The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-11-10
PRESIDENT GARFIELD.
HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER,
AS SKETCHED BY DIR. ISAAC
ERRETT, AND
PRESIDENT HINSDALE, OF
HIRAM COLLEGE,
TWO OF HIS MOST INTIMATE
FRIENDS.

After speaking of the universe,
sorrow, DR.. Errett said:
Nor can this unparalleled sorrow
be accounted for solely OF ehieAy By
ths intellectual greatness Of our fall
en- chieftain, for many other great
men have died, and some of them
were cruelty murdered. Awarding
all that the most enthusiastic heart
could claim to our beloved dead, it
/ is but Just to say that there have
been more eminent educators, great
or soldiers, more distinguished law
yers, more gkillful legislators, more
princely leaders of mighty parties
and more adroit managers of politi-
cal forces. There ig no Qpe depart
pent in which he won sminence,
where the world may not point to
others who stand higher; and if
mere intellectual greatness in Eany
one line of life were to call forth the
tribute, it might not be considered
more righteously due here than in
many other cases. But it is rare in
the higtory of men that any one man
has combined 30 much excellence in
all the various smploymeptg Of public
life who, as aa educator, and law
yer, and legislator, and a soldier,
and an orator, and a party shieftain,
and a ruler, has done so thoroughly
well in all departments, and wrought
out such successful results as to in
spire confidence and command re-
sp6ct and approval in every path Of
life in which be has walked, and in
every sphere of public activity which
he has occupied.
I think, when we come to q proper
estimate of his character and seek
after the secret of this worldwide
sympathy and affection, we shall find
it rather in the richness and integri-
ty Of bis moral nature-in that sin
cerity, that transparent honesty, that
truthfulnasa, which laid the basis for
everything of greatness to which We
do honor to-day.
AS an illustration of this I may
state here a fact which is not gen
orally known, concerning his early
life When James A. Garfield was
yet q aere lad, q series Of religious
meetings was held in one Of the
towns Of CuyRhoga county, by 3
minister by no means attractive as
"a orator, possessing none of those
grsoes of oratory so attractive to
youthful auditors, and marked only
by entire sincerity, by good reason
ing powers, respectable literary at
tainment, and deep eaFnestnsSs in
seeking to win souls from sin to
righteousness. Young Garfield at
tended these meetings for several
nights, and after listening to several
sermons he came one day to the
minister and said, "Sir, I have been
listening to your preaching night
after night, and am fully persuaded
that if true, it is the duty and the
highest interest Of every man, es-
pecially of every young man, to &C
cept the religion you teach, and seek
to be a Christian. But really, I
don't know whether your teaching is
true or not. I can not say ! disbe-
lieye it, but / dare not say that I
fully and honestly believe it. III
we're sure it we're true, I would most
gladly give TO Christ my heart and
my life"
After a long talk the minister de-
cided to preach that night on the
text, HWhat is truth ?" and proceed
ed to show that, Notwithstanding all
the various conflicting theories in
ethical science, even in reference to
the grounds of moral obligation, and
ell the varioug contradictory religions
and thsalogies of the world, there is
sure and eternal reliance for every
human soul in Jesus Christ as the
Way, and the Truth and the Life +;
that every soul of man is safe with
Jesus Christ; that any 7Qung man
giving Him his hand aud heart and
walking in His footsteps, can net go
astray; and that whatever may be
the final solution Of ten thousand at
present insolvable mysteries, them
who loves Jesus Christ and follows
His teachings, and realizes in spirit
and life the pure morals and the
sweet piety that He taught, is safe,
if safety there be in the universe of
God: safe, whatever else is safe, safe,
whatever else may prove unworthy
and perish forever. After due re-
Election his youthful listener accept
ed this as unquestionable, came for,
ward and gave his hand to the min
lister in pledge of the acceptance OF
Christ as his Savior and the guide