The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-28
A LOSS TO THE WORLD.

A LOSS TO THE WORLD.
The Rev. DR.. BriStoIs High Tribute
to Queen Victoria.
The Rev Dr. Frank NJ Bristol. pastor
Of the church where President Mckinley
occupies a pew in his sermon yesterday
morning, on the life of Victoria, paid to
the dead monarch a most eloquent tribute.
The text of the sermon was taken from
dominion over the mighty" and Rev.
DR.. Bristol said in part:
History will record the death Of Queen
Victoria as the most universally impress
sive event in the opening year of the
twentieth century. No other single char
acteT has welded a greater influence in
the world during the past sixty years than
this good Queen. A world, not an isolated
nation, bows in reverential sorrow az the
bier of the purest, most exalted sovereign
that ever graced a throne; a world, not
an England alone, claims the sad privi-
lege Of paying homage to her memory.
America shall be second to no other la
ton in rendering honor to whom honor is
due. and in extending the most profound
athy to the country where, in mute
thousands, the Tourners go about the
streets
1t is due in no email measure to the
Christian wisdom of Victoria that the
most significant moral and political fact
in this dawn of the new century is ire
amcable relations existing between the
United States and Great Britain Ine
world is anxiously asking, What will he
the result of this growing love OF mother
country for daughter country, ana Oh
daughter country for mother country
Is AngIo-Saxon civilization to dominate
the world--the civilization Of law and lib
erty. the civilization of science and Chris
tianity? Is the English language TO be-
come universal? Are these two mighty
nations by the inspirations Of divine Prov
idence TO control the future. to shape the
worlds destiny. and to usher in the King
dom of God and brotherhood and peace?
1T is a great moral distance from the
England of George III to the England of
Victoria The good Queen. who on as
cerding the throne said: III be good
would have been sneered out OF the
Georgian Courts as a prude. But Tor
more than half a century she has die
tated the ethics and etiquette OF Euro
pean courts, and though the granddaugh-
ter of George ILL., she was ten genera
tions in advance of him in her moral SEN
timents ideals. and influence, 50 that she
has appeared in all these last most
glorious years to be Martha WASHING ton
on the English throne. Even the most
democratic democrat must feel that If
any mortal ever ruled right, il was good
Queen Victoria. Since the year in which
Andrew Jackson retired from the Fresi-
dency OF the United States and Martin
Van Buren, assumed the honors OF that
Office, Victoria has welded the sceptre
over Great Britain. She witnessed the
administrations of at least seventeen
Presidents. and reigned during more than
half the time of our own national exist
ence- II seems almost incredible that
Victoria's name belongs not only to the
DAYS of Salisbury. Gladstone, Bright, and
Beaconsheld. but also TO the days of
Brougham Palmerston. Macaulay, Peel,
and Wellington. and that she was po-
tent historic influence not only in the
lifetime of Grant and Lincoln, but also
when Clay. Webster, and Calhoun were in
their prime!
"Of necessity so long a reign as Vic
toria 5 must have given form and charac-
ter. aim and tendency to modern British
power no other ruler ever had such an
opportunity in length of time and in the
circumstances OF that time TO mold and
shape a countrys veal No other sovsr-
eign ever took more sagacicus ana con-
scieIItious advantage OF providential OPP
porulnities or ever ministeTed more gra-
ciously and benignly to nations glory
and q peoples happiness.
so pure has been VictOria's character.
SO kind her heart, so gentle and womanly
her temper. so mild and liberal her reign
that even our Quaker poet could sing. and
many a true American has been inspired
with him, TO sing: We bow the heart. if
not the knee, TO England's Queen, God
bless her
.Singularly enough. the brightest intel
lectual periods of English history have
been presided over by queens rather than
by kings. When speaking Of reviyals of
learning and manners. mention is not
made OF a Henry, a Charles, a James,
George, or a William, but it is the Eliza
bethan epoch the age of Queen Anne
the Victorian era
IF the EliZabethan age can boast Of
greater Individual geniuses, the Victorian
age can claim higher general genius and
average enlightenment. The true great
ness OF an age or nation must be meas
ured by its average culture, its general
Intelligence. rathe~ than by its bright par
ticular stars. The Elizabethan age was
full of stars; the Victorian age has been
full Of light. That was an age of philOso-
ply; this is an age Of science. That was
an age Of poetry this is an age Of iuven-
ton That was an age Of pleasure; this is
an age of duty That was an age of glory:
this is an age "f greatness.
Victoria has beer a Christian queen.
That has significance to every Christian
heart She was a woman of prayer and
faith who claimed that the Bible was the
secret of England's greatness, and who
iuculcated that righteousness which ey-
alteth a nation. As virgin. wife mother
and widow Queen. Victoria won the love
and vcncration of all the truly good and
noble Of this world. For fifty years her
people have been praying Tennyson' S
pray er.
slav sou rule us long;
And leave us rulers Of Your blood
A. noble til the latest day
MAY children Of our children say.
She wrought her people lasting good