The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-09-02

to continue his education he rejected
Bethany, though presided over by Alex.
ander Campbell, the greatest preacher OF
his Church. His reasons were character
istic-first, that Bethany leaned too
heavily toward slavery; and, second, that
being himself Disciple and the son OF
Disciple parents, he had little acqualnt-
ance with people of other beliefs, and ne
thought it would make him more liberal,
quoting his own words, both in his re-
hgious and general views, to go into
new circle and be under new Influences.
The liberal tendency which he antlci-
pated as the result of wider culture was
fully realized. He was emancipated from
mere sectarian belief, and with eager in
terest pushed his investigations in the
direction of modern progressive thought.
He followed with quicke ening step in the
paths of exploration and speculation 50
fearlessly trodden by Darwin, by Hux
ley, by Tyndall. and by other living
scientists of the radical and advanced
type. His own Church, binding its dis
ciples by no formulated creed, but accept
ing the Old and New Testaments as tho
word of God, with unbiased liberality or
private Interpretation, favored, if it did
not stimulate, the spirit of investigation.
Its members profess with sincerity, and
profess only, TO be of one mind and one
faith with those who Immediately fol-
lowed the Master, and who were first
called Christians at Antioch.
But however high Garfield reasoned OF
"fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge abb
solute,'f he was never separated from the
Church of the Disciples in his affections
and in his associations. For him it held
the ark of the covenant. To him it was
| the gate of heaven. The world of relig-
ious belief is full of solecisms and contra
dictions. A philosophic observer de-
clares that men by the thousand will
die in defense of creed whose
doctrines they do not comprehend
and whose Jefiets they .habitually violate.
1t Is equally true that men by the thou
xyil ,1in m, oh oh or MI rot
with instructive and undying fidelity
when their belief in maturer years is
radically different from that which in
spired them as neophytes.
| But, after this range of speculation and
this latitude of doubt, Garfield came back
always with freshness and delight to the
sim pier instincts of religious faith, which,
earliest implanted, longest survive. Not
| many weeks before his assassination,
walking on the banks of the Potomac
with friend, and conversing on those
topics of personal religion, concerning
which noble natures have an uneonquera-
BILE reserve, he said that he found the
Lords Prayer and the simple petitions
learned in infancy infinitely restful to
him. not merely in their stated repetition,
but in their casual and frequent recall as
he went about the daily duties of life.
Certain texts OF Scripture had very
strong hold on his memory and his heart.
He heard, while in Edinburgh some years
ago, an eminent Scotch preacher who
prefaced his sermon with reading the
eighth chapter of the Epistle to the
Romans, which book had been the SUBJ
ject of careful study with Garfield during
all his religious life. He was greatly inn
pressed by the elocution of the preacher,
and declared that it had impaired new
and deeper meaning to the majestic utter
ance of st. Paul. He referred often in
after years to that memorable service,
and dwelt with exaltation of feeling
upon the radiant promise and the assured
= t..l.. 10
Gentiles was persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi-
palities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
THE GROWING CHARACTERISTICS
| OF General Gorfield's religious opinions,
as, indeed, of all his opinions, was his
| liberality. In all things he had charity.
Tolerance was of his nature. He re-
spected in others the qualities which he
possessed him mself-sincerity OF convlc-
ton and frankness of expression. With
him the inquiry was not so much what
man believes, but does he believe it? The
lines of his friendship and his condti-
ldence encircled men of every creed and
men of no creed, and to the end of his life,
on his ever-lengthening list of friends,
/ were to be found the names of pious
| Catholic priest and of an honest-minded
and generous-hearted free-thinker.
1 On the morning of Saturday, July I'd,
the President was contented and happy
man-not in an ordinary degree, but joy
fully, almost boyishly happy On his way
to the railroad station, to which he drove
| slowly, in conscious, enjoyment of the
beautiful morning, with an unwonted
sense of leisure and keen anticipation
of pleasure, his talk was all in the grate-
full land gratulatory vein. he felt that
after four months OF trial his Admins
Sf.r frf fof
strong in popular favor and destined to
grow stronger; that grave difficulties
confronting him at his inauguration had
been safely passed; that trouble lay be-
hind him and not before him; that he
was soon to meet the wife whom he loved,
now recovering from an illness which had
i but lately disquieted and, at times, almost
un nnerved him; that he was going to his
Alma Mater to renew the most cherished
associations of his young manhood. and
to exchange greetings with those
whose deepening interest had fol-
lowed every step of his upward
progress from the day he entered upon
Il his college course until he had at
tanned the loftiest elevation in the gift OK
his countrymen.
Surely, if happiness can ever come
from the honors or triumphs OF this
world, on that quiet July morning James
A. Garfield may well have been happy
man. No foreboding of evil haunted
him; no slightest premonition OF danger
clouded his sky. His terrible fate was
i upon him in an instant. One moment
he stood erect, strong, confident in the
years stretching peacefully out before
him. The next he lay wounded, bleed
ing, helpless. doomed to weary weeks OF
torture, to silence and the grave.
/ GREAT IN LIFE,
He was surprisingly great in death. For
/ no cause, in the very frenzy of wanton-
ness and wickedness, by the red hand of
murder, he was thrust from the full tide
of this worlds interest, from its hopes, its
aspirations, its victories, into the visible
presence of death-and he did not quail.
Not alone for the one short moment in
which, stunned and dazed, he could give
| up life, hardly aware of its relinquish-
ment, but through days of deadly
| languor, through weeks OF agony, that
was not less agony because silently borne,
| with clear sight and calm courage, he
| looked into his open grave. What blight
| and ruin met his anguished eyes, whose
lips may tell-what brilliant, broken
/ pfans what baff1ed, high ambitions, what
sundering of strong, warm, manhood's
| friendships, what bitter rending OF sweet
household ties! Behind him proud, ex-
pectant nation, great host OF sustaining
| frie nds. cherished and happy mother,
wearing the FULL rich honors of her early
toll and tears; the wife of his youth, whose
i whole life lay in his; the little boys not yer
emerged from childhood's days of frolic;
the fair young daughter; the sturdy sons
| Just springing into closest companions
ship, claiming every day and every day
| rewarding the fathers love and care; and
| in his heart the eager, rejoicing power to
meet all demand. Before him desolation
and darkness! And his soul was not
shaker. His countrymen wore thrilled
with instant, profound and universal
sympathy. Masterful in his mortal weak
ness, he became the center of a nations
| love, enshrined in the prayers of u
world. But all the love and all the sy M
| pathy could not share with him his suf-
| ferings. He trod the wine-press alone.
With unfaltering front he faced death.
With unfailing tenderness he took leave
| of life Above the demoniac hiss of the
j tho assassir,s hullat ha haard the Yoica Of