St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-03
A FITTING TRIBUTE.
Grant Memorial Sermon by the Rev.
Robert Forbes.

Grant Mem Oriaf Sermon Dy the heN'
Robert Forbes.
The Rev. Robert Forbes of the Jackson
Street church preached yesterday morning
on the Life and Influence of Gen. Grant,
taking as his text "He being dead yet
speaketh." He spoke substantially as fol-
lows:
Man never dies, the body dies; his essen
+iaI being masses on. his influence remains.
The greatest character of all history began
to live when the world called him dead.
Among the greatest of men who have ap-
peared In these late centuries is U. >.
Grant. We hold this memorial service for
, several reasons. He needs no eulogy. Ills
praise is in every paper; sounded from
every pulpit. His name is known by more
. persons than any other noted man VINO ever
lived. The three names that shall shine
: forth with greatest luSter on the pages OF
American history are Washington, Lincoln,
! Grant. Washington, the father of his
) country. The great and good Lincoln
/ proved the son of the nation. And Grant,
! whose military genius fought our battles,
and whose craftsmanship carried us through
to reconstruction place Grant not one
whit behind the Others. Each one was
child of Providence. Each OF
them was trained, and especially
qualified for his appointed task. We may
admit. though we cannot prove, that pos
siblv hundreds of others could have been
found who would have proved equal to the
task without detracting from his glory. He
was certainly like many most eminent men,
he showed no special brilliancy in his
youth. He was of humble parentage.
Great men of literature, art and war have
belonged TO no exclusive class in life. They
have come alike from colleges, workshops
and farlnhouses. From the barber shop
came Jeremy Taylor, the most poetical of
divines. The common class of day laborers
has given lis Bundy, the engineer; Cook,
the navigator, and Burns, the poet.
Masons and bricklayers can boast of Ben
johnson, who worked at Lincoln's Inn
with
TRowEL IN HAND
and a book in his pocket. Carpenters,
weavers. shOemakers have all men to be
proud of, and instances could be multiplied
at any length. So of men in upper classes.
Hard work, perseverance, application, are
the highways to success. In looking over
the pages of history it is remarkable how
many soldiers have conferred honor on
their country'S literature. AS a soldier,
Grant won his greatest glory. His book
viii be read by all the American people as
most reliable, coming from the pen Of an
honest, fair-minded man, while the shadow
of eternity was falling upon him. From
FIT. Henry to Donelson, TO Belmont, to
Shiloh, to Vicksburg, to Petersburg, to
Richmond, he rose step by step, until he
who had unsheathed a captains sword at
the beginning of the war, returned it the
sword of the commander of all the
military forces of the United States.
at Richmond. The history of those battles
is familiar TO every schOolboy. DOnelsOn,
Belmont and Shiloh illustrated his audacity
and determination Vicksburg and Chatta-
nOoga, the characteristics of his struggle
and the distinctive military peculiarities,
and showed the greatness of his genius.
The fight for days and days in the Wilder
ness and around Richmond is the most
thrilling in the annals Of war. Grant liter
ally pounded the rebellion into subsection,
and threw himself and his brave fellows
like an avalanche from the hand of an
avenging deity against the foe. His plan
was TO be the agressor. He would not
know defeat. It was said that the Army
OF the Potomac was sure to win any battle
that lasted more than one day. He has been
COMPARED WITH NAPOLEON
MOltke and Others but it is difficult, if not
impossible, to institute any comparison.
The field of warfare was different. Grant
commanded more men than Napoleon
ever saw. and was inspired by an entirely
different spirit. Napoleon defed Provi-
dence while Grant trusted in Providence
Unconditional surrender was his motto
lie proposed to fight it out on this line''
He was kind and good to his men. He
did his work and did it well. Genius is SOL
itary. He was courageous cool and steady
He would write dispatches while the
shells were bursting around him.
When the war was over he was soon
called TO the presidential chair and through
the days of reconstruction he held firmly
the helm of state. We are too near this
great man to fully measure his worth.
Future poets will sing his praise Future
historians will tell of his value to the coun-
try he saved, to the flag he loved Many
of Grants warmest friends were among the
soldiers who wore the gray, and with the
exception of an occasional hot-headed
SOutherner, the whole South is In mourn
iBg. Note hisimagnanimity at the time of
Lees surrender. He said: "Take the
horses home. Take ratiOns for %. 900 men.
Keep your sword" Lee was worthy of
his steel. Grant did not want a picture
of Lees surrender.
PIE is GONE.
No man ever received such honors at
home and abroad. He received them un-
Ostentatiously. He was modest, humble.
chaste, truthful, honest, magnanimous.
hopeful, persevering. He was a Christian
and loved his wife and children. He was
a regular and devout attendant at church.
Il trustee of the Methodist church. gener-
Gus contributor to needy friends. He believed
inJeSus. This was his address to children on
a recent occasion: ''Your favor of yester-
day asking message from me to the chill
dTen and youth of the United States to ac-
company your centennial number is this
moment received. My advice to Sunday
schools, no matter what the denomination,
is hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor
10 your liberties. Write its precepts in your
heart and practice them in your lives To
the influence OF this book are we indebted
for all progress made in our true eiviliza-
ton and TO this we must look as our guide
in the future. righteousness exalteth a
hation, but sin is a reproach to any peo-
pie"
Where is found better testimony TO the
Christian religion? He is gone. He died
bravely. On Saturday he will be laid to
rest by the banks of the noble Hudson.
His best monument is a united nation of 3d.
goo. 600 of people.
COMPETING WITH THE RIFLE.
Frog ram OF tho Annual shoot of the
Department of Dakota.