The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-27
GARFIELD'S CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.
The Martyred Presidents Pastor Lectures on
His Personal Beliefs and characteristics.

DR.. Frederick d. Powers, of Washington City.
lectured last night at the Central Christian
Church, on 1.-THE Christian Life of President
Garfield" DR.. Powers was President Garfield S
pastor at Washington City for many years, and
was long and intimately associated with him.
An appreciative audience listened for an hour to
the lecturer, who spoke mainly from personal
knowledge and recollection.
He said that the sorrow of one summer still
fingers. Numbers of people come to Garfelds
old church, look upon his pew, and sadly turn
away. Garfield was a Christian brother whose
crown was goodness, and whose loss to the world
was irreparable. The death of Napoleon did not
touch the public heart; Beacons6eld gave up life
amid no widespread lamentation; over Websters
grave the Nation did not bow its head, with
tears-but, when Garfeld's tragic fate was
known. the world wept and mourned.
The life of Garfield was full of usefulness to
his country. His style of manhood was such as
Christianity only could mould. He was a man
of the highest type, in whom conscience held
the supreme sway. Garields ancestors were of
Saxon origin, and of praying habits.
When four years old he won a
Testament in a contest for excellent standing at
school, and by that book he trained his whole
subsequent life. AS a boy, Garfield was con
spicuous for his steady behavior and studious
habits, which enabled him in later life to lay
some claims to scholarship, and to either dis
course learnedly upon historical themes, grow
eloquent over the myth of Homer, or preside>
with dignity and grace over a college institution.
He was a true champion of Christ. who was
blessed in having a prayerful, intelligent and
undetermined mother. Garfield often said to
his friends, MY mothers prayers have made
me what | am" AS Susanna Wesley trained
her sons, Charles and John, for immortal great
ness, or as the kiss of the mother
of West made him a painter, so
the mother of Garfield nodded her
son to reach, step by step, the highest
gift in the hands of his countrymen. Garfield
early became a religious man, and In his struggle
for eminence and fame, the church gave him his
brightest inspirations and encouragements. The
key of his success was his earnest and pious de-
termination. Since the time when as a college
boy he spent six hours in mastering two sentences
in Caesars Commentaries, nothing was too ar
duOus for his accomplishment. His young man
hood was spent in the capacity of a college presl-
dent and then as a minister OF the gospel. These
vacations were but mighty stepping stones to
his after and greater career. When the timo
came for him to enter upon his political
career, with characteristic respect he consulted
his mother, who approved of his new step, and
prayed that he would take his religion and Chris
tlan experience along with him into politics.
This Garfield did, and he became the Christian
statesman, who never forgot the church, or
ceased to read the Bible, or neglected a mothers
counsel. He served God with a higher love than
he served his country, and claimed that secular
duties were not for men, but God. Garfield
was not a perfect man, as no mortal
stuff can be, but lie was true, manly and hon
est. His noble action on inauguration day was
characteristic Of the man. He first kissed the
verse in the Bible, '"The king is IN the hand of
the Lord" and then his mother and wife. In
1869 he and Jeremiah Black sought President
johnson, or several occasions, and lmplored him
to tender a governmental position to a poor
minister whose church was embarrassed with
debt. Some people thoughtthe trio were engaged
in a conspiracy. To these Garfield replied: ave
are engaged in a conspiracy, sir, to have
the gospel of Christ preached in Washington ac-
cording to the testimony of the twelve apostles"
In the army he always opened and closed the
day with religious worship, and during the Re-
publican convention at Chicago he was found by
searching friends to be engaged in prayer at a
Christian church near by. Garfield was no
silent Christian, but an active worker IN the
church. He was a man who was controlled by
religious forces. Taking into consideration the
looseness of Washington life, the poverty and
recklessness of the times, the plety of Garfield
was the most remarkable since the days of the
martyrs. He protested and rebelled against the
use of wine in social life at the Capitol. AL
though he never took II tenn perance pledge. he
was yet a Christian, working and pleading for
sobriety. Garfield was lord over his a~ppetites
Cho . u blCSClN CN Alc pOIJ III pullbI 90
though it were a temple of the gods. He has
been assailed as sympathizing with 1ngersol,
but they were only friends in politics. When
Ingersoll spoke at his brothers grave, abiding
to the silent and pathetic dust, every life a
tragedy" and so on, Garfield was touched, and
earnestly endeavored to convert his friend to the
Christian faith. He claimed that two forces, the
schoolmaster and the Bible, are the hope of the
country.
There was a vein of sadness in all Of Garfield's
political victories. He was not glad to have
national responsibility thrust upon his shoulders.
There was a cloud overhanging all his political
career, and he believed that he was fated TO a
tragic death. AS there was exactly
twenty years between his election as Presi-
dent and that of Lincoln and of Harrison,
and, as Indiana was the deciding State in each
them, he would die soon after his inauguration.
Garfield had a far-reaching faith and sublime
trust in God. His life is an inspiration to
young men who do not know the greatness of
goodness. Men who had never seen him loved
him for his simple virtues. His genius was APP
parent in all he did, but it was overshadowed by
his goodness, II know God, and trust myself
in his hands, He said on his sick bed. While at
Elberon he heard the congregation singing, in
a neighboring church, the lines, Jesus
lover of my soul" and arising in the bed, he took
up the next line, saying, Let me to Thy bosom
fly" These were almost his last words. On his
death bed he recited the opening line of Ten
nyson's I'm Memoriam," Strong SON of God,
He is immortal love" saying that he felt their
full meaning.
The speaker closed with a touching recital of
the funeral scene. and the burial. The lecture
was we'll attended, and listened to with interest
by all,
The State-House Plaza.