The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-04-22
HEART GRIPPING
MEMORIAL sermon
DIR. BEARD GAVE LARGE AUDI
ENcE VIVID DESCRIPTION or
LAST HOURS or TiTARic-LEs-
SONS FROM THE MARVELLOUS
HERoIsM.

A EH aHi
A powerful subject, powerfully ham
died, adequately describes the mem
orial service for the victims of the
Titanic by Dr. r. A. Beard yesterday.
It vas q heart gripping. soul stirring
address and one that win probably
never be forgotten by the large audi
ence that heard it.
Coming at a time when hearts are
stirred as the hearts OF men seldom
are, the lessons that were driven home
by DR.. Beard will leave a lasting inn
preston.
Dr. Beard prefaced his sermon with
the statement that he had not been
able to devote much time to the prep
a~ration of a sermon which the magni-
tude of the subject demanded.
When we consider that there was u
victim In the disaster from every state
in the union except one, that it was
the greatest marine disaster in the his
tory Of the world, that the same spirit
of sadness which fills the air is felt
from n end of the country to the
other, that men were there from sill the
WNAhS VLNAAAGs IlAG nAAtllOIAdAA Is LAO IlCIS
chant, the philanthropist, the states
man, the editor, the railroad kings all
were there, the rich, the poor, the high
the low, and hat one of the victims
was a trustee of our own Fargo coll
.lege, how close it home to all
of us" said DR.. Beard.
THE keel of the mighty vessel was
laid in 1909. It was finished in 1911,
the 1nest and best and most complete
in all its appointments, and yet how
puny and insignificant are the mighti-
est works of man when they come in
contact with the forces Of nature.
Let us be charitable in our judge
ments. We do not know all the facts.
I was greatly impressed with the state
ent issued by the survivors, and which
was given to the world when they ar
rived in New York. 1t is one OF the
most reasonable and calmest under the
circumstances, that / have ever read.
There are certain broad express
sions which make themselves felt in
connection with this terrible disaster.
Men, and women. in this supreme hour
of terror, did not forget that the age
Of chivalry has not yet passed away.
The drama of it all was in a low key.
The mere turning of a hand and life
or death. You go and / will stay
was the words of the men as they
handed out the women and children
and started them on their Journey for
safety, while they stayed behind to die.
ITO me the greatest thing OF all
about the tragedy was the great sac
rifce of the strong for the weak. This
is the point where materialistic evo-
luton breaks down. The law of the
beast is the survival of the strong.
Not so with men as God made them.
It is the strong saving the weak.
There can be no question, from an
economic standpoint, that there was
a tremendous sacrifice. The ship carried
some of the mighty of, the earth. Men
with great thoughts, with their hands
on great machinery, their minds filed
with great plans-on the other hand
women OF the steerage.
Can anyone say that from an eco
nomic standpoint the world would not
have been better off had those men
been saved instead of the women?
And yet, we say unanimously it was a
grand thing. This to me is inspiring"
Following the sermon the quartette
sang Nearer MY God to Thee, the
hymn which was played while the
great liner was sinking beneath the
waves.