St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-06

Great RaiIroader-Rise From
Poverty to Prominence by
Sheer Force of Character and
Faithfulness to His Trust.
The GLOBE publishes this morning
the address delivered last Tuesday at
Evanston, ILL.,, on the occasion of
the funeral of the late General Manager
William S. Mellen. Rev. N. d. Hills.
d. D., was the preacher and his sermon
in substance was as follows:
We are bereft today of husband,
father, brother, son, of friend loving and
beloved. Our heart can ind no healing,
save as love and hope pluck that leaf
from the tree growing hard by the river
of life. With him who hath gone, let US
believe that death is not a wall, but q
door; not falling star, but rising
sun, Dying is not shipwreck, but an
entrance to a new harbor. Death is
twilight indeed, but the morn
ing twilight that goes before the dawn
ing day. Dying is not the folding
OF wings, but the pluming of piniOnS
for longer flight. Dying is transmu-
tation. Dying is the falling of the
flower that the fruit may swell. Dying
is new impulse speeding upward, as
arrow let from bow. At best mans life
is embryonic; helS not born until death,
and the grave is the cradle in which
God rocks him. The chamber of en-
powered beauty where young parents
hang enraptured over the cradle is not
half so beauteOus as when Gods angels
touch the body and free the soul into a
larger life. When the tree blossoms,
man smiles; when the fruit ripens,
man plucks it with Joy. When the
human tree blossoms in the cradle, man
smiles; when the fruit is ripe and God
plucks it, man weeps. Strange that we
who are so wise towards the apple tree
should be SO foolish towards the soul.
Death was no eXecutioner with iron
mask to drag this man to the block, but
sweet-faced messenger. God lifted
His hand and struck some bell; hearing
the sound the messenger sped forth.
Let US hope that unseen ones whispered
In this mans ear: The Master is come
and calleth for thee" Hearing the sum
mons he took upon his lips the name of
wife and children. smiled family, said
"GOod night" and "fell on Sleep" God
grant it may be our JOY in some bright
cline to say to him Good morning."
POverty's Power.
This strong man was trained in the
school of poverty. All greatness is a
cOnquering. The thews that throw the
world grow stronger by adversely. The
giants of invention and Industry are
nursed at the loving breast of poverty.
They who have climbed highest upon
the shining ladder of fame have begun
at the lowest rounds. Nature gives
nothing save raw ore; trouble tempers
the metal; character is hammered out
upon the anvil of adversely. Men that
admire the wOndrouS blade do not imag-
inc the process by which it was COM
pleted.
How admirable the record of achieve
ment that this man hath conquered in
five and forty years. He was a scion of
the old New England stock Country
born, he was city bred. Early cast upon
his own resources, he comprised unique
success while still boy. lie WAS ticker
agent of the Chicago d Northwestern
railway while in his teens; assistant
general freight agent of the same com
pany before he was thirty: assistant
general superintendent of the AtchisOn
Topeka Il Santa Fe railroad; general
manager Of the Wisconsin Central; gen.
eral manager of the Northern Pacific in
1889; these are the rounds of that golden
ladder up which he SO swiftly assembled
1t IS record of constant promotion and
praise, due to capacity and unswerylng
fidelity to every trust.
What is the secret IF this oOuntrv
boy, who came to be the manager OF
multitudes? "All Ireland cannot gov.
ern this earl" read the dispatches tC
good King Edward: Then" answered
the king, ''let this earl govern all Ire
land" You who have jOurneyed far t
show your reverence and affection
know this man hath made all the people
of the. Northwest his debtors. 1t is hare
to praise sufficiently these railroad
pioneers. These iron pathways have
opened the wilderness before the
advancing column of civilization.
Through their toll the desert hath
been made to rejoice and blossom. How
admirable was the ambition which he
owned. He desired to have a large
place III developing the unriVaed re-
sources of the Northwest. To that task
he bent all his resources of reason, skill
knowledge of men and things, his ag
gresslve energy and unyielding fidelity
Success crowned his efforts. He had
right to rejoice in the swift progress O.
those Western regions. How must hi.
heart have leaped at the sight of tht
waving fields, the yellow sheaves;
The Thousand Cottages
spring up on every hill side and VALLEY
from Lake Superior to Puget Sound
abodes OF thrift and peace and ioy
while every train brought new pilgrim
bands-childreu of the old world, re
deemed from ignorance. poverty anC
oppression. Setting forth from hi.
home he sped across hill and Dlain. HI
was as one who leaned out and cast seeC
on either hand. The harvest will fol