The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-02-15
KEARNY PASTORS
ELOQUENT TRIBUTE
To MENDELSSOHN
Rev. Roland S. Dawson, of Knox
Presbyterian Church, breaches
Commemorative Sermon.
CALLS MUSICIAN GREAT
BENEFACTOR OF MANKIND
Recalls Career of Man Whose
Centennial Anniversary Is
Being Celebrated.

The Rev. Roland S. Dawson, pastor
of the Knox Presbyterian Church,
Kearny, last night lectured on Men
/ %delssohn" in that church in commemo-
/ ration of the centennial of the COM
poser's birth.
He spoke in part as follows from the
text, Psalm cl. 6, Let everything that
hath breath praise the Lord"
This is the last verse of the last
/ Psalm. 1t expresses the GROWING
Thought of the greatest of all religious
musicians. 1t is more than the thought
OF David. 1t is the inspired command
of God. He who made the noblest of
all musical Instruments, the human
voice. designed it to be employed in his
own praise. He who gave the birds
their song delights in the simple per-
lection OF their natural mesody.
Music has ever been the faithful
handmade of religion. How barren,
/ cold and cherries were our worship If
devoid of chant and chorus. hymn and
i doxology. Great singers, great organ
4 lists, great conductors have nobly
served the church of God by their rare
talents loftily employed. Greater than
these, because more lasting and far
reaching in their influence for good
are the composers of chants and can
fatas, symphonies and oratorios. Among
/ the worthiest benefactors of their race
j are the great masters of harmonious
i and melodious sound whose compost
\ tions have inspired millions to higher
4 thoughts, deeper feelings and nobler
purposes.
Prolific Musical Gcniuscs.
1.-THE early part of the last century
was remarkably prolific in musical
4 genius Mendelssohn, whose centenary
Z is being celebrated by the whole must
1 cal world. was born on February 3,
& 1909. Chopin was born in that same
annus mirabilis, Schumann in 1910,
E List in 1911 and Wagner in 1918.
Meyerbeer was then living. so4was the
great and the brilliant Ber-
lioz, as we'll as Schubert and Rossini
Never has the world known such a
brilliant galaxy of genius in any art
at one time.
Among them none is more beloved
than Jacob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn
/ Bartholdy, son and heir of a rich Ber-
lin banker, Abraham Mendelssohn, who
had married Lea Solomon Barthoidy, a
Jewess. but who raised his children as
Christians.
His brilliant life was rich and full
though all too brief. When 10 years
J. old he made his first public appearance
? as a pianist and was much applauded.
He wrote a cantata at eleven, at
twelve five symphonies and an opera.
To the end of his life he was immersed
in an atmosphere of music. Cantatas,
operas, oratorios rapidly flowed from
his pen. He invented the songs with
Tout words gave the world his immortal
o~ratorio of Elijah. the Spring Song.
The Wedding March. and played and
conducted before all the royalties OF
Europe.
M Friend of Royalty.
"He was the intimate friend of Vic
8toria and Albert, and played accom-
paniments for the queen. When asked
2Thow she could best express her thanks
'7he asked to see her sleeping children,
kissed them and thought of his owr
Dear ones at home. In the midst OF
Adulation and temptation he lived a
As.clean and moral life He used to say
Wherever I am there are two things