Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-15
UNUSUAL TRIBUTE PAID TO Or.
euRkHALrER sY CEDAR RAP
IDS BUSINESS MEN.
GUEST OF COMMERCIAL
INTEREST At BANQUET
Members Of Commercial Club Gather TO
Testify Work and Worth During
Forty Years Of Ministry-Guests
Sign Testimonial Making Or. 5urk-
halter Pastor Emeritus Of City"

! Cedar Rapids. Jan. l5.-Never before
in the history of Cedar Rapids and
never so far as known II the history OF
any other city was there such a recep-
ton and banquet as that held at Hotel
Montrose last night py The members
of the Cedar Rapids Commercial Club
il honor OF the pastor emeritus Of
Cedar Rapids the Rev. Edward X.
Burkhaiter. D. D. For nearly forty
OF the First Presbyterian church or
this city. Recently he ret!-ed from the
active work of the pulpit 10 become the
pastor emeritus of that church. Inc
mem bers OF his church rendered him a
birthday banque; and this later was
followed by a similar banquet given in
his honor by the members Of the Cedar
Rapids Ministerial Union. But the city
was rot satisfied with these evidences
of the high esteem and the sincere at
fect:on in which DR.. Burkhalter is
held His has been a ministry for the
city: all lives have been touched by
his work and helped oy his influence.
And so the Cedar Rapids Commercial
Club, composed of practically every
business and professional man in the
city appointed a special committee to
arrange last nights reception and ban
quer in his honor. Merchants, manu-
facturers, doctors. lawyers, newspaper
men. bankers. railroad men, members
Of the city administration officials of
the public schools, and other educa-
tional Institutions gathered to do him
honor. The series Of five minute
speeches made by representatives of
these men was without q parallel in
the previous history OF this city. 1t
was a spontaneous sincere and united
outpouring of love and respect for the
good man. who in the youth Of his old
age" as one of the speakers put 1t, is
now entering upon his larger service
as pastor emeritus to the entire COM
rnuuity. The whole city united In it.
just as the whole city recently united
IN a community Thanksgiving Day,
emphasized still more strongly the
fact that In all good things. all ex
allied endeavor, Cedar Rapids is one
big brotherhood.
Banquet Was a Delight.
by Hotel Montrose was worthy of the
hotel. of the city and Of the occasion.
And the series of speeches that fol-
lowed it made it truly red-letter
night in the history of Cedar Rapids.
Hon. John Il. Grimm was toast
master OF the occasion and he rose to
the occasion in a manner that even
he has never before attained. Elo-
quence and humor We're pieasingly
mingled in his brief introduction Of
each speaker ard there was not
wasted moment in the entire evening.
The first feature OF the post-pran-
dial program was the presentation Of
q testimonial TO Dr. BurkhaIter which
had been prepared by Chairman
Thomas H. Simmons of the CONNER
cial club special committee and signed
by every one present last night. This
roll of honor was enclosed in a
silver case with the name of DR..
Burkhalter and the date engraved
thereon. In presenting this memento
10 DR.. Burkhalter. Chairman Sim
mons said:
DR.. Burkha!ter: These business
men have assembled here in your
honor. We gather about You as stu
dents around teacher, as brothers
around a brother. We have each
signed VIVA. l have just read to pro-
vide you an enduring memento of this
/ occasion, and you will discern, back Of
/ these signatures, the hand clasps and
| faces of sincere friends. representing
Your thousands of friends in our city
We pay tribute 10 your nearly forty
years Christian minister among US.
four Of the Ave decades Of your adult
! life. It is long service. There are
1000 Sabbaths in forty years and 1000
sermons and 5000 regular church SER
vices and during all this time you have
responded 10 the multitudinous civic
demands upon clergyman.
/ With sincere gratitude we would
answer this devotion with reciprocal
devotion. Your life exemplifies the al
cilemy Of RICH, living. What we give
we save. no less true OF giving self
than material treasure. You have been
a life long giver and there returns to
i you tide OF love and appreciation that
I will make you rich your remaining
years. Rarely endowed by nature.
rarely cultured by application. rarely
| spiritual thru mystical communion
with Him whose faithful ambassador
you are. from the workshop of your
study and the crucible of your mind
has come a stream Of sturdy truth with
| what is beautiful and pure.
AT three score and ten you teach
US how to meet the advancing years
Your step is light. Your mind is
clear. Your sym pathies widen. Heart
young. you seem to say with Brown
ling:
"Grow old along with me.
The best is yet to be
The last Of life for which the first
/ was made.
"Live on for dur sakes. for losing
you. life would yield lasting joy to
a lasting sorrow. Live On for your
own sake to enjoy the fair harvest Of
jyour faithful sowing.
in good old custom. we would pre-
sent to you the freedom Of the city
were II ours to give. but we can not
- H> Ia H. II,