Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-07
CalnnaSe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Taimaee, D. d.

season or patriOuc jubilee, wnen the
great ones Of our nations history are
recalled. the preacher chooses for his
theme the career Of Marcus whitman,
Through whose heroism and self sacri-
Gee the great empire Of the northwest
was added to our national domain.
The text is Matthew XXI, az, The stone
which the builders rejected, the same
Is become the head of the corner"
Every Fourth OF July it is the Gus
tom Of patriotic speakers to eulogize
the names Of George Washington and
Samuel Adams and James Otis and
Joseph Warren and Patrick Henry and
De Witt Clinton and John Adams and
John Hancock and Robert Morris and
Benjamin Franklin and John Wither-
spoon and Thomas Jefferson and Ma
.hanael Greene and Alexander Hamil-
on and John Jay. These were the
mental giants who hewed out of the
new worlds quarries the titanic stones
which became the foundation layers Of
our national government But these
lays of our national history to whom
we, as a people, are indebted. We
ought to be careful lest the glory Of
hose lutninaries blinds us to the grand
sur Of character Of patriots less con-
;picuous, whose courage, devotion and
self sacrifice helped to establish our
liberties or to extend our opportunities
hn lab, IN
ional holiday. Let me present TO you
today name which ought to be familiar
10 rs all. but which Is seldom placed
n the rank it ought to have on the roll
If the nations heroes. While we honor
he men who cleared away the debris
and dug out the foundation stones of
,ur national capital let us spare. too,
few words of praise for man to
whose daring and perseverance 1t is
1ue that at least one not several
stars were added to those that glitter
,n our national flag. place my wreath
Of ilnmortclhcs today on the grave Of
Marcus Whitman, who practically,
Jingle handed. saved the states of Ore
,on and Washington to the Union. To
he heroes Of Bunker Hill and Saratoga
md Yorktown we owe It that our
EASTERN shores are Tapped by the
Waters Of the Atlantic; to Marcus
Whitman we owe II that we hold on
,ur western shores the crystal gates Of
he Pacific. praise the Marcus Whit.
nan of 1S42, who pla ced the despised
,apstone Of Oregon upon the topInost
pinnacle Of the Washington legislative
lalls, made up Of the stone Of many
states.
Nations Debt to Marcus whitman.
How did Marcus whitman save Ore.
Ton to the United States? First. by
, ,eedipg the Macedonian gospel cry of
lelplessness. Like the pilgrim fathers
1e obeyed the direct summons which
zane to him in the voice Of many
| hunderings to carry Christ's message
If salvation even unto the uttcrmosl
parts Of the earth. He left his home
among the beautiful hills Of central
New York state, not out Of spirit OF
adventure as a Chanlcr Aston might
plunge into the African jungles to hunt
big game. He left it not, az did Johr
Mclaughlin, to dangle before the avari
,ious eyes OF North American Indians
T ais prizes, which would make the RED
a ting their traps and bringing in theil
} plies of furs. He left it not as did tho
I English gentlemen who came to James
own, Va. In the hope of becoming
andowning nristOcrats in new world
r ,r as did the Spanish marauderS, who
$ n their conquest of Mexico, stole upoI
I he land what the pirates OF old used Il
! teal upon the seas. But Marcus Whit
nan and Samuel Parker dared eros!
Q he American continent because from
he faroff Willamette valley came tn,
j. story of the bitter need there was fo
= he gospel Of peace to be preached t.
he Indian war chiefs. with scalpinl
tnives and tomahawks at belts, who
by their actions, said: I'VE need til,
t white mans book of heaven. We nec(
= he white mans Christ"
!: A Strange Quest.
To describe how that Macedonian or.
" helplessness came to Marcus Whit
nan. let me transplant you In imagina
ton back to the little frontier tow
: If st. Louis, No, and, like the shnd
: IVY on the dial of Ahaz, turn bac'
lime until the year 1892. We viii
!. suppose. in order 10 make the wild
weird scene we are about to dcscrib
more vivid, that the old Indian nghtc
md territorial governor. up to 1921
nd the United States superintendent
# the Indians, from 1921 to 1885, Gen
'ral William Clark, is spending SC
.ial evening with two Of his oil
" friends, who followed Lewis and him
: Ielf on their famous journey OF the ia
Y northwest suddenly messenge
APPS at the door. In answer to tn
yrufF call, Come in." there enter fou
y Elathend Indians. Two of them ar
- ICED warriors. two young stalwar
braves. Where are you from, m
" neny" asked the general, eying thel
rom head to foot. From the mul
huring waters OF the Columbia? In
POSSIBLE. From the Pacific shores
y Nay. nay. that cannot be. For wha
Il lid you come! For the white man
book of heaven? What, dldst tho
!, lave to travel 5000 miles to hunt II
.s ,he white mans book of heaven whc
;. he representatives Of the Hudson Ia
company have for years been buyin
rour fursT' Eyes" answered the Ne