The Penn's Grove record., 1899-04-28

the line by h~andelapping OF applause.
Country parsonages DO not rock their
babies in satin lined cradle or afterward
send them out into the world with enough
In their hands to purchase place and
power, Pastors salaries in the early part
OF this century hardly ever reached 500 a
year, Economies that sometimes cut into
the bone characterized many OF the homes
of the New England ~clergymen. The young
lawyer OF whom we speak to-day arrived
In San Francisco In 1849 with only $40
In his pocket. Willlamstown College was
only Introductory to u postgraduate
course which our illustrious friend took
while administering justice and halting
rufianism amid the mining camps of Calf
fornia. oh, those "fortY-niners," as they
were called, through what privations,
through what narrow escapes amid what
exposures they movedl Administering
and executing law among outlaws never
has been an easy undertaking. Among
mountaineer5, many of whom had no re-
gard for human life and where the snap Of
pistol and bang of gun were not unusual
responses, required courage OF the highest
metal.
Behind a dry goods box surmounted by
tAllow candles Judge Field began his judi
elal career. What exciting scenes he
passed through An Internal machine was
handed to him, and inside the lid OF the
box was pasted his decision in the Pueblo
case, the decision hat had baked unprin-
cipled spectators. Ten years ago his life
would nave passed out had not an officer
OF the law shot down his assailant. 1t took
q long training of hardship and abuse and
mislnterpretation and threat of violence
and flash Of assassln's knife to fit him for tho
high place where he could defy legislatures
and congresses and presidents and tho
world when he knew he was right, Hard
ship Is the grindstone that sharpens intel.
lnrtnal faonltiaq md fha GTUnrda with
which to strike effectively for God and
ones country.
Notice also how much our friend did for
the honor Of the judiciary. What momen-
tous scenes, have been witnessed in our
United States Supreme Court, on the
bench and before the bench, whether, far
back, it held Its sessions In the upper room
Of the Exchange at New York, or after
ward for ten years In the City Hall at
Philadelphia, or later in the cellar Of
yonder capitol, the place where for many
years the Congressional Library was kept,
q sepulcher where books were buried alive.
the hole called by John Randolph "the cave
OF Trophoniusi"
How suggestive the invitation which
William Writ, the great Vlrginian, wrote
his friend inviting him to yonder supreme
Courtroom: Tomorrow D week will come
on the great steamboat question from New
York. Emmett and Oakley on one side,
"cp1ttA hhu hAyoplL III lHV Ohhtls VIM
down and hear it. Emmett's whole soul
Is In the case, and he will stretch all his
powers. Oakley Is said to be one OF the
finest logicians of the age, as much a
Phocion as Emmett is a Themistocles, and
Webster is as ambitious as Caesar. He will
not be outdone by any man ii it is within
the compass of his power to avoid it. Come
to Washington. 1t will be a combat worth
witnessing" The Supreme Court has stood
so high in England and the United States
that the vices of a few who have occupied
that important place have not been able to
disgrace it, neither the corruption of
Francis Bacon, nor the cruelty of Sir
George Mackenzie, nor the Sabbath desecra-
ton Of Lord Castlereagh.
To that highest OF all tribunals Abraham
Lincoln called our friend, but he lived long
enough to honor the Supreme Court moro
than 1t had ever honored him. For more
than thirty-four years he sat In the pres
ence of this nation and of all nations a
model judge. Fearlessness, integrity, de-
votion to principle, characterized him.. No
bride ever touched his hand. Nc profane
word ever scalded his tongue. No blemish
Of wrong ever married his character. Fully
qualified was he to have his name associa-
ted in the history of this country with the
greatest of the judiciary.
To have done well, all that such a pro-
fession could ask of him, and to have made
that profession still more honorable by his
brilliant and sublime life, is enough for ma
tional and International, terrestrial and
celestial congratulation. And then to ex-
pire beautifully, while the prayers OF his
church were being offered at his bedside,
the door of heaven opening for his en-
trance as the door OF earth opened for his
departure, the sob of the earthly farewell
caught up into raptures that never die.
Yes, he lived and died in the faith Of the
old fashioned Christian religion.
Young man, 1 want to tell you that JUS
tice Field believed in the Bible from lid to
lid, Il book all true either as doctrine or
history, much Of 1t the history of events
that neither God nor man approves. Our
friend drank the wine of the holy saera-
ment and ate the bread OF which 'if a man
eat he shall never hunger" He was theup
and down, out and out friend OF the church
OF Christ. II there had been anything il.
logical In our religion, he would have
secuted 1t, for he was a loglcian. II there
had been In it anything unreasonable, he
would have rejected it, because he was a
great reasoner. II there had been In 1t any
thing that would not stand research, he
would have exploded the fallacy, for his
life was a life of research. Young men OF
Washington. young men OF America, young
men of the round world, a religion that
would stand the test OF Justice Fields
penetrating and all ransaeking intellect
must nave In 1t something worthy OF your
confidence. tell you now that Christian
ity has not only the heart Of the world on
Its side, but the brain OF the world also.
Ye who have tried to represent the religion
OF the Bible as something pusillanimous.
how do you account for the Christian faith
of Stephen J. Field, whole shelves of the
law library occupied with his magnificent
decisionsp
And now may the God of all comfort
speak to the bereft, especially to her who
was the queen of his life from the day when
as a stranger he was shown to her pew in
the Episcopal Church to this time of the
broken heart. He changed churches, but
did not change religion, for the church in
which he was born and the church in
which he died alike believe in God the
Father Almighty Maker of heaven and
earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begot-
ten Son, and In the communion of saints,