Evening star., 1901-10-21
Tribute to the Memory Of Rev, Byron
Sunderland,
SCHOLAR, PASTOR AND PRESBYFER
Proposed Change in Name Of First
Presbyterian Church.
THE ExERCIe E. YESTERDAY

fltting tribute was paid the memory or
Rev. Byron Sunderland yesterday in words
spoken rom The pulpit from which he
preached fer nearly half a century Dr.
Sunderland as scholar, as a pastor a
presayter. as q neighbor, as a patriot as
a citizen, and as an "all-round man. We're
the themes IN which Washington's religious
and civic orators We'd with each other
for two and half hours in words of eulogy
and sincere affection in the First Presby-
terian Church. Listening to these words Of
praise, mourning and rejoicing was silent
multitude. Py their presence and inspira-
tion the members paid their individual
tribute of love to the memory of the de-
parted. Gathered from the words of those
who voiced his many qualities, it would
seem that each one present came in express
sion of separate virtue of the ''little big
man., as Or. Taimage put it, who had
lived full life in good works.
Words alone are not to be the only trib-
ute which Washington is to pay to her
great war preacher and movement was
iBaugurated yesterday whereby the church
in which he reached the pinnacle of his
usefulness and influence. is to be renamed
in honor of his memory To make this
memorial expressive of the public senti-
ment, fund of $4,000 is to be raised to
free the church from a long-standing mort
gage, which was one of the burdens DR..
ate of the church.
Sadness and Rejoicing.
While there was a touch of sadness in
the service in honor of DR.. Sunderland
there was also a sense of rejoicing over the
fullness of his life, and over the certainty
of his reward. Those who mourned him
did not wish him back. They surrounded
his memory with a halo of pleasant recol-
lectionS and pictured the joy with which
they knew he was surrounded.
In this sentiment the very ediflce gave
expression. Mingled with the insignia of
mourning in the draped pulpit was the
whiteness and fragrance of the roses which
were spread on a table beneath 1t. There
also huge wreath of autumn leaves blend
ed with the green sprays Of ferns, while,
like a huge rainbow of promise, on the
wall back of the rostrum were the golden
words Holy, Holy. Holy, Lord God AL
mighty. AS if to emphasize the spirit of
the occasion these also were the first ar
ticulate words of the service They consti-
tuted the theme of the opening anthem,
which followed the organ rendition of
Chopin's funeral march.
DIR. Radcliffe RS Chairman.
Rev DR.. Macleod. pastor of the church,
in introducing Rev. Dr. Radcliffe as chair
man of the meeting, made brief explana-
tion of the chara cter of the service. He
said that the church had heretofore paid
a loving tribute to the memory of DR.. Sun
derland in the form of service which had
been devoted largely to extolling his ster-
ling, manly Vir tues and Christian life. 1t
was felt. however, that this was not sufl
fcient. Dr. Sunderland was more than a
man of the First Presbyterian Church; nc
belonged TO the city, to the District, and
even to the nation, through all of which
his influence had been felt. DR. Macleod
spoke briefly of his personal relations with
DIR. Sunderland, saying that his memory
would always be an inspiration TO him; also
that the name Of DR.. Sunderland was the
brightest jewel in the crown of that his
toTic church.
DIR. Macleod read letters of regret from
DR.. j. j. Muir, pastor of E Street Baptist
Church; from Rev. DR.. Teunis S. Hamlin,
and from Rev. DR.. w. c. Alexander, who
were unable to be present and take part in
the program, as had been arranged
DR.. Radcliffe, in assuming charge of the
meeting, expressed his appreciation of the
privilege, saying it was eminently worthy
that as citizens Of the District and minis
ters of Jesus Christ this opportunity should
be taken to pay Il well-merited tribute to
the memory of DR.. Sunderland. HE lived
a faithful life" continued Dr. Radcliffe:
he wrought an imperishable work; he has
left fragrant memory which lives in a
ence.''
Dr.. Radcliffe called attention to the cx-
tended program and addresses and said
each speaker had been limited to five min
be too long. He realized that this was
only time enough in which to get stared
but suggested that 1t would be well for each
speaker to confine himself to the limitation.
DIR. SunderIand's Useful Life.
An invocation was offered by Rev. Dr.
Wilson. He fervently thanked God for DR..
Sunderland's useful life. Thou didst bring
to this place and establish and maintain
man whose might should touch many
hearts and uplift many lives" he prayed.
DR.. Wilson touched on the DEVELOPMENT of
the character of DR.. Sunderland, maturing
as 1t did under stress and joy, in prosperity
and in adversely, until it had blossomed
into fullness and beauty and translated
him into Immortality.
Dr. Sunderland's $ favorite hymn 'sHow
Firm Foundation was given expression
by the voices of all present. Appropriate
scriptural readings were given by Rev. Dr.
Easton.
Attainments as a Scholar.
DR.. Sunderland's attainments as sahol
ar were told by Rev. DR.. Luccock, whose
address was the first of the series of five
minute speeches TO follow I'VE all loved
him for his kindness of heart genla. dis
position and personal interest and sylnpa-
thy for our work. began Dir. Luccock. And
then, as if forgetting his subject, thu sreak-
er dropped into a reminiscent mood, and
referring to the work of the presbytery
his personality upon. ALL. He used to say
after his voice had reached a trembling
point, Dear brethren, l want you to know
that 1 pray constantly for all of !; ~ by
name. L think none of us want this op-
portunity to go by" continued Or. LUG
cock, without saying a word of appiecia-
ton of his work and especially # his per-
sonal interest in u.s.
"Dr. Sunderland's scholarship was the
| foundation Of his personality" continued
the speaker. He had good training in
| the college and seminary, which gave him
| a broad range. He had love Of study
| but did not give himself up to it to the
| extent of losing his personality with his
| fellowmen. He knew where to go for his
| material, how to collect it, and best OF
| all, how to arrange 1t for preaching" DR.,
| Luccock recalled instances of the wonder
| ful ready wit of DIR. Sunderland He told
| of the estimate which had been placed on
/ him by Mormon orator at great debate
| which took place at Salt Lake City, in
| which the Mormon referred to the antago-
| mist who gave him the most trouble as
that little lawyer from Washington -
| While DR.. Sunderland was not a lawyer,
he possessed legal mind. DIR. Sunderland S
| scholarship was founded on the word of
| God He knew his Bible and could read
| it few ministers can He would give
| 1t the freshness Of new discourse
| He also knew his God" continued DIR.