The Portland daily press., 1881-10-06
Garfield.
LESSONS DRAWN FROM HIS LIFE
AND DEATH.
A Sermon Preached at Congress Street
Methodist Church Oct. 2, by the
Rev. George D. Lindsay.
rsrt.. Hahran.: xi--A

the life and death OF Snch man, iesSohs may
not be drawn, which bv their educating, in-
snirinv and moulding character shall best per-
petuate his memory, and lead to the cultiva'
ton Of such exalted virtues, as cnobled his ma
ture, and characterized his life. with solemn
reverence We linger IN the wake OF such q
grand career, We mourn its melancholy ana
abrupt termination, and while fail to com-
prehend the design OF Jehovah in permitting
such luuniDary 10 be extinguished in The hour
OF its greatest Brightness, or sucn hero, III
such q way at such time to. fall,
we submissively await the unfolding OF the
mystery. Knowing that "bind unbelief
is sure to err, and scan' Gods work in
vin," but "Hes his own interpreter, aud lie
will make it plain"
Aswe carefully note the failures Of those
who have had fair start in life, and perceive
the apparent cOntentment IN whi"h many
dwell in the lowly condition in which they
have had their birth, there is something
wonderfully exhilaratng in the cant-m pation
of the achievements OF our lac President.
Born III the hum 10 walks OF life his only
inheritance was sound body, vigorous Intel
lect, and healthy moral principles. Surely
II the faith that was in Timothy had come
down through mother and grandmother, the
grit and pluck and heroic perseverance, so
prominently displayed in his life may be aftrl-
buted to that dear old saintsd mother who
lived 10 see him elevated to the highest posiii-
tion in the gift of the nation, and lives t.
mourn his death, but alsp lives 10 the uucloud-
cd faith t. at she will fnd him again, where
the bullet Of the assassin shall blight no YER
dant hopes, and tll no hearts with SORROW
Widowed by the early death OF Mr. Garfield
when our lainented President was only eigh-
teen months old, he being the youngest of four
children, she did not fold her hands In the
drapery of her widowhoOd, and Cast herself on
the bounty of charity, but assuming the addi
tional duties which her sad loss entailed upon
her, in tue might OF an iuyincibe will she led
4. IA e ..Ix... staf0 t.fnA
brought her children with her. There's not a
raw of glory reflected on his life TO day which
she ought not to share. Pm glad we haven't
outlived the heroic age, and that men are not
found in soft places, or bending under tfe
weight OF honorable responsibility because tney
have been born so.
James A. Garfield entered the arena Of life
having an open field but certainly without Ia
vor Working in the neighbOring farmers hay
fields or gathering in their haryests, from the
hour when he was able till he was sixsen,
he maintained himself and helped maintain
the family.
AT this period in life an incident occurred
which shall give verbatim from the N. Y.
Tribune, "When he was sixteen he walked
ten miles to Aurora III company with
nov older than himself, looking for WORK.
They offered their services to farmer who
had q good deal of hay to cut. What wages
do you expect? asked the man. Mans
wapes-a dollar day. replied young Garfield.
The farmer thought tney we're not oid enough
to earn full wages. Then let US NOW tha'
tield by the acre said the young man. The
farmer agreed; the customary price per acre
was so cents By four O'Clock ia the after
noon the hay was all down and the boys had
earned dollar each. Then the farmer en-
gagged them for fortnight"
Very few young men graduate from tne
street corners into the Presidency. Gsfnelu
never had an attack of that wretched disease
called "nothing to do" He never waited for
things to turn up. He made them turn up.
have never known man who was willing
and able TO work, and who was wiling u
adapt himself to any work, that wasn't aois 10
get plenty to DO
thing. rather than nothing. Ii were To be
f,un, on the streets OF Portland TO morrow
without work, I'd be emnloyei in % minutes
Ii had as much money as would buy oox oi
blackiug nd a brush or half "a dozen newspt
oers. would 90 at business and earn my nv
inc. I've known human beings who called
themselves men, in the city of Auburn to go
idle for weeks aud permit their wives To-
support them by taking IN washing because
the Street Commissioner wouiu only pay
dollar \ day Garfield went to Newhurg and
cbonoed 4 hundred cords of wood for his une'+
iu so days at so cents cord, and saved quite
sum OF money. :,
During all these years OF hard struggling for
daily bread the mind was not neglected. Every
ar
cultivation of his iatellect. for when ne WAS
eighteen we and him returning home to his
mothers roof having taken advantage OF tue
oouorCunities afforded at the hester ACADEMY
by working as "a carpenter on SATURDAYS ana III
odd hours during school days ana tnsreoy
naving for board, lodging, fuel and light, ano
so careful q financier was he that he carried
nome in his pocket three dollars surplus CAST
after ds,fraying all expenses, and IRON tua'
lime he was able to prosecute ms STUDIES %
means of teaching.
The estimate he placed upon college edu-
cation may b. formed from the fact tnat, Al
though hs believed by the interruption wnen
earning money with which TO pay his wst
through college it would take MIN tweiVe
wears before he would become f1ll course
graduate, he faced the work with as muc
coursge as il il could be accomplished IN AS
many weeks, aud by close application and SUI
nerior natural abilities he accomplished his oo
iact in q much less period, being graduat5u
With honor in August. 1886.
Can Garfield's record ia our late civil war Is
given by Whitelaw Reid. AS voiun.eer ON
car ha was placed in command OF the lIth bri-
Jade. and Immediately introduced TO the nor
rors Of warfare For courage, skill aud martisi
.hility he won the esteem OF all VINO kne"
him.
twas while plodding round the school as
tric.s endeavoring to ootala POSITION as scnooi
TEACHER and having been unsuccessful, tnat
ha vowed ne never would seek fsr position
again. and those who are IN better position Z.
know than am say that he never oid All
the honors which we're crowded upon nun
came unsought and spmeof them unexpected
ly His first nomination 10 Congress can,o " u ~
yhiIa on the battlefield defending the Freedom
of his country, and we believe ne had not Tue
. ,amntast idea when he started for the Cnnven-
tfon in 1880 that he himself would return nome
"A the nominee of his party for President Oh sn.
Uni tied States.
,,., will be sought for To till the places; when
noI;tic..l yam pires shall oply sign their own
ffaa,L warrant by eager scramble Tor OF
f;ce. wh,n the united, loyal people oil uniteu'
loval nation shall put love OF country oeiore
partv. and party before self; wneh the para
p,a,,n. Thought in the mind Of every voter sha'i
he the hest man for the best place. Farties
10 ,,,nst have; they are, and always nave
hasn a necessity. But may God speed tn-
dav when neither party shall attempt u T.
place in position OF trust aud npnor, canei
gata whose character won't bear scrutiny III
,ha lisht of a noonday sun. No place on eartp
c,n hriny real honor to q IN IN unless no orlng'
honor TO 1t. o.;s.,.. ova,
broupht TO their high otics more culture"
qualifications. The momentary azure ,soS
s,hich fell from Mr. Gartisld's lips when way
y. u or statsdly visited by delegations, or When
;,in institutions organiz .tio -, were nov
10, 70. -, commonplace froth designed 10 Vus
Us e.s as ~, OCCASION, but every word seemou
mn t,st n;tt ,aaning, aud was stamped and
satur ated with utilitJ ""un ,,s. ,sosa in our
gural great burdens beg -. 6sfore the close OF
hearts, and we expected til Id hs inIroduc.d
his administration reforms wo~ ding ,ntIIsnee
that would extend in their perva, y, Iast p,lit.
till the axe would sever the root of |. -.usions.
ioal monstrosity. Our eyes We're looking states
ly towards the Sodom of our fair Uuited Az
aud we faucisd we could see MormJnism
ing in expiring agony AS 5hroLtled by Garheld,
the man of faith, and man of prayer, aud mat
of purity and child OF God The sun OF no
Chief Mag gistrate ever seemed TO rise Ia clear
er sky There was nothing to betoken Com
ing storm.
But our chief has fallen, the ruler on earth
has gone 10 be a king aud priest unto Gou
aud tue Lamb forever.
Without dwelling further on the various IN
c,dants and heruism of the lie of this wonder
fnl man. let US note sone of the practical les
sons TO be learned from THAI life. Aud first
let us look with admiration at the wide held
of opporJunity which this country spreads out
40 inyluingly before the youth of our lanu
There's not nation on Gods earth that can
compare with ours ia this respect No question
ss TO the density or particular flow OF your blood
challenges your entrance into the highest office
in the land. You stall neither be- expected
nor permitted to make the wealth or houors OF
achievements OF an illustrious ancestry your
stepping stones to a distinguished position. MOI
by this titles which adorn your fathers tomo-
stone, nor the ties of relationship winch unite
you TO men OF fame aud greatness are you 10 oe
judged. Not for what you were but for whs1
uou ara NOT for what aoTnaDudY else made YOU