The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-07-30
AT THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

In the evening Rev. r. T. Ingalls, de.
livered a memorial address on General
Grant at the Congregational church,
taking for his text the I'd verse of the I'd
chapter of Timothy: "a good soldier"
After beautiful general introduction
TO his theme, in which Mr.. Ingalls, said
that the world always liked a good
fighter aud that the pulse quickens at
conflict as from no other cause, and that 1t
is as natural for US to take sides as to
breathe, he then continued:
The greatest man that has ever figured
in the annals OF American history died
on the 23d of July, 1885. The Ameri-
can people on that day sat around the
deathbed of General Grant. They
watched HIM through the warm sum-
mer nights; they felt the hush of that
saddened, Swallowed room where the
chieftain whose words of command
had once sent armies into the
field and whose clear insight had once
been almost the sole stay and support of
twenty millions of people, was yielding
to the destroyer with whose aspect he
had been familiar in the awful carnage
OF war. But when the specter took its
flight, the flag whose honor he had main
tanned began to drOop and the bells in
soft cadence tOlled the knell of the pass
ing soul
GRANTS CAREER
is familiar to every one. It has been
printed and reprinted in every news
paper and it is not a proper time for q
formal eulogy, that is fitting for the day
set spaTt for his Obst quies. My mind
has dWelt on some reflections which his
great work has brought to. US. OppOr.
tuniLy seems to have been a great factor
in his career Up to his Both year
the life of General Grant was obscure.
His life up to that time, in the language
of the world, had been a failure, and he
was only known to q small circle OF
friends. But the period of opportunity
came. Some SOW, others reap. Ages
sowed the spirit of revolution that sep
arated this country from Great Britain.
Many who sowed did not live to see the
fruits of their labor. Napoleon called
himself the "chiid of destiny" MY
own child could not replace me-" he
once SAID, and added, 81 could not re-
place myself" 1t is the mountain on
which the man stands that lifts him
above his fellows, rather than his own
gigantic proportions.
The greatest struggle yet recorded in
the annals of history is that which pre-
6cINCu lnO unlOH vi buG6C Sbdbc6s
was
THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
The abolitiOnists prepared the way,
and the labors of WilberfOTce
and Howard lent them aid.
Centuries hence the world will apprecI
ate the results of the civil strife and
General Grants name will 60 down to
posterity as the principal military fig
ure. We may also note that it was the
condition of American life that
helped to shape Grants career.
He represented the popular idea of
his own time. 1t was this prevailing
American idea that directed General
Grants career and marked its limit.
Like every other patriotic citizen he
loved his country and desired to serve
it, although he has no ambition for
power.
GRANTS ONE GREAT TASK
was TO put down the rebellion and re-
store unity and peace by force of arms
His task was defined and limited. Grant
was great because there was a war. We
have explained his opportunity, but
there yet remains mysteri-
Gus, inexplIcable fact-the man
himself. Some say that
his western birth was an element in
favor of his success, but his military
training was the first indication of his
future greatness. The lack of success IN
business, which prevented him from ac-
cumulating q fortune, prevented him
from being detected from the paths
which led TO his success.
We always find HIM the same simple
man, whether as general, as chief execu-
tive or as the guest of nations, and when
death appears before him the north and
south meet as friends around his dying
bed Grants mistakes were but the ex-
aggerations of the better qualities of
his mind and heart. There Is no power
of imagination that can picture the
scenes beyond. The heroes of the late
struggle are fast passing from the battles
and conflicts of this life to the abiding
rewards of eternity