The record-union., 1898-05-31
THE LATE "GRAND old MAN"
HE WAS AN IDEAL CHRISTIAN
STATESMAN.
Rev. J. B Silcox's Discourse on
Gladstone's Life and
Character.

A large audience gathered at the
Congregational Church Sunday evening
70 hear Rev. Silcoxs sermon on THE
Grand Old Man" The sermon, which
was an hour and a quarter long, was
listened to with deepest interest
throughout.
In the course Of his sermon ne SAID
that the higher any individual rises in
character. in culture, in human
achievement, the higher all others may
rise. 4 great man like Gladstone does
not belong to any one race or age. He
belongs to universal humanity Glad
stone has lifted the world to higher
conception of individual and national
grandeur. God and nature ordained
him from the first for distinguished
service. The best blood of Scotland
flowed in his veins. His home training.
as we'll as his education at Elton and
Oxford. was of the highest excellence.
TO natural and inherited gifts he added
the closest diligence and devotion TO
mental and moral equipment He
seemed to take all knowledge for his
province. He cultivated his powers to
the highest reach. and devoted them to
the noblest service. He realized that
Of God. he went forth redressing hu-
man wrong. His life from early man
hood to old age has been intellectually
and morally a high tableland without
depression. His lengthening years have
been one growing splendor, and dying
he has left behind a lofty name,
light a landmark on the cliffs OF
fame"
The pure and lofty purpose that DOM
mated his soul and illumined his ca
reer is an inheritance of priceless
worth. 1t is an ideal that like a star
in the night viii guide other souls up
to the Olympian nights of reverence
faith and immortality. Such sovereign
souls as he reveal the almost INFINITE
reach and range of human possibility
Gladstone in a conspicuous and con-
vincing manner has shown that the
highest success and most enduring
fame are won by adhesion to Christian
principle He was pre-eminently the
Christian statesman. He believed ana
acted on the belief that the principles
taught by Jesus were workable and
practicable in the realm of politics. he
based his appeals on the righteousness
of the measure he championed. he
appealed to the intelligence and the
conscience of men He knew that moth
ing could be politically right that was
morally wrong. His statecraft was the
rule of Christ. He was wise enough to
see that man could no more success
fully legislate against the moral laws
of the universe than against the princl-
pie of gravitation or the movement or
the tides. In the House of Commons
and on the political platforms he stood
up with his superb elOquence and
pleaded for the recognition and SUI
premacy of truth. justice and right in
the affairs of the State. From first to
last he was guided by Christian princi-
pie. in political as well as in his per
sOnal life.
Gladstone devoted his regal gifts to
the service OF humanity. His sympa-
thies went out to the common people
lie had a passion for philanthropy The
finest intellect of this century was his,
and he consecrated it to the education
and elevation of those who filled the
humber walks of life Every cause
that worked for the betterment of the
people enlisted his eloquent advocacy.
His great brain thought for those who
could not think for themselves: his
eloquent voice pleaded for the dumb;
his strong right arm fought for and
lifted up those who were oppressed.
He kept close to the common people
all his life through. He began life a