Daily Republican., 1881-08-30
Third EDITION.
APAsTOR's TRIBUTE.
mrs. Garaeld's Devotion and
Faith.

A special despatch from Washington
dated last night says-The Rev. s. ID.
Power, pastor of the Vermont Avenue
Christian Church, of which President
Garfield is a member, called at the
White House to see Mrs. Garfield this
evening, as he has done every day since
the assassin fired the shot. He had
long interview with the heroic woman
who has stood by the bed Of her hut
band for fifty-eight weary days and
nights, and has never yet once gwen up
hope, even when the doctors and those
high in the government were inclined
to despair. DR.. Power has not been
allowed to see the President since July
2, but he has always been a welcome
visitor TO Mrs Garfield, and to him she
has daily poured out her hopes and
fears.
A Times correspondent met him thi 3
afternoon in the office of Private Score
tary Brown Mrs. Garfield, he said,
SIS hopeful to-day As she has been
every day since the President was shot
The only difference in her is that to-tay
atrer the serious condition OF the Presi'
dent on Friday, the change in the case
ha, made her fairly enthusiastic. She
saws she is sure he vii. get well. She
has never lost hope, | should say, per-
hap, that as Chris ian woman she
has newer lost fallh.
Her prayers have gone up daily to the
Throne ot Grace, and when she prayed
she bei!rve,t that her prayers would he
ans wer-,l Hers has heeu I, sublime
| faith in the goodness OF an overrNIlhI
! Providence, ami to-day she felt that
her faith has not been misplaced. Sne
said 0 me lust now that she had been
confident IRON the frsG that the Presl-
dent would llVe To do the Work marked
,u; t r HIN, bur since The cnansc oi yes
terI..y her confidence has become
Stlouger. The way III which he took
hi, last nourishment yesterday, she
SAID, was al eloquent testimony 10 the
vitality wui n remained III his frame.
Another sign winch she asa LOVING
wife noticed ami elnpht-iled was tEv
tact 1haC saturday morhlng, for tn"
first time since the shooting, the Presl-
dent made no reference 10 the bastard y
attack on his .lte. On every Saturday
morning since the "a OF July he has
been accustomed to refer to the crllA Z
OF Guteau and enulnerate the weeks
which have passed since the bal. WAS
fired Yesterday his mind was un-
clouded and his memory good, but ne
made no mention (t the crime winch
has laid him On his bed. This Mrs.
Garfield looks upon as one OF the best
signs and assurances which she feels
that she has received that her husband
will i'll the providence Of God, recover
and fulfill the great task winch he has
been called on TO do
"What is .the feeling in the church
to which the President be.ongs" "
asked one of the correspondents.
"We have never had put one feeling
in the matter" said Dr, Power. so
far rs we arr. concerned, We have an
abiding faith that the President Will
get well. We have two reasons tor
this. First, We believe that God will
answer prayer il 1t is offered with the
and day for the recovery OF the Pres
ident. We have teit that God has use
1or him, wise and holy purpose, and,
had raised him up as Ii Christian leader
of great people. He is the only
communicant OF the Church of Christ
who has ever been called to the position
of President of the United States,
a ID we have felt that the purposes OF
uod were not accomplished, and That he
would be spared to us sLiil further to
carry out these purposes. We looked
forward to yesterday and to-day with
great anxiety, because we felt that II
lie got through these two days the
change woulu be tor the better lie has
passed safely through tuem. The
change il tor the better, and and my
congregation irn y believe tlat our
prayers nave been n-wereu and that
the President will live.
| have seen much of Mrs. Garfield
during the lin. IS of her husu .nu,' coi,-
tinued DR.. Power, and ! can say
that the praises which have been lavish
ed upon her III the press are not nus
placed. She has always had confidence
in she Divine power, which has over
ruled and directed the case. she said
to me the other day, when | told her
that the Church was preparing for a
day of fasting and prayer, that fast
ing and prayer were all ever present
matter with her: that she had been VIZ
taally praying without ceasing. have
seen her nearly every day, and she has
never once spoken as il there was IA
shadow OF hopelessness in her spirit. |
have been with her this week during
the most alarming symptoms. She has
said several times tnat Lncre was great
cause for anxiety, but no cause tol
alarm. | have never seen so perfect a
reliance on the Divine Father as has
been shown by Mrs. GARFIELD. She has
never once wavered in her faith, and
her faith has strengthened the President
in his fight TOR nie. She has Otter
spoken to me of her gratitude to the
Ipeople of the country for their prayers
and aft action for the President, and il
almost seems as though she could no
express her earnest appreciation. The
heroism of this woman, based on hel
faita in God, will stand forth in histor.
as one OF the brightest pages Uf til.
story OF the Republic"