Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-25
wAsH1NerOn,s GREAT eAaEER.

and P. o. 8. of A. at Trinity M. E.
 Church-TremendOu Weight of
 Characters-AmerIc Homes she
 Safeguard or Liberty and Protection
 Against All FOeS-PrOvidensialM Men.
 Trinity M. B. church was filled to it's
 utmost last evening. The body was occu-
 pied by members of the city division of the
 Order of United American Mechanics and
 Patriotic Order Sons of America. It is the
 custom of these orders to commemorate
 Washington's birthday by attending church
 in body. Pioneer Council No. 1, Washing ton Council No. 3, and Garfield Council No. IA, of o. U. A. M., were fully represented, as were Washington Camps, No.'s 1, 9, and of P. o. s. of A. The tive Orders assembled at 6:30 p. m., at G. A. R. Hall, Church street, each member wearing badges of one or both organizations and marched to the church.
 Rev. Dr. Reed chose his text from Job 1, i: "That man was perfect, upright and one that feared God"
 After noticing the colossal figures which stand out in every great epoch of the worlds history, he continued: We now view an mighty States were laid. It was an event second to none in the history of the world and such a man, living in great epoch, was George Washington. In contemplating his life and character, we feel a mind of the first order and history that American citi-
 zens do well to revere; It is in this vein that these two honorable bodies are gathered with us tonight. We extend our hearty greeting to both. Your purposes and aims are in the spirit of Christ and an exposition of the final results of the Christian teach ing is near in the rapid increase of these or ganizations. like to see men banded to gether to help each other. The world never knew of these things before Christ came. Now the world is full of them and shows how the helpful spirit of Christ has spread among men.
 I also see among your purposes the per- petuation of the rights for which our faith CTS battled so bravely. You are pledged to pie shall be advanced. Such men have strong homes and attachment for locality. hope your praissworthy object will be ac- complished. I see you are great believers in the flag. You would be glad to see those stars, which must now be increased to forty-two, waving in their azure field over every public institution in the land. fully share the feeling with you. It is the
 handsomest flag on earth and the dearest. Put it over our schools and colleges. De- votion to culture, the glorious flag and God Almighty is the ideal of citizenship and hope the day will come when it will be grandly realized.
 am glad that Washington's birthday is celebrated by established law and that this great mans character is growing upon the country. Lord Brougham once said of him: It shonld be the duty of sage and philosopher to let no opportunity pass of celebrating this famous mans memory. This is from the most astute and maDy-sided statesman of Great Britain, whose armies were conquered jrk 6oG Gold hvn desire to call attention to Washington as one of the great providential men of history. Lincoln and Grant were also such men. An eminent scholar said of Washington when he was but twenty-one that it seemed as if God was raising him up to splendid career. But it was only when he was organizing armies and leading troops in the field against the finest forces of the world, the forces of 8 nation whose drums beat is heard around the globe, that the people saw that God himself had been preparing this man. He was providential man, raised, disciplined and prepared for his great work. When placed in command of the continental armies he blushed and stammered his un- worthiness, and when publicly thanked by the Virginia House of Burgesses he faltered and could not reply. This Virginia gentle- man, this modest lover of peace, was thrust out into the worlds field to prepare the great est work known in thousand years. This
 
 work with man.
 One word is the entire story of Washing ton and the secret of his success. It is Character. He was not brilliant did not dazzle his fellow countrymen as some of his of his associates did, but the weight of his character was tremendous. We are now apt to bow down to the brszen god of smartness. Washington was anything in Gods world but smart man. He was as silent as Gen eral Grant, and more so. There were greater orators, greater specialists, than George Washington in Congress, but if anyone was asked at that time who the greatest man for sound common sense' and moral greatness was, none would hesitate.
 What gave Washington this tremendous weight His mighty spirit is shown by de-
 votion to three great principles of Ameri-
 can life-family, state and church. An American cannot ponder too much upon
 these three great names. One of the things most to be cultivated among us is the home. Have little spot of land that you
 can call your own. The best defense of
 liberty, protection against foreign foes and security from socialists, anarchists and com
 munists are American homes. The most dangerous man in the world is the home
 less man. He is ripe for rebellion, treason
 and destruction of property. Let a man have a home and he is the enemy of every
 thing that can disturb the peace of human
 life.