Morning journal and courier., 1885-11-24

sible in him as immortality or impiety. His modesty fully matched his ability. While China and England leaned on his ability to perform achievements alone that dazzle as- tonishment with their splendor and transhx amazement with their impossibility, he moves on as if unconscious that he was the hero of the worlds admiration. He was great in his simplicity and simple in his un- measured greatness.
 Gordon was born soldier. He made himself hero. He descended from race of soldiers Warrior blood of the best Eng fish type, intelligent and indomitable, filtered through four generations into his veins. He was born January 2S, 1888, at Woolwich, the famous center of the war power of Eng land with it's royal arsenal and dockyards. The thunder of the testing cannon was his advent hymn; the booming of heavy ordi- nance destined to maintain the prestige and power of England as mistress of the seas was his infant lullaby; and the spectacle of guns, ammunition, war ships, glittering uniforms and victorious troops was the Kindergarten of his childhood; so that the sounds and sights of war wrought into the texture of his mind from infancy the spirit of a martial hero.
 His boyhood was spent at the military posts of his fathers duty, always surrounded by the pomp and glamour of soldier life, and at Taunton where he prepared for the Royal military academy, which he entered before J concluded his military studies with nothing of remarkable incident foreshadowing his brilliant career, and in July, 1852, was ga zetted as second lieutenant in the famous corps of the Royal engineers. For two years after graduation Gordon worked the entrance to Milford Haven, while the roar of the Crimean war chafed his martial spirit. But on New Years day, 1855, he landed at Balaklava to begin his active mili- tary career as junior officer of engineers. In his humble position he soon attracted at tention by his energy and activity, but also, as Colonel Chesney writes, by his extraordi- nary aptitude for war, developing itself amid the trench work before Sebastopol in per sonal knowledge of the enemy's movements such as no other officer attained.
 During the repeated bo1nbardments of Sebastopol in which occurred the most stu pendous artillery duel the world has ever seen, Gordon was in the trenches amid ter rife showers of grape and shell, coolly doing his duty, but escaping all harm. He never avoided, danger when duty called, and relig- iously believed that hs was immortal until his work was done. His letters to the home circle at this time show the deep undertone of piety that pervaded his character, but was never paraded for effect.
 Military glory did not dazzle him into am bition, while duty commanded his utmost heroisin. Just prior to the equalization of the renowned fortress, he writes: "I for one do not care about being lamented after death. I am not ambitious Thus at the age of 23 he was humble, devout, energetic, capable Sir Harry Jones reported him as having earned promotion by gallant service. The decoration of the Legion of Honor was bestowed on him, a token of distinction con- ferred on few officers of his rank.
 At 27 years of age Captain Gordon was ordered to China to assist in the military op- erations of the allied British and French forces against Europe. He arrived in time to participate in the preparations for an as- sault on the City of Pekin. But the city surrendered Gordon remained for two years in command of the Royal engineers, winning the rank of major, when the oppor tnnity offered for him to achieve his most brilliant record in the conquest of the Tais- sing rebellion.
 The lecturer then gave a graphic descrip- ton of the Chinese rebellion and the part that Gordon took in it's suppression-which we are obliged to omit for want of space and the same is true in regard to most of the interesting events that followed in Gordon's eventful military career, not only in China, but in the Soudan.
 In concluding his most interesting lecture the doctor said: Gordon was sometimes called a religious fanatic, but it was fanat- icism that always carried with it an enthusi- asm for the right, which we could wish might inspire us all If Gordon was fanatic, God send more of them! It will be long day ere we look on another Gordon. He WAS a nobleman whose patent of nobility was created by mightier than mortal hands.
 Had he survived the Soudau victories he might have been knighted by royal favor, but by his glorious life and heroic death he is raised to the peerage of England's latest and greatest hero and by divine ordination is made king and priest unto God forever! In Westminster abbey no tablet or monument will arrest more pilgrim feet or thrill with kindling aspirations more breasts than this: Warrior of God-man's friend here below,
 But somewhere dead in the far waste Soudan, Thou hvest in all hearts, for all men know
 This earth hath borne no simpler, no nobler
 man.
 The next and last in the course will be a Science of Home'' on Wednesday evening, December 2. MT. Carleton is well known in the literary world as the author of ''Farm Ballads" ''Farln Legends" "Farm Festi- vals" and City Ballads" and many other works On this occasion he will recite many of his most entertaining ballads.