The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-02-27

Vice President Fairbanks and Speaker
Joseph G. Cannon Talk Of the Great
ness Of the Son OF iIllinois-Marine |
Band Makes Music, and Prof. McFaIl
Sings. ~ -
A magnificent tribute was paid to the
great Lincoln on the anniversary of his
birth by the Grand Army of the Re-
public, the Womans Relief Corps and
the United States Historical Society in
Washington. The Church of Our Faith
er, which is one of the finest iedifices in
the city for the display of patriotic
work, was the scene Of the exercises.
The church, which is, balconied in al
semicircle meeting over the pulpit which
| is in a corner with alcoye architecture.
was simply buried in flags, nothing but
| flags. The doors to the two winglike
Sunday school rooms were thrown open,
and in one was seated the Marine Band,
under the leadership of Prof. Wood.
and in the other the members of the
Woman's Relief Corps gathered. These
two wings stand about foot above the
main body of the church upon which
they open, and along this lift stood the
w. r. c. Color-bearers of the nine Corps
during the evening, IS on side, taking
part in every number. The floral deco
rations were very handsome, the hum
dreds of carnations and roses being CIV
en- by Mr.. George c. Shaffer, Wash
ington florist
The soloists of the evening were Prof.
Jasper McFall, who sang with magnifi-
cent effect 1.-The Song of Thousand
Years." Mrs Cornelia Ross Potts. who
sang The Star Spangled Banner" and
Mrs. Annie Grant Fugitt. who sang
Divine Redeemer," both ladies having
most appreciative audience as their
splendid voices filed the church.
Another singer, Col. George w. Ross.
and another song, "Illinois," which was
sung in honor of the distinguished
Speaker of the House of Representa-
: tives, received an ovation.
The poem that Lincoln loved, ooh,
| Why Should the Spirit of Mortal Be
Proud" was given with fine effect by
Col. John A. Joyce. while portions of
Lincolns second inaugural Address
were read in excellent voice by Past
Department Commander Geo. II. Stay
baugh. Mrs. Isabel WorrelI-Ball, Pres
ident of the Department of the Poto-
mac Woman's Relief Corps. gave
F.. toast TO the flag which brought her an
ovation. in which she was assisted by
the SO Color-bearers.
Col. John McElroy, Past Senior Vice
| Commander-in-Chie of the Grand
I Army of the Republic presided over
! the meeting and with him upon the
| platform was Mr.. Harry Coleman, Pres
ident of the United States Historical
of the church, who offered the invoca-
ton; Representative Albert Foster Daw
son, of Iowa, who afterward made a re-
markedly fine patriotic address, and
many others. Col. McElroy, to whom
| the credit is largely due for the success
| of the evenings entertainment. presided
in the most happy vein, having the rec
ord of every speaker. civil or military,
| at tfs{ tip of his tongue.
1 The Vice President and the Speaker
| were greeted with an ovation of tremen-
dous proportions when they entered,
and expressed themselves as delighted
with the patriotic atmosphere of the
audience, which packed the church, and
| hundreds were turned away The speech
| of each, so entirely different, was filled
with earnest expressions of devoted love
for the man whom they We're ieulogizing,
and each declared that the birthdays of
three men should be remembered by
| grateful people. those of Washington.
Lincoln and Mckinley, but the greatest
of these is Liz coin in the estimation of
| both. 1'e
The march of the SO Golorsbearers of
| the Department in and out of the
| church was greeted with prolonged ap-
plause, and was one iof tbs prettiest
sights of the evening. The department
President stated that she felt especially
proud Of the fact that she could have
/ at nef can every tDitf-DttfSf III Hti
! Department at such great functions.
The settings of the platform We're
/ particularly interesting. The old-fash
toned wooden 'settee" upon the plat
form stood for years upon the wide porch
of the Lincoln home in Springfield, and
was the favorite lounging place of Lin
coin when he had time to rest his tired
body in the long Summer evenings. The
quaint old wooden chair. occupied by
the presiding officer. was the one which
=: Lincoln used continually in his law Of
flee The little table was part of the
furniture of the parlor in the Lincoln
home. and the vases stood upon the
mantel
All these, with the large portrait, are
the property of Capt. Osborn H. Old
royd late of the goth Ohio, who for 50
years has been collecting Lincoln me-
mentoes For years he had his museum
in the Lincoln home in Springfield, and
now has his collection, which is of mag
nificent proportions and inestimablc
value, in the house opposite Ford's
Il Theater, 519 10th St. n. w, in which
Lincoln died. On Lincoln's Birthday the
house is thrown open to the public, and
q thousands view the collection, school
children being particularly Interested.
A-