The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-03


rslio,ous Leliof IL fun OF solccisms and con'ra-
d,crions- philosopiiic observer declares that
mn Inv the Thousand wall die IN defense OF
a creed whose doctrines they do no, co'np.o-
bend and whose tenets they haoi' ua,'y .'
In i. equally true that men by the tnousanus
viii cling 10 church organizations Win ihsunc'-
i've and md, ing fdeiity when their beiio! III
mature wears is radically dinsreht inon I'M
which inspires them q, neophytes Du. s' -
this range Of speculation anu tins i'si.uuo ~
doubt .rieid came back always wiz w. Ss,h
and delight 10 simpler instincts OF rshsious ista
which, earliest implan cd, longest survive w
many weeks before his assansiiiauoh' ",iAins
on the banks OF the Potomac WIN 'rienu, "n.
conyerslng on these topics OF pers"na. 10
hgion, concerning which hop'e na'"v' -. 10
fonnd the Lords prayer aud the simPe Peti-
tons learned In infancy Infinitely rest'ui W nm,
not merely III their stated rcpoti ioii' Du' -.
their casual and FIR, quent recall ~ ne Mons
about the daily duties vi Ire. ceituu 'eA's u
Scripture had very strong holi on his nieli-
ory and heart He heard, while IL En- nDuten
some wears ago, an eminent Scotch preacner
who prefaced his sermon with rea my ING
eighth chapter OF the Epistlo 10 the honAns,,
winch book had been the subject Oh cafe,u'
study with Garfield during al nIs ,,,,on ~
He was greatly impressed by the eio1u.Lon VI
the preacher, and declared that IL hao ini-
parted a new and deeper meaning 10 tno
ina iestic utterances OF 81. Panl ne reioi.ou
often in after years 10 that nenioiSoio
service. and dwelt with exaltation OF lee
inc mon the radiant promise and the
assured hope with which the great
apostle OF the Gentlles was per-
suaded that neither death, nor hie' nor
angels, nor principalltles, nor powers, MOI
things present, nor things TO come nor heien''
nor Depth nor any other creature shall DO aoio
to separate us from the love OF u "a whicn IS
in Christ Jesu, our Lord The browning ehar-
act.ristIc OF Gen. Garfieds religious opinions,
as indeed all his opinions, was us hoeraii.y.
In ali things he had ch .rity Tolerance WAS Oh
his nature. He respected IN others the quah-
ties he possessed himself sincerity OF convic-
ton aud frankness of ex preston. With him
the inquiry was not as to what a man believes,
but does he believe 1t q? The lines OF his ffieno-
ship and his confidence incircled men Ia every
creed and to the end CT his LIE on Ills ever
lengthening l.sl of friends were TO Do tounu inc
names OF a Iious Catholic priest and OF
an honest-minded and generous ana
free thinker. On tine morning OF SAY
urday, July 2, the Preriient was
a contented and happy man. not i'll an ordi-
nary degree, but joyfuly, almost boyishly, hap
py On his way 10 the railroad station, 10
winch he drove slowly, III conscious enjoyment
of the beautiful morning. with an un~onted
sense Of leisure aud a Keen anticipation or
pleasure his talk all in the grateful and
tratulatory VEN. He felt that, after four
months of trial his administration WAS strong
and destined to grow stronger, that grave dim
culties confronting hum ct his Inauguration had
been safely passed. Tnat trouble lay behind
Inn AMI not before him. That he was soon to
meet he wife whom he loved, now 7, recovering
from an illness which had Tut lately disquieted
and ut tmss almost unnerved HIM; that he
was going to hs alma mater TO renew
the most cherished associa ions OF his young
manhood, and 10 exch lnge greetings with those
whose deepening interest had followed every
A ..1 From fnn 40
entered upon his college course until he had
attained the loftiest position In the gift OF his
couutrymen. Surely, II happiness can ever
come from the honors or uiumphs OF this
world, on that quiet July morning James A.
Garfield may well have been happy man.
No foreboding of evil haunted him. not the
slightest premonition OF danger couded his
sky his terri BILE fate was upon him IN an in
slant. One moment he stood erect, strong,
confident on the years stretch ~ peace
fully out before him. The next he lay
wounded, bleeding, helpless, doomed to weary
weeks of torture, to silence and the grave.
Great in life, he was surprisingly great in
death. For no cause. i'll the very frenzy OF
wantonness and wickedness, by the red hand Of
murder, he thrust fr I'm the full tide OF this
worlds interest, from its hopes Its aspirations,
its victories into the visible presence OF death,
and he did not quail, not alone Tor the one
short moment i'll which, stunned and dazed, he
could give up life, hardly aware ofits reinqush-
ment, but throu days OF deadly languor,
through weeks Of agony that Was not less
agony because silently borne. With elear sight
and calm courage. he looked into his
open grave. What blight and ruin met his
angulseed ewes Whose lips may tell what
brilliant broken plans, what baffled high ambi-
tons, what sundering of strong. warm, manhood
friendships. what bitter rending of sweet
b household ties Behind him n proud, expect
ant nation, great host OF sustaining friends,
cherished and happy mother, wearing the
full. rich honors OF her early toll and tears;
the wife OF his youth, whose whole life lay
III his; the little boys not yet emerged from
chidnoods day of froic; the fair Young
daughter. the sturdy SONS just sprin,,ing into
closest companionship. claiming Every day and
every day rewarding fathers love and care,
and IN his heart the eager rejoicing power to
meet all demands. Before him desoation and
great darkness, and his soul was not shaken.
HIS countrymcn were thrilled with an instant,
profound aud universal sympathy. Masterful
i'll his mortal weakness, he became the center
of nstion's love, enshrlned in the
prayers of a world, but all the love
and all the sympathy could not share
with hum his suffering. He trod the VINE press
alone. With unfaltering front be faced death.
With unfaiIing tenderness he took leave Of life.
Above the demonlac hiss OF the assassin's bull
let he heard tue voice Of God. With simple re-
signstion he bowed TO the Divine decree. As
the end drew near his early craving for the sea
returned. TIE stately mansion of power had
been to him the weary hospital of PAIN and he
begged to be taken from its prison walls from
its Oppressive, sitting air, from its home
lessness and its hopelessness. Gently.
silently, the love OF n great people bore
the pale sufferer to the for healing of the
sea, to live or to die as God should will. Within
sight OF it's heaving biIlows, within sound
OF its manifold voices, with wan, fevered face
tenderly lifted to the COOLING breeze, he looked
out wistfully upon the oceans changing WON
ders, on its far sails whitening in the morning
light, on Its restless waves rolling shoreward to
break and die beneath the MONDAY sun, on the
rel clouds OF evening reaching low to the
horizon, on the serene and shining pathway Of
the stars. Let us think that his dying eyes
read mystic meaning which only the rapt and
parting soul may know. Let us bellows that in
tue silence Of the receding world he heard the
great wave breaking on farther shore, and
Ielt already upon his wasted brow tho breath
of the eternal morning.