The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-18


special service commemorative Of
the death of eX-Presidpnt BENJAMIN
Harrison was conducted yesterday
morning In the First Presbyterian
church. The choir rendered num-
Der of appropriate selections. including
TennNsons Crossing the Bar" and
the pastor. Rev. DR.. James Mcleod.
paid an eloquent tribute to the mem-
ory OF the dead statesman. Of whom
he was a great admircr. Among
ether things. he said:
This Is neither the time nor the
place for the Christian pulpit to speak
of our distinguished fellow citizen as
"a great political leader. nor is the
Christian pulpit the place i'm which
to discuss the political principles of
which he was 50 ardent and so able u
champion, Questions that differentiate
political parties are proper questions
in their place: and IL they he partisan
questions they will have their advo.
Gates among partisan politicians. and
in partisan press. But the Christian
pulpit may utilize such signal occas-
| ions as this. in order 10 impress les
sons of patriotism and of piety upon
| all our people.
at would he great mistake TO sup
| pose that the eminent statesman whose
| death We deplorc. reached his high
position BY soma lucky chance or in
some haphazard way. Far from it,.
on the contrary. he was q man Of
| painstaking and untiring industry. lie
was diligent student and an honest
| and most Industrious lawyer; and in
any position ho ccuped--lawyor,
| statesman, senator and prcsident--he
was a plodding, pcrseVering ana sue
cessful toilor. He was q. firm believer
! i'm the gospel of labor and he practised
! that gospel all the days of his life.
WAS 4 TRUE PATRIOT.
"Mr. Harrison vas a true patriot.
| lie was "a good hater." He hated
shams. lie hated hypocrites and he
knew how to treat them. lie valued
his own self-respect more than he
| valued their praise. He would not do
| a wrong in order to win their favor,
| and for that reason some of them
| hated him. But if Mr.. Harrison was
good hatcr.' he was an ardent lover.
| He loved his country with an undying
affect ton. and he loved all that was
W no fought in defence of their country.
| From the day when he began his pub
| lie caree" until the day of his death
he fought against every person and
against every principle that he re-
| garded as mean and base and false
| and unpatriotic. Although a lover of
| peace. yet his life was a life of con-
stant warfare and of incessant toll.
"In his public life. il any feeling was
| predominant. il was his intense Ameri-
| canism. He was patriot to his
hearts core. lie had an abiding con
| fidence in our form Of government and
| in our institutions. and he was deeply
| interested in everything that concerned
| our countrys welfare, both at home
and abroad, If he was a strong parti-
| san. he was also sterling patriot. II
he used his splendid gifts as an orator
| and as a political leader in order to
bring honor and glory to his party ii
| was only because he believed that If he
were successful in his efforts he would
bring greater honor and greater glory
| to his country.
| "Mr. Harrison placed patriotism higl,
| above partyism, and in so doing he set
| an example that every good citizen
should initiate. Political parties may
be necessary. and therefore PARTISAN
| ship may often be justifiable. but il
ever partisanship should attempt to
| usurp the throne Of patriotism. then
| if we would be true to ourselves, Ia
| our country ana to our God we must
| be patriots instead of partisans: and
| standing today. as it were. beside the
| grave of this eminent citizen. we may
! Well think Of the duties that we owe
! To this nation that he loved 50 well
, and for which he was willing to die.
THE PEOPLES SOLEMN DUTY.
"Mr Harrison believed and pro-
| claimed this doctrine. namely: That
| upon the people. no less than uDon
their officers, rest a solemn duty and "A
high responsibility. He knew that, in
this country, where we have universal
suffrage, the character, the mind. the
wishes Of the people are the governing
element. Whether this is right or
wrong, ii is a fact. In this nation OF
ours, it is public opinion that governs,
and therefore 1t depends upon YOU and
me. upon the rich and the poor. and
upon all our people. whether public
opinion shall be just or unjust. pure or
impure, Christian or uuchristiau. The
people of this nation are responsible
for the character Of its public men, for
the reason that all our ofilceholders OF
high and low degree hold their offices
by the will of the people.
"He was not faultness. lie would
not thank any ole who would say he
was perfect. He had his faults, be-
cause he was human. But all his fail
ings leaned to virtues side If. to
some. he appeared to have a somewhat
Icy temperament, those who knew him
intimately know that he had a big,
warm heart. What he was in his high
Office. as a senator and as president
of the United states, is known to all
men: but what he was as Il husband
and father and neighbOr and friend
is known only TO his own household
and to those who We're his neighbors
and his closest friends. and they know
that he was Kindness and gentleness
personihed.
In his death the Presbyterian church
has suffered a great loss. He was one
OF her wlscst counselors, while he was
also her most prominent ruling elder.
His speech at the opening OF the great
conference and missions that was held
not long ago i'm the city OF New York,
Is still fresh in our minds. Whether
he spoke on the floor of the PreShv-