The Portland daily press., 1882-04-03
LoNaFELLow.
Memorial Services at the First
Parish.

Parish.
A PUBLIC TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD
POET.
Testimonial Of Harvard's and Bowdoin's
Sons.
Last evening, the old First Parish church,
the first church established in Maine east OF
Wells, where Drs Smith and Deane presided
for SO many years, and were followed by Drs.
Nichols, Stebbins and Hill, and where the
Longfellow family have worshipped from gen.
Grafton to generation, was the scene of a me-
mortal service made remarkable from the fact
that it was held in this ancient editice under
the auspices of the two colleges-Harvard and
Bowdoin-with which the great poet was iden-
titled. as student and teacher. and also from
the fact that one of the speakers was an ex
nresident of the former celebrated institution
of learning
At an early hour the public began to seek
admittance, forgetting that the published hour
afraid, if late, they could not secure seats AT
half-past seven there was tremendous crush,
and, in consequence, only portion OF the
members of the two societies under whose aus
pices the service as held, were able to OBJ
tain the seats reserved for them, but contented
themselves with places elsewhere. The church
presented beautiful appearance in its Christ
mas dress of evergreen garlands, which suit
ed well the soft gray tint which is the prevail
ing color Of the walls. Every seat was occu-
pied when the voluntary commenced, and the
back of the church filled with people standing
The usual vesper services occupied the first
part of the service. The responsive reading,
PRAYER, readings from the Old and New Testa-
ments and hymns, all had reference to Long
fellow, or were especially selected from his
poems. The hymns sung were the 10Th vespsr,
behold the Western Evening Light" the
"Psalm;of Life; the 629th hymn, ''Take this
o death, and bear away; and the 40lst hymn,
eve have not wings and cannot soar" Atthe
close of the reading of the New Testament,
Rev. DR.. Hill arose and delivered the follow
ing address:
REV. DIR. HILLS ADDRESS.
The four elements TALENT fortune, industry
and inspiration, which must combine to pro-
duce the highest success in life, were all con-
spicuous in the poet whom our city delights to
claim and to honor. The inheritor, or at least
the recipient from nature, of fine powers, he
had favorable opportunities for cultivating and
developing them; but, what is far more impor-
tant he opened his heart devoutly and rever-
emily to holy influences; and gave himself
with steadfast conscientious industry to tho
improvement of his opportunities, and to tho
exercise of his powers To such man all cir
cumstances become, as it were, favorable; he
is, in great measure, independent Of fortune;
he increases his native talent; and he ensures
the cooperation of that Inspiring Presence
which is always ready to enter the heart opened
to receive it,
1t is this peculiar moral nobility which has
given our poet so strong hold on the affection
and respect of all who know him, either per-
sonally, or by report and tradition. His SON.
iors and equals in age bear testimony, that
from his boyhood he held to his earnest pur-
poses; he left nothing behind him to be re-
gretted-nothing to be covered with veil
The devout solemnity Of that early Psalm,
'sIife is real; life is earnest;''
was nothing assumed or put on; it was no sur
face emotion, expending itself in words; it
was deep, inward choice of the way of duty;
manfesting itself in course of steadfast fideli-
ty to the precepts of Jesus, from his youth to
his old age. Duty is not satisfied with profes-
sions, or with promises; it demands An uncon-
zf %hA vhnlA
and the whole life, to the eternal principles OF
piety, righteousness and love; to this demand
he INCREASINGLY yielded his reyerent obediencs.
1t seemed as though he had secretly said to
himself.
"That am true, my life alone can show;
NY words are all unequal to the task.
All that is told US of his private life confirms
MS in this view of the practical reality OF his
religion; and all his published writings bear
witness to it. 1t is not simply their innocence;
the absence of lines which on his death-bed no
might wish to erase; 1t Is the unconscious be-
trayal, in every part, OF the Wrlter's own moral
heart were opened early, by great sorrows; but
the streams which issued were clear, and life
giving. The flow often begins from vein OF
sadness, but it never degenerates into melan-
choly; and almost invariably ends with hope,
faith and charity. Those blessed Christian
praces were the characteristics OF his soul.
And it was this moral earnestness, which Tin
combination with his sweet, courteous dignity,
and his exceptionally high attainments as
scholar, and achievements as writer) made
him so valuable as a teacher; first IN ms ms
chair at Cambridge; where his services
and fame outshone the glory of his
remarkable predecessor, and OF his highly Elft-
ed successor. The young men who met him
were as much impressed and inspired by the
moral influences which flowed unconscloualy
from his presence as by the direct teaching. in
his class room. No wonder that the alumni OF
both institutions have desired to take part IN
those solemn services OF thanksgiving Tor ms
life and labors; and for the inspiration which
has left us such valuable fruits, 1or our inhori-
tance and that of our children For, through
the grace that was given him, he has left
precious legacy to many succeeding genera
tions
At the close of DR.. Hills address, Rev. Asa
Daltor, rector of st. Stephens church, and
vice president of the Harvard Club. spoke as
follows:
REV. MR.. DALToN's ADDRESS.
The anciepts regarded the city Of a mans
birth as his mother, whom he was bound to
love. serve and obey by his life and his works.
AS such, the city claimed the right to award
him suitable honors while he lived, and to pro-
nounce his final eulogy Immediately after
death. This custom was honored by careful
observance, and was believed to be due equally
10 the departed and to his surviving friends
and fellow citizens. To the departed it was
tribute of love and gratitude, merited by the
services he had rendered his native city in its
corporate capacity, as we'll as to the individual
citizens. To his fellow citizens it was also an
indirect, but efficient call to follow in his steps,
at least in interest and SPIRIT 80 far as possible
by emulating his example of well-doing and
striving to excel in their several conditions and
callings
night, and of this memorial service. Portland
claims the great poet whom we have lost, as
the brightest and best of all her SONS. Tho
city was proud of him and loved him while ne
lived. and now that he is dead. she is, after
his immediate family, the. chief mourner at
his grave, and most deeply feels OF how great a
son She is bereaved. His name and fame are
indissolubly connected with this city by the sea.
And Portland's mother-heart will not rest sat
isfied until she erect in 1.-THE Oaks" an endur-
ing monument to his memory-a statue OF the
poet-by which his form and features may be
familiar to future generations.
Longfellow's life divides itself into three
parts: His youth and early manhood till he
was thirty years of age, period of preparation
and constant improvement. His ripe manhood,
from thirty to sixty, period of active labor,
when his best work was done; and from sixty
to seventy-five period OF calm repose and ad-
vancinp old age. when he was the object OF hlf