The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-14
AN l. CITIZEN.
Ninetieth Anniversary of the birth
day Of Henry =. Hockey.

day of Henry =. Hockey.
Rev. Mr.. Dewhurst, of the Plymouth
Church, yesterday gave his morning dis
course a peculiar interest by devoting some
time TO the fact that the day vas the
ninetieth birthday of one of his congrega-
ton, Mr.. Henry S. Hockey. The venerable
gentleman. a pioneer in the growth and
development of this city, was present in
the congregation, of which he has for
many years been a prominent member. II
is said Of Mr.. Hockey that he is as fresh
in mind and body and as progressive in
thought as most men in their prime. In
speaking of him Mr.. Dewhurst recalled
that the initial end of Mr.. Rockey's life
began only four years after the death of
Washington, and was cast in the admins
tration of the second President of the
United States. 1t was also pointed out
that Henry Ward Beecher, whom Mr..
Hockey knew in New England previous to
coming to this city. was his junior only
by eight years. Both came to this city at
the same period. Continuing. Mr.. Dewhurst
said:
1.-The immense material progress of the
world falls within the period covered by
the life of our contemporary. We have
come TO ak in such a nonchalant and
the ocean, each one of which, as it was
launched, has the ambition Of beating its
predecessor in the race across the sea by
an hour or two. and We have so had our
attention centered on our white squadron.
swiftly cleavilg the sea at the rate of
twenty knots an hour, that it quite stag
gers us for the moment to consider that
when Mr.. Rocky was a little fellow about
two years old his only chance of taking a
steamboat ride would nave been in that
queer craft of Fulton's, which. as it
clattered up the North river, must have
frightened old Hendrick Hudson's folldN-
ers from their hiding places in the Cabs
"Then as for NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. must be
few people in this town who have seen ii
grow SO entirely from the BEGINNING.
she supposed the soldiers monument was
built just to show strangers where the GEN.
ter of the city is. When Mr.. Rockey came
out here, prospecting in the interests Of
paper manufacturing, it was not difficult
to find either the center or the circumfer-
ence of the town.. and as for the circum-
ference. the city fathers had determined
with that finality of wisdom which some
times characterizes them just how far in
each direction the city would go.
Moreover, in those days Q find a great
difference of opinion on the question of
the condition in this respect now, but in
those days, I have it on the testimony of
MIR. Rocky himself, there was malaria
here. He wrote home to his wife that
nothing could persuade him to take UP his
permanent residence here, and he is here
IA q AfAb6 LIN W lut ldCl. WHICH
the most of us can probably parallel in
our own experience, that we often do those
things which we thought We could not do,
and perhaps leave undone those things
which we were sure We could do. Truly a
divinity hedges us all about, both common
men and kings.
IF our friend here were not quite so
modest and so reluctant to speak / should
ask him to stand up here iand tell you to-
day about the things that he has seen,
and felt and experienced; 1 would ask him
to tell you about the growth and progress
ask him to tell you something of the his
tory and influence of this church, in whose
organization he has been almost from the
beginning; 1 would ask him to give you
his thought about the spiritual movement
OF the time In which he has lived, and to
tell you that he. still believes that man
kind is on the forward march, and that
the future will have still better days than
the past. We must content ourselves with
his presence with us here to-day, the re-
cipient of all our heartiest congratulations.
our good wishes, our love and our respect