Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-31
MEMORIAL SERMON.
Given, Sunday, By Rev. c. ".
Doherty Before Large Audience.
Man, His Conduct as a Citizen and a
Christian" the Subject.

The Memorial sermon, given. sun
uay evening, at st. Marys church, in
the presence of members of Seth Will
Hams Post, G. A. r., and many others,
completely filling the seating capacity
OF the church, was very scholarly and
able address, one that was listened to
with the deepest interest. coming from
one of the most kind and most learned
men of Augusta.
The veterans Were present in large
numbers, several of the Sons of Veter-
ans, We're also present.
The exercises We're very appropriate
Hymns We're given by the church choir,
and at the conclusion of the services ALI
united in singing America
The sermon by Father Doherty was
given With an earnestness characteris-
tic of him, and was warmly appre
ciated by all who heard it.
The sermon was taken from the follow
ing text: Take thou courage and show
myself man" from Kings III. chapter
?. verse 2. Father Doherty spoke as fol-
lows:
My Dear Brethren: These are the
words of King David on his death bed TO
his son and successor. King solomon.
And, if | make use of them. this eve
ming, ii is chiefly because they seem to
cmbody all that | would say on this more
than pleasing and suspicious occa sion.
The royal house of David. need l re-
mark, must ever be pre-ominent among
the dynastes' of the nations of the earth.
if for no other reason than from it
sprung the promised Messiah. the OK
pected of An nations and saviour of man
Kind. according to His sacred humanity.
King David himself. likewise, can never
be other than most striking figure, in
all history, who tner sacred or profane,
because of his distinguished career, as n
wise monarch, valiant warrior and
peerless Denitent.
OF DaVid'S deep sense of his own per-
sonal responsibility to the God who made
him. and before whose solemn judgment
seat he now fully realizes that he must
soon appear, what more convincing proof
could he have given. apart from his great
holiness of life. than his last sacred
charge TO his son and heir TO his throne
Happy would ii have been for the new
~ crowned prince had he hearkened 10
his salutary admonitions, and followed
them faithfully in the government OF his
kingdom: for then indeed the transcend
emit glory that marked the earlier period
of his long and eVentful reign would not
have been dimmed by its sad and inglo-
rious ending.
Reverting to the. last words of his dy-
ing fathers warning, Take thou courage
and show thyself man., let us now
come Mt once to the theme of which they
seem to be suggestive. and which. at
least, they. are. Intended Ito Introduce, 4
namely: MAN under his threefold-as
man. as citizen and as Christian.
The subject, doubtless. is appropriate to
the nature of this grave solemnity, when
we are assembled together, i'm grateful
and prayerful remembrance of those who
offered up the sacrifice of their very
lives on the altar of their country, in
vindca ton of the principles which under
lie the foundation of this government
and upon which. may it ever rest-the 81
cred principle of civil and religious lib
erty.
Before proceeding further. my broth
rem need | answer the question: W nat
is man? Whence came he? Whithtf
tending?
is mankind would be but to repeat IA
miliar phrase which long since, mas pc
come proverbjal
H r. man were merely as the flower Of
the field which today is, and tomorro"
is not: or if he were only as the irrauo
animal. that is moved by oind llstIiicl;
and that ceases to be after the term o.
its present existence. on, then. well nllghl
he be satisfied with striving here peloW
for a mere corruptible crown, anu pg
content with such happiness as thlS WORM
can bcstow. 90 t1,
man not as a mere passing shadow, OF
frafl worm of the earth; put as Il oVil7
composed of q body and soul. ana en-
aowFd with an intelligence capapIe p'
t+,,n,vino laying and serving his creator
here in this world. and of beng happ9
with Him forever in the next. An! lieii
how differently Is man led to looh upo"
himself and to view his present exist
ence. .,,,,4 81 mans
nature. origin and destiny. we know from
divine revelation. That this, moreover.
is the only teaching that harm93iill| ~
with our right reason. ana al wen @u
thenticated history and time-honored tItt-
ditions. in contra distinction to the vain
and senseless theories that. from time |"
time. have been broached, there ca'it NJ
be a shadow of DOUBT. IioW 49, f,,qe Al
words Of the royal psalmist relute an
eueh futile theories. when in ms SupIihic
CONCENTRATIONS, he eXclalms: wa, -
man. O Lord. that thou ART hlhuL"i "
him? Or the son OF man ina tHoN ,+tt1a
itast him? Thou hast made nm itltiG
ioss man the angels; thou hast croWueu
rim with glory and honor, ana na@ =
nIaced him over the WORKS % my ,, of
Tine. man is not now in that Stats ~
ori@inal innocence and justice IN "llic"
bn hnd been constituted by God inline-
aiata1v after his creation and of when
he mad been stripped by the SIN Oh ou o
Grst norents Had Adam ana rive ~
,,,aine ID faithfu to the Divine comman1f
laid upon them the SUPER tbry h G,' re- O.
ntY,9d vould have been preserved 70
them and their posterity fS S,3fnf,, f n
alas. not having remained Imtmrui e yl,r,
n,,narnotural gift was withdfaWn lio-''
sht',' -, md consequently from their de-
scendants also, to whom unhappiiS ,, iui
ne Shev transmitted, instead, the gun,
" t,.nir wilful art Of disobedience. AS u
parent through his sn indin r Gay the e i'm
| I'm nltt, ~ bfs offspring so also could our
firs. parent. Adam, in the garaSa" ao 81
| EDEN compromise the interests anu "e9
| linies of all mankind. NJ ..,.o,,,+ IA
As a father proves himseh rter ,' crt -
his sacred trust when. through ms iS,,, i.I
and deliberate act. he depriVes hl iihsn
'i t,ic family of their lawful heri'aSe'
and thus reduces Them to ntoi to retreve
and renders them powerIess ~ IA Adam
| tbnir fallen fortunes even so ana Mill
as The father and head of the human
H. va. vance