Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-10-21
WORDS FROM BEECHER.
ser,non on the Death OF Garfield.

But let us turn to the sublime God from
these human measurements. What is time
to Him? Mans life is like the bubble on
the sea, which rises to the surface, CLEANS
brightly in the sun. but only 10 burst. God
measures all events by eternity, so that
which may seem to us TO be confusion ID a
benefit to His eyes. And so some benefit
may arise to us from this disaster. Some
times single act may outweigh the rest
of man's life. So from Garfeld's death
we may gain something, although not in
an exactly similar way. Washington is
revered for his life, but how much more
eleyated his memory would have been il
he'had met with a tragic death for his
country. Wise and gentle az our Saviours
life was, His death was OF much more inn
portance. Although we hoped to reap
so much from Gariield's life, we may reap
even more from his death. The North and
South have felt for the first lime the heal
ing balm of mutual sympathy and grief.
The wounds left by the war, and not yet
healed over, will be Modified. There has
been no division in the Nations sorrow,
and its whole heart has beaten together.
Charleston has felt the loss as bitterly as
Philadelphia. and New Orleans has been
az sincere in her grief as New York. Nor
have party lines divided this sympathy.
But still more striking than the unity of
the Nation in iis grief has been the unity
of mankind. When Lincoln was shot, the
world was shocked rather than grieved.
England had not yet learned wisdom, while
the hands OF France were still red with the
blood of Mexico. But now no Nation has
been SO obscure that 1t has not expressed
its sorrow. From Russia and Turkey, on
the East to japan, on the West, there has
been common sorrow. think that new
er before has the heart blood of the world
been so stirred. But If this Is the first
time, may it not he the last?
This sympathy has also moral comfort.
Were there ever before so many prayers
offered up? The Mussulmnn, the Catholic,
knew Him, and in their own formality.
But did God refuse TO answer them, and is
prayer n fiction? In the lower sphere God
gave no answer, but in the higher one lie
did il there no other answer Of prayer
save in con inuance Of life? Could we not
he more fortified and strengthened by Pres
ident Garfield's death than by his life2 IL
this moi n more sublime answer 10 our
prayers? We see people dying everywhere
hut except in the case of near relations or
friends we scarcely feal that death is an
atliiclion. But why should Garfield not
die? Because we looked upon him ns
tree from which we sllonld gather only good
frnit? But is II not better to have iis
branches raised higher 20 that il will ben
eft the whole world?
Of the group Of strong and distinguished
Ohio statesmen who gave to their State M
exceptional influence in Congress IN The
years Immediately folluwing the war, when
the great questions nf reconstruction aud
citizenship were decided. John Sherman |,
the only man left IN either House. Wmle
AMI Garfield are both dead, Srhenk, long
afflicted by Illness, has i,ern ant of publ,
life since his return from he English Mis-
sion. Bingham il in Japan Slellabnrgei
is praciicing law in Washington. Asllle,
graviiatsd To the Democratic party and
thence ont 0i poliiics; and other men o
less lame, but Of considerable prominenc,
at that lime. are lost sight "f. II viii
hardly he claimed that The new generation
Of active Ohio politicians come up To til,
intellectual stainre of their predecessors
The exceptional influence whicl, the Stat,
has welded for nearly twenty years IN Nm
tionnl legislation through Inc force aud G x
perience Of her Senators and Representa-
tives will hardly be prolonged when III,
lnst OF the race OF stntesmen educated b,
the anti slavery agitation passes off ih,
stage oi action.