Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-26

At the Metropolitan Methodist Church yes
tsrday memorial sermon upon the life and
character Of the late Senator Stanford was
preached by Bishop Hurst to q large congrega-
ton. Senator Stanford was q member Of this
church during his lifetime, and the pew which
he had occupied was draped in mourning
yesterday.
Bishop Hurst commenced by reading the fol-
lowing texts:
'-Seest thou q man diligent in his business?
He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand
before mean men," Proverbs, xxii:29.
CHARITY never faileth; but whether there be
prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be
tongues, they shall cease; whether there be
knowledge, il shall vanish away. And
now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
but the greatest Of these is charity" Corin-
thians, Iiii5,13.
He then said:
We pause in the midst Of the usual life of the
Metropolitan Methods. Church to pay tribute
Of the heart to the late Senator Leland STAN
ford. In that vacant seat (pointing to the
draped and decorated pew Of the deceased) he
was accustomed to worship. and none were
more reverent than was he. Unlike many pub
lie men. when he left his constituency and the
state which he represented for his official so
journ in the capital he did not leave his reli-
gion, but brought it with him to Washington,
where il constituted the controlling influence
special interest In this particular church arose
through his intimate relations with Bishop New
man, who at this time Is on q tour Of duty
through South America, and who, but for his
absence. would of all men be the most fitting
to conduct this memorial service. Our Ameri-
can life 10 distinguished above all other types
Of civilization by its violent transitions
and its almost incredible contrasts. Nowhere
- here does success 80 promptly respond to
honest effort. So was it in the beginning Of
our national history. The career Of Washing
ton, from the humble boy on the way to the
coast to become Q sailor. and later . tireless
surveyor Of Virginia lands to become the father
of his country, was only the hrst Illustration Of
what We have seen repeated IN every striking
crisis Of all our subsequent history. Even
single decade is not too short q period for the
sudrsges of our people to change private citi-
ZEN once and . second time into their chief
magistrate.
now SENATOR STANFORD BEGAN LIFE.
Senator Stanford began life with little in his
favor except energy, good education, . far
vision and, conscience. To some these would
seem 70 count but little in the ordinary sense
Of success, but, after all, they are the greatest
factors toward brilliant and permanent achieve
ment. Now that his life has come to . close it
n dtting that we take note Of the character Of
the man and endeasor, so far as We may, to
examine some Of tie threads out Of which was
woven the fabric Of his large and useful life.
Surely those were no ordinary forces by which
he attained SO strong Q place in the sympathy
and respect Of his generation. 1t Is not our
purpose TO speak Of him a. the governor Of
Cslifornia msrshaling his troops with magnii-
cent energy for the preservation Of the Union,
nor - primo manager turning up the first
shovslful Of earth out Of which was built the
Central Pacific railroad. nor as United States
6enator for the last nine years from California.
Our concern at this time il not 90 much with
his public life or his place in the political
history Of the country - with those sterling
qualities Of the heart and with those large
plans which came TO full fruition in the latest
decade Of his nearly three score and ten years.
AHuxANE AND KINDLY NATURE.
Senator Stanford was Of most humane and
kindly nature. OF the multitudes who last
Wednesday read tbs dispatches giving account
Of his sudden departure it il not likely that
there was an enemy among the millions. On
the other hand. all over the land there was
deep feeling Of regret, and in many cases the
keenest sense Of personal bereavement That
one who today IL living IN memories and hopes,
and who has often worshiped here with him,
the Atlantic to the Pacific. The large means
Of Senator Stanford never chilled him in the
least toward the suffering or the needy. He
was one Of the men whom wealth never
alienste3 from close touch with the suffering
classes. His entire theory Of good citizenship
the population Over few thresholds in Wash
inaton have poor boys been permitted to pass
- they have over his, entering with heavy
hearts, and on fsstl occasions going out with
large sccessons to their little store Of comfort.
The telegraph and messenger boys and the
Senate pages will never forget the many tokens
Of his kindness which ii was an habitual
pleasure every year for him to bestow. Where
h the man to take his place for the toiling boys
o. Washington in the years to come?
~ MS DEEPLY RELIGIOUS NATURE
The deeply religious nature of Senator STAN
ford was perceptible to all who came into in
innate relationship with him Religion Was
his favori.e theme in the latest years OF his
he. The two sole articles in mis- creed were
Gods goodness toward men and mans charity
toward his brother. IL mattered little in what
circle he was. he was not slow to communicate
his arm faith IN . guiding Providence ruling
over the affairs Of men Neither -a- il 70 him
Simply a general Psoviisacs. but G particular
Providence who guides the footsteps Of each OF
Ills children. He used 20 speak Of Gods special
inter IN eacl- individual, and 20 tina. the
framework OF the universe was constructed on
the principle Of Gods infinite goodness toward
His children. There was no pessimistic chord
IN Senator Stanfords harp. He had always
the firmest faith in the gradual progress Of the
world toward loftier ideals and higher achieve
ments. That the world was to be conquered
for Christ and by Christ was his strong belief.
The cslamit;es and disappointments happening
to both individuals and nations he was accus-
toned to think of as incidents for q purely dis
ciplinary purpose, while day after day the
world was marching toward its promised per-
lection. We do not wonder that religion formed
such q steady part Of his life when we recall the
religious element in his domestic life. The
worship at his family altar was not permitted
to be disturbed by any public or business
claims, but was regular, free from haste and
radiant with the Divine presence
Again. Senator Stanford regarded himself
0 debtor to his generation. He seems never to
have thought that the large means which a sue
cessful career had placed in his possession were
to be absorbed by himself or those most closely
related to him He pronounced the day when
he placed the chief part Of his vast accumula-
lions in the hands Of directors for what he was
accustomed to call his school house the hap
piest of his life. He explained this later
as due to the freedom from care Of o burden
which had SO long oppressed him.
HIS INTEREST IN EDUCATION.
The interest Of Senator Stanford in education
revealed itself most strikingly in the founding
Of the university which bears the name of his
only, eon Leland Stanford, jr., who died in
Florence in March. 1884. 1t is not q matter
generally known, but nevertheless it is true
that the son himself had expressed a sympathy
with the education Of the poor, and 10 is a fact
that this had great weight in the unparalleled
gift creating the university. These plain words