The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-07
SILVER JOY.
Twenty.fitth Anniversary OF the Mar.
riage Of Mr.. and Mrs. r. G.
Pearee Last Eveaing-.A Fit.
ting Addrpss---List of
Presents.

Spouse to invitations previously sent out
that hosts of friends from far and near
improved this happy opportunity of pay
ing respects and extending congratula-
tons to the worthy couple. The spacious
parlors of the First NJ E. church parson-
age on Nineteenth street were filled with
merry gathering, when at o'clock the
anniversary ceremony was performed BY
the Rev. l. T. Whittemore, of Norwood
Mercer county, who officiated or
the occasion of the happy eve nj
twenty-five years ago. Mr.. and Mrs.
Pearce stood in the bow window, over
which were the dates "1S60-1SS5," in
silver letters interviewer with delicate
vines and white flowers. In perform,
ing the ceremony, Mr. Whittemore de-
hvered the following fitting address:
The clock of destiny has struck TWEEN
ty-fve. The great reaper has cut large
swath in these two and one half decades
Great men and small men have bowed
and fallen. johnson, Lincoln, Garfield
and Grant are no more; Scott, jackson,
Stephens, Beauregard and Foote have
gone; Livingston, Victor Emmanuel, Lou
is Napoleon and Victor Hugo--in the old
world-and Morse, Agassiz, Bryant.
Greeley, Seward, Chase and Longfellow
our countrymen--have paid the last
debt of nature. Today our nation bends
and drops loving tears of sorrow over one
of her greatest heros, who sleeps the
sleep that knows no waking"
Zone of the few immortal names
That we're not born 10 die"
But, while the march of men and ma,
tons has been ever onward and while the
ranks of the living have been thinning,
you and your beloved companion with
| firm step advance.
Your friends have met tonight to erect
an arch of triumph, under which you will
pass, but never to return.
This anniversary is testimony of the
honor put upon faith in God over cring>
ing doubt Of greatness over meanness, of
right over wrong; truth over error as seen
in your life. You have right to this
honor: you have won and earned it; and
yet, it is not you that we eulogize, but the
Christ you have served-the grace Of God
in you.
On that suspicious day-twenty five
years ago-when You led to the altar
your lovely Queen Esther, you were d
happy man, aud justly proud that you
had wooed and won a companion so well
suited to your position. Little you knew
her then; now you know her well; and to
know her as you do, is to love as none
but true husband Can. Faithful and
true has she been to you, and you prize
her as heavens best earthly gift. She
brought as a dowry, wealth of love.
At your first charge in New Michigan,
one OF the gods of thought was laid in
your nest-your darling Willie. He
prattled and crowed, and gladdened your
hearts for brief year and half, but in
your second charge, at Eureka, came
your first great sorrow, as the death an
gel bore him to his heavenly home. AT
Chcnoa-your third charge-sweet little
Carrie came to stay. At Pleasant Hill
your fourth charge-came Robbie to
gladden. your hearts and Carries. Al
your fifth charge-Pekin-desr little Les
lie opened his eyes, soon to close them
and was not, for God took him" Al
Washington, your sixth charge, MARY
Jane knocked, and you quickly opened tht
door and babe her welcome, and she, too,
Joins US in these festivities. At Winona
your seventh charge, lively little Richard
4 called and you said, come in, and he
did, and is here yet, thank God. You
eighth charge was at Dwight; your ninth
at Fairbury, where many years before
large congregation met in the Metho-
dist Episcopal church to hear you as the
boy preacher At your ninth charge
your brethren of conference said come
up higher, and you were elected presid,
ing elder and located at Onarga. During
the years here three darlings entered YOU
nest, one of whom, Johnny, was born tC
Join his angel brothers in the house no
made with ha1ds, while Addie. Josephine
and Esther Elizabeth still lived.
Your eleventh charge was Peoria, your
twelfth at Galesburg, where the spirit o
your sweet Addie was called home aftel
two and one half summers. Monmouth
was your 18th charge, and this the four
teenth. -Four immortals safe with Jesus
five vet brighten your home and cheer
your hearts.
As reward of fidelity and recognition
of talent, your brethren have raised you
from step to step in honor and response.
bility until Hedding college confessed thu
degree which you so modestly and ye
worthily bear. Aud reasoning from effec
to cause my conclusions are not random
but logical when | affirm that it is becaus,
, you have been from the first firm de
fender Of the faith once delivered to th'
saints" loyal to your church and to you
country; that you have been raised b,
your peers and superiors from one posi-
ton of trust to another, till you havt
reached the crowning excellence of today
, Your friends have met this evening to do
, you honor. Aud l, as little mouth
: piece, do but voice the sentiment, no
emily Of this congregation who have CONF
to congratulate you on this memorials
occasion, but to the vast multitude t,
whom you have ministered in you
former charges. You live in their mem
, cries and in their hearts. You have mar
ried their sons and daughters; have bap
, tized and lead their children to Christ
!, and when the death angel has come am
, borne them to the land of the blest, yol
have ministered to their comfort an
touchingly said. Il know thy sorrows.
In how many revivals you hav
wrought; how many souls led to Christ
how many young lives you have shapes
for usefulness; how many young men le
into the ministry, and maidens to tn
honored position of teacher; how man