
condition, and he established legitimate
ties of brotherhood with every man
with whom he came in contact. l take
il that this now lying at the basis OF his
character, this rock on which his whole
life rested, followed up by perseverance
and the enduring industry that max I'd
his whole career, made him at once Il Q
honest and the capable man, who invited
in every act of his life and received the
confidence and the love, the unbounded
confidence and trust and love, ot
all that learned to know him.
There is one other thing that | ought
to mention here. There was such an
admirable harmony Of all his powers.
There was such q beautiful adjustment
Of the physical, intellectual and moral
in his being; there was such an equita..
BILE distribution OF physical, intellectual
and moral forces that his nature looked
out every way TO get at sympathy with
everything, and he found about equal
delight in all pursuits and all studies,
30 that he became, through his industry
and honest ambition, really an encyclo.
pedia. There was scarcely single chord
that you would touch to which he would
not respond in way that made You
know that his hands had swept it still
fully long ago; and there was no topic
you could bring before him, there was
no object you could present to him, that
you did not wonder at the richness oil
and fullness OF information somehow
gathered-for hiseyes wero always open,
k.o ,rao ai~oya oman and hia