, 1881-10-07
THELkn GARFIELD.

tf.- t.tAs -24-.A4 EAi-
At Cleveland O., on the funeral
occasion or President Garfield, one
Of the speakers offered the follow
ING Incident as Illustrative of the de
ceased: let, | think, when we
come to "a proper estimate Of his
character, and scei; after the secret
Of this world wide sympathy and af-
fection, we shall find it rather in the
richness and integrity Of his moral
nature, and III that sincerity in that
transparent honesty, in that truth
iuIncss, there lay the basis for every,
thing of greatness to which we do
honor to-day. | may state here that
perhaps it is not generally known as
an Illustration OF this, when James
i. Garfield was but IL -nere lad in
this country, a series OF religious
meetings were held in one Of the
towns OF Cuyahoga county by q min
lister by no means attractive as an
orator, possessing ncne of the great
ness of an orator, and marked only
hy his entire sincerity, by good rea-
soning powers and by his earnest
ness in seeking to win souls from
sin to righteousness.
THE LAD GARFIELD
Attended these meetings for several
nights, and after listening night
after night he went one day to the
minister and said to him, "Sir, l
have been listening to your preach
ing night after night, and | am fully
persuaded that il these things you
say are true, it is the duty and high
est interest of every man, and espe-
cially of every young man, to accept
that religion and seek to be such a
mar. But really l don't know
whether this thing is true or not. |
can't say that ! dishelieve it, but l
do not cay that fully and heartily
believe it. fl were sure that it
were true I would most gladly give
it my heart and my life" So after
long talk tho minister preached
tina: night on the text, "NVhat is
TRUTH" and proceeded to show that,
notwithstanding all the various and
conflicting theories and opinions in
ethical science, and notwithstand
ing all the various conflicting opin-
ions in the world, there was one as
sured fraternal alliance for every
human soul in Christ Jesus; rs to
the way OF truth, the preacher said
that every soul of man was safe with
Jesus Christ, who never would mis-.
lead; that any young man giving
him bis hand and heart, and walking
in his pathway would not go astray,
and that whatever might be the so
luton OF the ten thousand insoluble
M sterics ut the erd Of all things, a
man who loved Jesus Christ and
walked after the footsteps of Jesus
and realized in this spirit ard life
pure morals and sweet piety, that he
to night was safe, if safety there
we're in the universe of God-safe
whatever else were safe, and safe
whatever else might prove unworthy
and perish forever. Garfield seized
upon it after due reflection, and
came forward aud gave his hand TO
the minister in pledge of his accep-
tance of the guidance of Christ FOR
his life and turned his back upon
the sins of the world forever. The
boy is father to the man, and that
pure honesty and integrity, and that
fearless spirit to inquire, and that
brave surrender Of ell the charms of
sin to q conviction of duty and right,
went with him from that boyhood
throughout his life and crowned
him with the honors that were so
cheerrully awarded to him from all
hearts over this vast land.
PROVIDENCE, Oct. 4.-Nelson w.
Aldrich was elected U. S. Senator
to succeed Burnside.