The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-04

to an Eloquent Tribute to the Worth
of Late Comrade.
| Yesterday morning Rev. ]. B. Shop
herd of st. Paul's church delivered a
James Hawley SO long connected with
the Portland custom house. The COM
rades of Bosworth post, 6. A. R.,
attended in q body. Mi. Sheppard said:
Rev. II, 10. Be thou faithful unto
death and ] will give thee a crown Of
life.
1t is undoubtedly true that there are
certain days, events, facts, experiences.
that engraye themselves on the memory
as with tool of steel They need no
on the tablet OF the heart No man can
write fully the history of the humblest
| life for there are things in it that only
| God himself hath seen and heard.
| Every life has it's days OF Light and
| gladness, when the sun shines in radiant
| splendor, when this birds pour forth thei
| joy in melodious song, when hope seems
big with victory and success.
| But every life has it's days of woe and
sadness and darkness, when the birds re-
fuse to sing and the star of hope refuses
| to shine.
| Yes, and there comes to all lives heroic
days when noble VOWS were spoken and
great deeds performed and holy promises
| brought forth the richest fruitags of full
| hllment.
| We meet today to speak of some of the
things worth remem bering in the life of
our departed brother. When we look at
the life OF great man we must remem-
| Der that there is moral rs we'll rs a
material worth to be found in it. What
was he worth in dollars and cents is a
very common question. Butt there is a
wealth Of character beyond estimation in
the values of this world. 1t is this which
wins the promise of infinite compensation
from God. He it is who says to every
| true soldier of his, BE thou faithful I'M
to death, and I will give thee crown
of life." Gods soldiers are not to live
forever under the cruel imputation of
unworthiness. 1t is ours to be faithful.
The Christ does the browning.
FaithfulDess implies courage and pluck
of an enduring and persistent nature,
which enables one to overcome difficult
| ties. 1t was that spirit that stirred Eng
land when the news came that Phillip of
Sp ain was preparing to hum BILE and SUBJ
| jugate it. 1t was that spirit which met
and destroyed the Spanish Armada, that
of Spain and saved England but changed
the history of the world. 1t is akin to
that indomitable spirit that has made
| this land the peer of all lands, in all that
makes up Christian civilization.
| But what is the crown of life? Why it
| Is success in any Work we attem ut to do
It is the reward Christ bestows finally
because he Is our king as we'll as onr
prophet and priest. To possess the crown
of life is heaven born desire, and there
I Pnra no y,,o ho ~,
directed and even dwarfed but it must
ever live and grow. The circumstances
of lie are so arranged that their proper
use leads the soul to higher and nobler
| things.
| But this life is not all of life. Earthly
dignities are too mean, earthly interests
are too small, earthly aspirations are too
limited, to fully satisfy the longings of
| the soul.
| Why is it that man is not content to be
as name written on the sands of the
seashore? Why Ia it that in all ages and
in all lands, and among all races, men
have broken through expedienoy, pleas
ures all earthly things. in this struggle
for spiritual freedom? There Is only one
answer to that question. 1t is the supreme
effort of the soul to seek and find God.
To know God, to conquer the world, tc
hope for Immortality is as natural to the
human soul as it is for a flower te
blossom, or a tree to have leaves and
fruit.
When the he steamship crossed the ); atlantic
for the first time it was considered E
noted achievement. But how was it 40.
complished? Every mile of the voyage
was beset with difficulty. But the shiI
held on her course because in the center
of her oak ribbed and iron bound frame
heart of fire never ceased to burn ani
a pulse of steam never ceased to throb
| T H. L..
wheel, a sleepless, vigllant, exhaustless
and ubiquitous power compelled the shiI
to struggle with wind and waves unit
the desired haven was reached.
But we may look upon greater won
der. 1t is soul beset with difficulties
and temptations. bearing burdens ano
accomplishing tasks many men avoid ant
foes. Do you ask for the causep The fire
of Gods spirit. the flame of immorta
hope, quenchless resistless, burns brightly
within. The perfection of this life Of
victory is to be seen in Christ = 1t is tx
be calm in the midst Of danger ant
agitations. Prompt in the discharge O
every duty that life Of Christ is wonder
we recall the words of st. Paul, rW,
shall be like him." The perfection tn,
glory of every human life is to Be Ik,
Christ. To stand in the midst Of danger
encouragement the conflicts and tempta
lions of life faithful and victorious il
the strength of God, this is the life tina
wins the crown Of immortality.
Faithfulness to an idea, principal
always wins the admiration of the world
What has made the name of Columbu
immortalP The discovery of America
Nay, faithfulness to an idea. He an
nounced his belief in the theory that tn
earth was round, and that by sailing
westward the shores of Asia might b.
reached. For years the world laughed a
this Genoese sailor, but he chung to hi
theory, sacrificing every thing for it
realization. Columbus never saw Asia
God gave him something better. He dis
covered America whenere the great battle
between truth and error were to b.
fought for the salvation of the race. TIL
discovery of America was the reward
God bestowed on Columbus because b.
3 was faithful to great scientific truth.
J What has made the names of Abraham
Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant immortal
The emancipation proclamation ant
Appomatox Court House2 Nay, thes
t were but jewels in the crown of thes
men. Lincoln and Grant were faithful t,
l Ioa 4LN Nf