Smyrna times., 1892-10-26
Columbus Day in the Churches.

was the text used by Rev. q. w. Dame
at St. Peters Church on Sunday morn
ing, IN the delivery of an interesting
discourse upon Christopher Columbus
Brehy alluding TO the position of the
latter in the events of his time. and
drawing comparison between him
and Moses, who was permitted TO see
the promised Land,3 from Mt. Neho
ere he died, which the Children If
israel IN the valley below, were unable
10 behold, so Columbus, by a faith
never shaken, saw realization of the
New World" and its wonders. which
was shut out by the mountains of nm
belief to the rest of his fellow conn
trymen.
The speaker then pointed out the
incidents that had deepened the faith
OF Columbus in an undiscovered conn
try oy sailing westward, among which
were reeds washed upon the coast
unlike anything known in that henis
phere, likewise trunks of trees and
last y, two dead bodies, with features
dlsslmilar to any known in Eurone ar
IN Asia. These facts, in addition 10
his enlarged study Of geography and
his belief in the sphericitv of the earth
made him, with his ardent nature
an earnest advocate of the idea of new
lands and new dOminiOus beyond the
seas, That he brought down upon him
sell the derision and ridicule of the !
Popuiace everywhere, for his vagaries
and wild visions.
Notwithstanding these deterrent
circumstances, be pursued his purnosa |
year after year, without means. some.
times in rags from one court to anotb. |
er OF Europe, with unAagging faith in
nls ultimately attaining his object. |
nrmly believing that the time had |
come IN Gods providence, for the
opening up OF new country for the
crowded population of Europe. and
that he was the chosen instrument in
his hand, to do it.
In the meantime he had married the
daughter of a distinguished Portuguese
navigator, and had the maps and charts
OF the latter to aid him. Thus eouin.
PED, he spent years of weary waiting
nrst at one court and then at another
nearly succeeding with King John. of
Portugal, and only failed because Of
MS demand to be made first admiral of
the seas, nObleman and viceroy of the
discovered countries then of his sec.
Ohu seven years of waiting at the
court OF CASTLE, and when finally he
was about to depart for Flance
through the agency of Queen Isabella
Alng Ferdinand yielded to his de.
mands and equipped him with three
vessels, which after a long voyage.
with incidents of discovery, mutinv'
deception, ETC., returned with the
trophies OF discovery and honored
with the applaudits awarded conquer
Ors.
AS the lives of all great men are
checkered with faults as well as virtnes
so was that of Columbus to an unnsuoI
degree. There was no doubt but that
back of his greed, falsity and avarice
TO the extent of claiming the award IN |
the hrSt one seeing land, which right.
luIly nelohged TO another, and carry
ing natives back and selling them into
he was at heart a religions
man, and had high purpose in plant &
IGg and extending the cross of Christ
although, after the manner of his time
IL was mixed with much that gas
evil, made clearer and less possible in |
the Christian ethics of today. I
The lesson enforced in the sermop {
10 which the history was merely inri'
1ental, was, that where a man with !
great possibilities and capabilities 1
chosen by God to work out great
Drovidential events, but sinks Them t.
md elevates himself to reach earthiv [
ambitions Of honor, fame and wealth L
ne ultimately fails and suffers the con h
sequence. All history attests this d
act. Instead of rising in greatness 81
md influence, he was loaded viii 5
chains and imprisoned by the same "
power that had given him his bigb C
commission, and it was only when he d
iied that the people and the court
ought to do honor to the oraat tt
he had wrought in tbo &
worlds history. He suffered in binno A
Ell the evils of an avaricious and ON. p
htlous life, a fact which the sneaLar "
ntorced as broad lesson for ali men y
Vho would subvert high personal and
eng'ous obligations to ignoble and in
WI ends. The body of Columbus 2
TER SIX years, was taken to the land b'
MS discovery, and in 1895 carried fe
acK from Hispaniola to Spain. and &C
o'day MS place in history is commem. IN
rated by such demonstrations ne has g
ever before been accorded any single m m