The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-03-13
INvoKINa THE DIVINE BLESSING.

Mr.. Milburn gave his consent to the use
OF his name. The boat landed at Wheel
ing, the congressman departed, and Mr..
Milburn remained at Wheeling.
Although congress did not meet until
December, the western congressman
came early in November in order to be
able to make the trip before the river
was frozen and navigation stopped.
Thus they had a month to devote to the
interest of the young preacher. AS the
congressman arrived from the eastern
and middle states, the western states
men told them of the remarkable ser.
mon they had heard from a remark
able man, and urged his selection for
the chaplaincy. When congress CON
vened every member of the house OF
representatives was aware of the story
and anxious to see the remarkable
preacher, and his election was made
without difficulty. He was sentfor and
assumed the position just before the
Christmas holidays. During that entire
congress he prayed not only for the
nation and for the world, but for the
congressman; prayed for them as an
earnest man would pray for a lot of
miserable sinners.
That was the beginning Of the Twen-
ty-ninth congress. James Knox Polk
was president, and George III. Dallas
was vice president. The blind chaplain
was acquainted with the members of
the house and of the senate during that
congress; and he has vivid r~ecollections
of Clay, Calhoun and many others who
were then in their prime.
At the beginning of the Thirty-tbird
congress Or. Milburn was again elected
chaplain Of the house of representa-
tives. Franklin Pierce was president,
and his administration had just begun.
During the interim Webster, Clay and
Calhoun had died, and there were many
new men coming to the front; men who
became prominent in the halls of leg
i~siation and also on the battlefields OF
the civil war, which wise men easily
forssnw.
At the conclusion of his second term
as chaplain Of the house Of representa-
tives DR.. Milburn returned to the min
istry and continued actively in the
work until December, 1888, when he
was a third time elected chaplain of
the house. Thirty years had elapsed,
during which time the blind chaplain
had become ore and more famous as
a preacher and lecturer.
III 1893 DR.. Milburn was elected chap
lain of the senate, and there he will re-
main as long as he lives. All of the
senator's hold him IN high esteem, and
many of them hold him in veneration.
His daily i~nvocations are models OF
diction and Of intense feeling. He is
escorted to the capitol every day by his
niece, a very beautiful blonde. To-
getAer they ascend the elevator and
walk along the marble floors to the
room of the vice president. There they
are welcomed by that courtly gentle
man, and a general conversation en-
sues until the hour of noon, when, taxi
ing the hand of a little page boy, the
blind chaplain accompanies the vice
president into the senate chamber.
Together they ascend the steps lead
ing to the vice presidents chair. Tho
vice president takes a little ivory gayel
and raps lightly on the desk. saying:
''Thc senate will be in order" He
then steps aside, and the blind chap
lain, lifting his sightless eyes to heaven,
invokes the Divine blessing upon the
senate. He is then led down the steps,
the vice president takes the chair, and
businessproceeds. Accompanied by the
little page boy, the blind chaplain
usually walks about the senate cham
Der for five OF ten minutes, taking the
hands of senators and paying his re-
spects to them, and they to him. He
then returns to the room of the vice
president, takes the arm Of his Siece.
and returns to his humble home. The
salary Of the chaplain is 5000 per an
mum, and that is but a little sum to live
on. SMITH d. FRY.
M. Coquelin, whose fortune is esti-
mated at 6 100000 has the reputation
of being the richest actor in the world.