The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-01
VETERANS AT CHURCH.
Rev. 8. ". Leech, OF CrawfOrdsvil1e,
breaches ON Grant.

Specl3i 10 the Indianapolis JOuIHdt.
CRAwFORDSvILLE, Ind, May 31.-The
First Methodist Church was crowded this
evening to listen to an address by the pas
tor Rev. 8. v. Leech on the subject Of
Factors in the Greatness of General
Grant" The church altar and organ loft
were artistcally adorned with flags and
flowers. and the audience was largely COM
posed Of old soldiers and members of patri-
otic organizations of this city. The text for
the discourse was found in Judges xvi, g.:
And Deliiah said to Sampson, Tell me- 1
pray thee, wherein they great strength lies"
Dr. Leech spoke of the great congregation
OF soldiers and their friends present at the
annual patriotic services. He saw General
Grant frequently at Mount McGregor and
heard Bishop Newmans funeral oration on
that eminence. He described Samsons i'm
mense physical power and his victorious
death scene. Said he, Address the question
Of the text to the silent hero of Appomattox.
rior and il.ustrious ex-President, asleep be-
side the Hudson. From many standpoints
he was great. He had a constellation OF con-
ness OF promise was associated with his
DR.: Leech read from one of his letters as
West Point cadet the words, Il do not ex-
pect to make very fast progress. but l shall
try to hold ON to What l get"
.Dr. leecn sah: Grant argued that this Is
the secret OF all human achievement. In his
class. were the future Generals Reynolds,
Franklin, Ingalls,. Quimby: Judah, Ripley.
French. Holloway and Mcclellan, Seven
teen graduated below him. He laid no book
aside until he had imbedded its thoughts
into the rim of his own memory. Like the
the aower eIoh Of ne pny rrom m
laid the foundations of his civic and mill
tary distinction. Slowly he ascended that
olympus which great men only stand at
the last He fought his way up from sur
roundings approaching unto poverty. Yet
for his tomb great cities entered into con-
many lands. He taught foreign governments
that the plottngs of monarchs and home
revolutions cannot destroy the Federal
the greatest soldier the Nation has produced
When he became the chief comma nder Of
the Union army the soldiers had implicit con-
TO Appoma.tox his victories were almost
continuous. He silently Planned his cam
paigns and confided only in men of his own
cautious utterance. He executed them with
marvellous ability. Richly endowed with i'm
mense decision of character, his career en-
phaslzed his note TO General Buckner: No
terms except immediate ard unconditional
surrender. He was a great. captain and a
self-reliant man. He waf fearless In the
presence Of peril. He had a wonderful in
sight into the abilities OF military men. 1t
enabled him to select officers with singular
sagacity. He taught tres- n;en 20 mute
temporaneous addresses before Europeans
of distinction. rarely opened the cabinet of
his thoughts to others His modesty and
friends. Magnificent victories never elated
him. Enemies pursued him. Halleck de-
preciated his military ability. robbed him or
merited credit and discounted his achieve
ments but he took no public steps to cor
rect Misrepresentation. Napoleon was never
truer to his friends than Grant. The great
that this is a Nation. and not . temporary
confederacy OF little States. His military
ability was q mighty factor in the preserva-
ton OF the Republic and the emancipation
of the slaves.
Grant was the greatest of our Presi-
dents. For eight years, on. the stormy sea
OF reconstruction, he spendidly guided the
ship of state He forced England to pay
Sl5,OOO,0cO for damages inflicted by her con-
federate cruisers. He forced Spain to surren-
der the Virginius and pay damages. He
saw. during his administration. our depre-
ciated paper currency lifted to a gold stand
service reform. Grants moral character was
great. Fine qualities shone forth in his
moral life and won the admiration OF his
on the porch of the Drexel cottage slowly
dying. with superb panorama of natural
glory In view from the mountains top. he
seemed Nke unto Moses the patriot dying on
Mount Nebo. with the splendors Of the land
of promise in full view. He met death with
sublime courage. Repeatedly. with the ricer
strike the fatal blow. his marvellous viii re-
PEELED him that he might complete his
Memoirs. and thus end0w his wife with
means for sslf-support. His best epitapA
may be read on the national flag, In which
he permanently fixed each wandering star.
I / have seen Alpine mountains that looked
foundations. Their lofty altitude was a grad
ual revelation The character and achieve
ments OF General Grant viii loom up in en-.
larglng grandeur as the decades sweep on"
DR.. Leech addressed the old soldiers In
conclusion as follows: The moral battle OF
life Is yet on: No man can fight II by FUR
MI fnC n cfrhc ~ trrf mos
an individual warfare and win a personal
| triumph. No man can take neutral po-
sition. Are sure you fighting on
| the Lords side. under the hammer of the
| cross? PAU tells Of the essential aggressive
| and defensive arnror necessary 10 the con-
| test The Bible was the eniGebock or Crom-
| WELL Coligni and Favelock. Study It's con-
| tents II pledges the victor manv deqthess
benedicfions in the mortal and in the I'M