The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-10-15
MEMORIAL DISCOURSE OR PUL.
PIT REFLECTIONS.
PRESIDENT GARFIELD,
REV. s G. DAMON, D. D.,
In the Bethel Chapel. Honolulu. Sab
bath Morning, Oct 9th. 1881.

thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saiti
the Lord. For ~ the heavens are higher thar
the earth. 80 are INV ways higher than yOur ways
and my thoughts than yOur thoughts
During many weary days and weeks, a
great nation most a~uxiOusIy awaited the
result Of the a--assin's fatal ball. They
had been days and weeks Of terrible sus
pense- Alternate hopes and fears had ele-
waited or depressed the heart Of the nation.
Such a conflict Of emotions in the bosom
Of n single individual Is quite distressing,
but when that feeling Is intensified, by be
ing participated IN by q great nation
keenly alive in every pulsatIOu Of it,
mighty ~thrObbing heart then comes "a feel
ing Of terrible conflict and distress alto
gether understandable. After seventy nine
days OF this alternate elevation and de
preston, the announcement flashes over
the wires. from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific.
and to foreign lands e President Garfield
- dead The noble Chief Magistrate, the
upright public functiOnary, the affection
ate father. the true husband. the filial son.
the sincere Christian and genuine friend
u no more, but sleeps in death. The
cause or causes. which ave cOnspiTed tOl
the result Of this sad and melancholy
event, are Of "A nature to arrest UNIVERSAL
attention, and make a solemn impression
upon the whole civilized world. Not OnlyI
has IL clad fifty millions Of American citi
zens in the garments of the mOurner, but
foreign nations and foreign courts havel
put on h mOurner's badge. Each mOurner
might IN heartfelt sorrow, break forth inl
the sad and dirge-hke language of Eng1
lands great poet. the immortal NiltOn|
over Lycidas:
yet once more, % We Iaurels, and once more
Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere,
I come 10 pluck your berries harsh and crude.
And with fore'd fingers rude,
Skater your leaves before the mellOwing year.
Bitter constraInt and sad occasion dear,
Compel ME To disturb your season due:
For President Garfield is dead,-dead in|
his manly, noble prime,-dead when, toI
human view, his life and character, ability
and craftsmanship. We're most needed toI
rule over and guide the political affairs of
a great nation. But harkl L hear a voice,
coming over the continents, and down theI
centuries. from the lips of Him who pakel
as never man spake, Are not two spar
rows sold for a farthing , and one of
these shall not fall TO the ground without
your father" And another voice L hear
uttered seven centuries before, Fol
my thoughts are not as your thOughts,i
neither are your WAYS my ways, saith!
the Lord For as the heavens are higherl
than the earth, so are my ways higher thanl
your ways. and my thoughts than yOuTs
thoughts
Without stopping to speak of dates orr
refer to details which are 50 abundantlyk
and coPiOusly presented to the readInSE
public by the journalists of the day, itS
has appeared a. If this memorable events
was suggestive of reflections which cOUldS
be most appropriately commented upon InI
the pulpit. Ii appears as If the presents
was the season for the pulpit To give mt z
terance 10 It's most solemn warnings. mOrals
sayings and evangelical teachings. Whens
God speaks IL l. becoming IN mortal mans
To keep silent and listen. Is not God nOwa
arNaQETUrrN l. He not UnvC -4yTnrr Tn all III iarEw
and nations. By me kings reign ForS
we'll saith the PSalmIst, promotion cOmethe
neither from the east nor the west, nOrz
from the south. But God - the judge
he puteth down one and sctteth mp anO ;
ther." | come before this audience with Z
no mere loosely expressed ideas upOnE
Gods sovereign rule over this worlds
and universe. but a. an eminent Divinek
president Washburn, of Roberts COllege,f
AZ COnstantinOple) declare We bclieve&
that God permitted tine assassin to- tireF
this shot. we believe th7t h. might haveH
prevented ii. but that IN His wisdom, HcS
did not choose T., 10 so. In this sense IT.
was His act. g.e nave asked Him tol
the drea. I'D of this
act, by sparing the life of the President I
But God has not, In this respect answered1
prayers. Let us then enquire WHAT
are some Of Gods teachings in view of
this sad event :
FT-,tg. The death of President GAR
field leads 20 reflection upon the uncer5
tainty Of human life. and all human plans. /
This l. - lesson which God Is ever teach
ing III. but on some occasions far morex
impre--ively than on others. The present
II one wherein God has seen tit to i'm
press this truth on a great nation and the
world. 10y removing the President of a
nation. which had chosen him to be their&
Chief Ruler. Never has a President en- 3
tered upon the duties Of his high position,
with fairer prospects of usefulness and
honor. or with "A more reasonable pros s
Dect Of living to terminate the period. fors
which he was chosen and perhaps eyenp
another four years. He was physically
hale and healthy.-pO5sessIng those phys
zeal and mental elements naturally III 3
dicatiye Of long life. The language of
Shakespeare might well be uttered, whenz
behoIdiug him a. ne walked on that fatal
morning to- take the train, How noble Ins
reason In form and moving now expressive
and admirable - The Great Nation was
proud of her noble President. intellect
uaIlv and morally. He was a noble spCcI !
men Of the American peCrle. He was :
born IN the heart of the Great Nation, !.
and had grown with the Nations growth; Z
had fought the Nations battles and :
the death-dealing weapons &C
war. but In a moment the most uncx !
receives the assassin's wounds
terminating in his death How it confirms
the declaration of the Son of Man. whens
IN earth. Watch. therefore, for We knowl
neither the day nor the hour wherein
tho Son of Man cOmeth.' When hIngf
David reviewed his miraculous escape, on
Il certain occasion, he exclaimed; Iruly'i
as the Lord liveth, there Is but a stePs
me and death" II the fallenS
President could have but taken one steP,i
the fatal ball would nave passed him; but
h was not so to be,-God had, for wlsel
- reasons ordered otherwise; and 1t Isl
for u. short-sighted mOrtals, to bow our
heads and say: Not our wills, but Ihlnel
10 done 1t Is IN vain for u to reasOn,f
why did not God order otherwise; Just a:
vaf1 MIGHT We make the same remark,
Touching other events Of life. This Il mo-
accident. no chance event; 1t teaches raj
- In To trnst In God. the SDver,l ~