San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-11

4 W .
Lee. pastor of Calvary. Baptist Church.
Following a song number by the Travis
Park quartet, the twenty-third psalm
and the twenty-secord chapter of the
Book OF Revelations, the same passages
of scripture read in Washington.
Thursday, by the late Presidents own
pastor, were read by Mr.. Leonard.
| A Plain, L0vable Man.
The Rev. Mr.. Wright. who is him.
self just recovering from an illness
that for time threatened death, pre-
sided. When he was selected by his
brother ministers to take charge OF
the program, he said, it was his first
thought that each of the three speakers
should take up some phase of the late
Presidents character and life. One
might speak of Harding's character as
a man. another Of his character as a
Christian. and the third of his qualifi-
cations as an administrative officer.
Scarcely had the idea had time to
formulate. however. the speaker con-
tinued, when he realized that a pro-
gram of that nature would be too for
NAL, too stilted, and not at all in con-
formance with the character of the
dead leader who was just plain man
who had faithfully served a plain peo-
pie. There was nothing elaborate in
the character of the late President,
the speaker reiterated.
last evening was conversing with
neighbor who has been closely asso-
ciated with the late President DR..
Wright said. Il asked my neighbor to
tell Inc about Harding. My neighbor
said that he had known Harding just
as a great. big lovable character with
none Of the attributes OF a partisan.
Harding, my neighbor said. knew how
to sympathize with suffering human
| ity. Like her husband, Mrs. Harding
was ..lso responsive to the heartbeats
of mankind.
81 respect q man who believes in
party organization" the speaker con-
tinued, provided he can come out
without being a partisan. l feel that
our late President was as much a
martyr as Lincoln, Garfield and Me-
kinley."
Mr.. Wright said that he was i'm
pressed with the similarity of the trips
undertaken by the late President
Harding and ex-President Woodrow
Wilson.
Former Ohioan Is Speaker.
I'VE lived in neighboring towns"
Mr.. Leonard said, 'trampcd the same
fields. fished in the same streams,
looked upon the same level lands of
tassled corn, golden wheat and fra
grant clover, have walked the same
streets and have been shaded by the
same naples and elms. 1t is not hard
to see and feel the mood of Marion in
this hour.
"Ohio has given other sons to the
chief place-Grant. Hayes, Garfield,
Harrison. Mckinley and Taft. Tn
her capitol grounds is a group of men
in bronze. The state in syI Dol stands
with outstretched arms and bears the
legend: These are my jewels So
reverently today she places Warren G.
Harding in this company.
Il heard the tolling of the bells
when Mckinley died. On the day he
was laid away in mother earth the
bells tolled the whole day through.
In this hour the streets Of Marion
sound with the shuffling tread of
thousands drawing near TO pay their
last respects to one who was their
| friend and neighbor The sickle is
silent in the fields and from the church
tower there tolls the mournful message
Of the bells.
Came From the Farm.
Harding came from the ranks of the
people-from the small town. He was
farmers boy. an editor of little
paper, a substantial citizen. and q
faithful member of his church. Hav-
ing-been faithful in his home town he
became lieutenant governor of his
state. then senator and finally was
called TO the place of highest service
President of the United States.
The summit of success did not
make him forget but rather did it
ground him more securely in the faith
OF his fathers. He relied on God. Is
it any wonder then that we find the
same sense OF loss over the entire land
that we find among those men with
whom he was wont to labor in the
printing office. He was lovable and
true.
"As chief executive. having sworn
to. uphold the constitution and the
laws of the land, he stood for Law en-
forcement. He established economy ir
the handling of public funds. Fer the
welfare of the world he believed that
the council chamber was better place
to settle international disputes than a
battlefield. He was n conservative.
calm and constructive Statesman. He
was Christian President with a love
for his people that led him to give all
there was of him for their welfare. He
died as soldier of peace in the SER
vice of his country.
The duties of this day are soon
done and the flowers soon wither. but
We live and tomorrow we can live for
the land of law and order, the land
where the least can become the great
est. the land of golden opportunity. the
land of Christian heroes and Christian
homes. the land made more sacred by
the public service of the one who was
of us and died for us-a great and
good President who lived for truth and
right among men and nations"
Harding n Cody Man.
Introducing the Rev. W. W. Lee.
Mr.. Wright said that the Baptist pas
tor had been selected to fill the most
important place upon the program by
reason of the fact that the late Presi-
dent was a member of that denomina-
ton.
1t has been the history of nations.
Mr.. Lee said, that when the rulers are
Cody the nations prosper and that
when the rulers are ungodly. the ma
tions perish. Partisanship is not an
important factor, he continued. when
the rulers place their faith in God