The Portland daily press., 1881-10-06


| that we can read understandingly the pages OF
| past aud current history Does any one ask
| incredulously, What have your institutions ev-
| er done for me and miner II some disap-
| pointed one thus questions we must an
| swer Eduarely In the first place | believe
Nature has endowed some with superior
physical and mental qaaideat Ons, and that
many parents are responsible for tho transmits
sion to their offspring OF certain hereditary de-
fecfs which in pair their energies in the strug-
gle of life. Sins which are being visited upon
the third aud fourth generation are exhibiting
themselves IN variety OF forms
Thousands are appearing on life's busy plat
form who have neither the caOaoility OF phys,-
cal endurance nor the mental keenness which
the competition of the present day demands,
aud must necessarily be content with scat
lower down. just how far God is responsible
foI certain incapacities am not prepared to
state, but presume in the ecOLomy of this
World leaders were intended to have people 10
ead but foi every thus crippled in powers
either by divine visitation parental moral
laxitv, q thousand are the authors OF their own
obscurity and anenvabe condition. When
see ooys sneAkng round the streets suck
ing at the end OF a partially consumed ci-
gar or see young men with unwlsbed faces
huggIng the corner Il some public building,
while six yards all around Is rendered nthy
with tobacco juice, IL never occurS TO mo TO
take off my hat 10 q possible future President.
Young man, there is pa hway to g place OF
honor where the brightness OF your life and
character can fling glorious radiance on the
sges following alter Bat let me tell you that
oath is not pund the miserable rum hole, nor
n.4r the haunts nf her whose way leads down
to hell That path is not trOdden by the lOiter-
ar,s feet The idle, and the uncieau. and the
spendthrift aud the lawlsss shall not walk there
in The glory of our grand Institutions shall con-
fer no lustrts on your life unless with Garfield
energy aud diligence you work your passage
nm the granite road to victory. III there
struggles in your breast to-day desire to
be somebody, II you feel within you the
r,silg force OF soul that won't bs cingged
with vice, that won't bs held down by corrup-
ton, then rest assdrsd an angels wing fAus
YOUR cheek A nation acts ia concert to leud
its uplifting maud, the greatest continent aud
richest 1uutry thu sun shines on to-day waits
to do you honor. No matter how lowly yonmay
find YOUR position TO be, q ladder reaches down
to YOU on which YOU may CLIMB TO such an alti-
tude as that nations shall honor you while liv-
ing and weep for you when dead.
Another lesson we learn from our Presidents
life is that true religion Car be carried into every
walk in life Evidently the idea has crept in-
70 some minds that to bs a Christian means be-
ing pnsilanimous or effeninate, and that ths
meekness and gentleness aud general traits OF
character enjoined upon us Dy our Founder
are indicative Of weakness and lack OF courage.
A careful survey of Gar6elds life aud cbarac-
ter as well as a proper understanding OF the
Word OF God, annihilate such an idea. As a
student, teacher, lew-maker and President he
maintained his Christian character-
No one can read the words which fell nom
his Iios in 1880 as he stood In the Oaio Senate
without feeling that he was man on whose
conscience shone the light OF the Holy Spirit.
Hs sAin 81 have represented for many years
a District in Congress whose appreciation 1
greatly desired but though it may seem, par
baps. q little egotistical to say it, YET desired
still more the appreciation of one person, aud
mis- name was G irfed. He is the oalS man
am compelled to sleep with, and eat with, and
live with and die with, aud II could not rave
his apprabation should haze had bad compa-
nv" With sucs desire it's no wonder he
made the place in the hearts Of his people that
he certainly occupied.
Will. do nos consider that religion OF it
self will qualify man for secular Office or
positions of trust, yet 90 firmly believe that
no man ever filled post of honor whera -olj-
gion wasn't both necessary and useful, Young
men, II you wish to be pure, and noble,
aud truly intluenti.l, and happy, hen you
npst be right, an1 you c1n { % riBas Without
being Christian
Aauther lesson to be deduced fror0 this man
life is the possibility OF being everywhere a
.uecess / believe TO attain toth9 highest per-
fection Ia profession N IN must concentrate
his bast thought aud besi eft 'Ft upon that pro-
fesson But amid the varying changes which
, progressive American life entails, il Is neces-
ssry that man be able 70 adapt himself to cir
cumstances. Small proof is. afforded OF
executive ability or special fitness for COM
petition with the reverses of our rush
lug, go-ahead surroundings, il a man
must surrender in despair because he
Is deprived OF pet calling. Give ms man
who is IN naster. or means to be- OF hi5 situations
10 mstter what IL may oe, and III prepare tbs
victor's wreath for him.
Garfield as a farmers boy, student, boat
man, a teacher, preacher, warrior, Congress
man, Senator or President, was a success. He
seemed to give sauctity TO all he touched. aud
Haven smiled upon his consecrated effort.
There's something stimulating beSond de-
,cription TO see a man by the might of his own
self reliance, making even reverses contribute
TO the formstan OF character and ultimate
succesa After the great Chicago fire mer-
chant who had watched the devouriHg isna
lick up the last stick OF his property, scratched
npon q piece of board these words aud fastened
it to the dying embers OF his late establish
meut. This store to be opened again IN six
weeks" IL is men like that and men like
Garfield that keep in motion the wheels OF our
commercial world-men who won't go down
ualess Knocked down aud then are no sooner
down than up again
Another Lesson hope every young man and
woman in America will learn; that is, Filidi
affection. There Is great danger, think in
the present day. of forgetfuness or disregard
Of the fifth commandment There Is dan
yeroas desire to be free from parental control,
md a foolish tendency to regard counsel CON-
inc from that direction as being old fogyish.
How few of US can realize the care and anxiety
wa have given father and mother until we
learn by experience for ourselves Woe be to
the day when ang child becomes 80 INN. .ted
with self imoortance as to treat with seeming
disrespeet those who Of all others shOnld have
the highest and noblest place in the heart.
There's many man who wi never be per-
nitted to do more than leok at the Presiden-
tial chair, who if he had been IN GArheldS
nlaca would have suggested to the old woman
the danger OF being ia crowd, aud the pro
oristy OF remaining at home on the occasion OF
MS inauguration They would have been
afraid that an awkward gesture or unguarded
word would have reflected on the dignity and
grandeur of the scene. Not so with the wor-
thv sou Of that worthy mother. He evidently
felt that he was elevating himself when he
elevated her, and so he was. He has en-
,almed his memory in the heart OF every
mother in our land
Now let as glance briefly at the lessons we
nav draw fir ,rn his death. In the first place we
ire taught the profound mys'eriousness OF
Gods ways He could have prevented the as
sassin's steady aim and successful shot, de
could have turned the fatal bullet into HARM
less channel. He could have raised him from
lis low condition and gladdened the hearts OF
a nation He could have answered the pray
srs of the whole civilized world, but would IL
have been best? There we have TO pause
God does not always explain TO MS the rea-
son of His dealings; II He did. then would we
walk by KNOWLEDGE not by faith. Whatever
nay have been the deep design, we must rest
assured that God saw twas better not TO grant
lieye the odor and influence of that good mans
life will become more conspicuous and produc-
i've OF more good than his administration and
natural life could have accomplished. II God
,As judged it expedeut that one man should
lie tor nation. who are we that we should
reply against Him.
In this sad death we have terrible exhiol-
lion of the power of sin. No more oompre-
nensive comment need be on Solomon's words,
"One sinner destroyeth much good. And yet
ge need not start back in surprised
| horror at the deed as il some new
thing had happened to us. Was not
| the first assassination and the first human
blood ever split the outgrowth tn OF envy and DIS
| appointment? Fancied services unrewarded
| nav have goaded Guitesu to the deed but sun,
| hat blighting, blasting far reaching desnla'-
| ing cursed thing was the originating cause.
! shall we not hate the abhorreat thing more,
I'D love and practice virtue as never before.
g '%cowardly murder commenced in thought
thi- zee had its immaterial existence only in
tna o. >nd loathsome mind of this filthy
ne Io.A See then chow great a matter
tesIv ,;ts,a ;ra rindleth.p How important that we
.honld .ske, W our hears with all diligence ior
oot % of them are the issues O. life"
The ast less ON we shall ask yo9 70 ho'.ce ' ss
soroing from III IS death, is the solidley .ol our
govarnment coup ted with the siroug common na
Sansa Of our peo ole. For weeks tns ,i1 ma
'oiiSo y IT OF intense an&t-tli put-