The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-23

sFdnu old river that runs by this civ |
IN company with party of friends. and
all along down the river we had spoken
OF the pleasure we anticipated in seeing
the beautiful building of the Sacred
Heart. When we were passing it the
mlsts had fallen and darkness had come
on. and we were saying with disappoint-
ment that we would not be able to see
the house, when suddenly the captain
OF that vessel stepped a few PAGES away,
iald his hand on a piece of mechanism,
and a light darted out across the stream
and for time wandered up and down
until 1T struck the right place and the
magnificent building stood before us, re-
vealed from foundation stone to Hottest
spire. The thing that most impressed
US was the ease with which the captain
Old 1T all; and SO as men sat here in
human sorrow, sobbing out almost their
LIKELIHOOD from their broken hearts, Dr.
Palmer had power to show them the
glories of another and a brighter world.
May I now pass from this great
preacher and speak of him in the next
place as he stands related in action in
the acts of the church to which he be-
longs? Why. u man like DR.. Palmer
must take interest in passing discussion.
1t was impossible for a man with mind
as vigorous as his to lie inactive while
things involving Gods truth are dis
cussed; and so it comes to pass that in
all these fifty or more years he has been
in all discussions of a theological char
acter that have obtained in the church
to which he belonged. Now what were
his main characteristics in these discus
CT ba ho nj l1o0
is this grand masters intense love of
truth. He and DR.. Thornwell were the
very closest friends, and both delighted
to minister at the shrine of sacred truth.
In discussion DR.. Palmer sought to say
the thing as it was, and to impress 1t be-
cause it was Gods sacred truth. An
other thing that strikes me is his abso-
lutte freedom from anything that bordered
on personality. l never have met any
man that could go as deep in church dis
cussions as he did, and as earnestly as he
did, and keep as thoroughly out of com
plications of an unpleasant character
with those with whom he was discussing.
He very seldom wrote more than the
, first article. If a reply was made to
anything he wrote, it was the rarest
thing in the world that you ever found
DR.. Palmer making a rejoinder; and of
all the discussions in which he was en-
gagged / have yet to hear of a single man
who stood on the opposite side from him
that did not feel at the end the profound
| est respect for him That is a grand
/ quality in any man engaged in the search
| for truth.
/ A HERO OF THE CHURCH.
''Now then, passing from him as he
! stands before us in discussion, let us
think of Dr. Palmer as he is related to
what what may be called the heroism
of the church. The church has ever had
its heroes. When Christianity loses pow
er to make heroic men. its glory will
have departed, and surely in this city
of New Orleans, here in this church,
/ there stood as heroic figure as any ever
recorded, either in sacred or in ecclesi-
astical writings. Here is a man who
was true to his convictions, whether in
| facing the popular frown in order that
he may denounce that which is wrong
and uphold that which he believes to
! be morally right. You may be certain
/ that this man will be found on the spot
4 and will utter himself in no uncertain
| tone Here is a man who, when pesti-
lence stretches it's sable wings over the
city is found ministering to the sick,
praying with the dying, standing at the
tomb with a sorrowing lip, and if need
be Offering his life in sacrifice. All, il
1.-THE church of the living God had more
such spirits!
81 must now speak of that other
sphere to which alluded a while ago in
which God chooses that man should ex-
press himself. / refer now to the sphere
of suffering. A great man is magnii-
cent III action when in some hour of con-
hict he grds himself with all the might
of the living God and goes forth with the
sword upon his thigh, with the breast
plate of righteousness, with the helmet
of salvation, with his feet shod with the
gospel of peace; but there is a sphere in
which God may be glorified, and that is
in suffering. This is a sphere in which
personality in it's deepest essence may
be expressed, and it pleased God that
| in this sphere DR.. Palmer should glorify
Him. Did you not honor him more in
the hour of his sorrow than you had ever
done? More when. like a little child
your venerable pastor walked in before
you and patiently submitted himself tC
the will of God? More when you found
him praying at the time God had sent tc
his home calamities which overtake US
all? No great character is made with
out suffering. Jesus Christ was our Sa-
viour because He had been tried, and We
love Him because He can be touched
with a feeling of our humanity. The
man that has glorifed God that way
can get right heart to heart with his
fellow man, can sit in the home of woe
and be a consolation there, can go tc
the widow and speak the words of resig-
nation and of peace.
IN THE LIGHT OF COMPARISON.
"To whom shall | compare DR.. Pal
mer? Shall | say to Dr. ThornWell'
These were close friends from associa-
ton Dr. Thornwell was born in 1872
| DR.. Palmer in 1918. DR.. Thornwell's
vigor of mind it would be impossible
to deny. DR.. Thornwell's power OF
speech is described by Dr. Palmer tc
have been instinct with personal mag
netism; but there was difference in the
style of cloquence, as in the style OF
writing. DR.. ThornWell took you with
him upon a cannon-ball train and rush
ed you Shall l compare DR.. Palmer &c