The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-06

AZ the memorial service in Christ
Episcopal church last Sunday night
the pastor, Rev. II. S. Ballentine deliv-
ercd n beautiful address on the late
Queen Victoria. He took for the text
of his discourse Proverbs 81: 80.
Favor ia deccitful and beauty is vain,
i,ut the woman who fears the Lord
She shall be praised.
Mr.. Ballentine's address was as fol-
aws:
Lord Salisbury IL reported as having said Of
queen Victoria that she was "thc most Illus
trious sovereign that ever adorned the throne
Of England
The history Of the future will say, however,
she was the most illustrious sovereign that ever
ldolned the throne oi England OF any Other
country And IL will say this because she
was not only great she was also good. She was
not only good she was also intelligent. She
WAS not only intelligent; she was also prudent.
She was not only prudent, she was also wise.
She was not only wise; she was also generous.
Wer statesmen might he impressed with "a
profound sense Of her penetration" and con-
slider it as .'almost intuition" But Victoria, II
she was possessed OF any great faculty, was
Possessed above all Of that peculiar faculty OF
womaubood in general, that divine aud subtle
fiouty Of "intuition."
J wish to speak Of Queen Victoria tonight o,
woman. wife and mother. What Of her first,
then, as womsn7 Whatever else Victoria was
.he was first of all q woman. She was a wo.
man before she became queen She was a Ho'
man after she became queen. She was woman
10 the day OF her death. Nothing could even
smother the Woman heart IN her. Nothing could
ever dim it's shining lustre But what was the
secret OF such womanly strength Whence did
aia hen
mothers sacred knees and from her godiy coun
sells. How veil and how thoroughly she ther,
learned the lessoa Witness that cnnob'ina
scene when. at IS years Of age. at o'cloci
in the morning. the archbishop OF Canterbury
announces TO her her accession to tho throne
The archbishop kneels 10 her. But she at once
Sncels before him and bess his grace to pray fol
her.
SECRET OF HER GREATNESS
Here is the secret AZ once Of her humiit,
and at the same time Of her greatness. Here
is the secret also Of her marvellous intuition
Here likewise is the secret Of her practical wis
dom and tn eourcc OF her exquisite sympathy.
Bcause she was ever thus keeping herself clos
10 the God OF all comfort, she knew well th
most efiectual form Of all genuine consolation
and the most touching way OF administering it
This is what would lead her up flight ate
light Of stairs even though she was old an,
ucr hmbs rheundtlc, TO see SICK truStv SER an
wen though that servant was the most mcnIa
in Her Majesty's employ. II was the same on
noted day OF the queens stay at her royal resi-
,cnce Of Balmoral. She had been left alone I,
roam at leisure and at her pleasure through Ia
~paCious grounds OF that noted place. Bu
after awhile slio was missed. A search was a
,ncc begun. II seemed TO he proving fruitless
NXicly vas beginning 10 show on every face
Every part OF the royal residence had bcc'
arched and 30 had the grounds. But th
queen had not been found. Where was she
No one could answer.
At last it was suggested that gypsy cam
was Just outside the royal enclosure. 1t nigh
he well to search it, Tie search there con
scqucntly was at once begun, and, 10. III
queen, sitting on a soap box beside a squali
bed on which poor dying gypsy was lying
In her hand was the Bible. She had been read
ing 10 the poor wandering woman the words G
lite, and eonsoling her with words Of divin
cheer.
The queen within her had been held In abcy
anCc. The womans heart had asserted it
most royal sway. Or, rather it might b
said, the truest and most queeny Of all virtue
within her were brought into exercise TO met
the requirements OF the occasion. She shove
herself by this very act a queen. not only
name. but most surely in nature.
HABIT OF PRAYER.
Tie queens habit OF prayer and reading God
Word reminds us Of the two greater character
in our own remarkable history refer ,
Washington and Lincoln. These two men rel
resent the acme OF moral power and sterlin
character in the two greatest crises Of ow Ii.
tionai life. Look. then. at Washington as