Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1924-02-07
HUNDREDS TAKE
PART IN SERVICES
At OPERA HOUSE
Business Houses Close for Hour :
Col. Norman Delivers Eulogy

Livery buslnes house was closed on
wednesday afternoon, responding to
proclamation issued by Mayor III.
MayeS, when the funeral hour of the
late President was made known. At
three O'Clock the public offices and
business establishments throughout the
city closed and the people in large
numbers gathered at the Grand Or
era House, where services in charge
OF the ministers of the city, were held
in memory of the illustrious dead
Kev. J. +. Singleton, pastor of the
FIRST Baptist Church was in charge
and feellngly spoke of the great loss
sustained by the nation.
Kew. 5. {. Olliff of the Central Me-
thodlst Church made the opening pray
er, followed by Rev. ]. H. Elder of
the First Methodist Church who read
chapters from the Psalms.
Col. J. B. Norman for the American
Legion, delivered the eulogy and said
IN part:
1T is fitting that we should come
together this afternoon and ioin the
rest OF the nation, even the rest of the
World IN mourning tn epassing to- the
Great Beyond of Woodrow Wilson,
tor he was a worldwide figure. His
lite is SO full of spectacular events and
there IS SO much that can be said about
him that the greatest difficulty one
experiences in paying tribute to him
tor only few minutes is in knowing
Just what to leave unsaid. He really
needs no 'eulogy, for he lies shrouded
In the glory Of the deeds of his own
achievement and enshrined in the
hearts and love of his countryn1en.
A study oflfhe life of this great man
reveals the fact that he followed an
ideal, and believe that every success
tul man must have an ideal to which
he can direct his efforts. From the
very moment he entered public life as
the governor of New Jersey he at
tracted the attention of the whole coun
try in working for his ideal, the pass
age of measures for the benefit of
the masses as opposed to certain in
terests, and the preaching of real, true
democracy
Undoubtedly and unquestionab1v he
was the greatest intellect that ever sat
IN the Presidents chair, and his match
less ability in his command of English |
has placed his letters and papers of |
state beyond comparison. You will re-
call how IN the long exchange of mess |
ages between this government and
that of Germany before we entered |
the great conflict, he proved himself |
the master in every instance as the |
situation gradually unfolded ITSELF and
those papers and messages will ever
be famous and go down in history as
classics of the language believe that
Woodrow Wilson was guided by the
divine hand of Providence, and God
Almighty used him in this high and
exalted place of honor to carry out
the great work that he accomplished.
I am impressed with this thought
,Ejhen I recall the manner of his nom
iation by his party, the following
esction, and the very close result of
Wis second election when the result re-
manned in doubt for several days. He
possessed an indomitable will power,
and he was slow and cautious to in
volve our country in the great World
War, for he knew the sacrifice in the
lives that would have to be yielded up
and the sadness that would be spread!
over the land, especially among the
mothers of the country. But once
that we had entered that great and
titanic conflict, he set about with
grim determination to throw 9' every
ounce of energy of this entire country
into the winning of the war and es-
tablishment of universal peace here on
earth. He organized our entire nation
as it had never been organized before,
and he actually directed his attention
to some of the details of this great
task So today he lies martyr to the
cause.
Some of his critics and political en-
emies say that Woodrow Wilson fail
ed, but quoting the thought of a recent
A1sogist. SO did that Syrian patriarch
braham, fail, when he died before
ceiving deed of title to the prom
= Iss1 land, but out of that failure came
a great and true religion to bless man
kind and the world. If Woodrow
Wilson failed. then Moses failed when
on Nebc's lonely mountain height,
God took him, but out of that failure a
nation was born that gave the world
the Messiah If Woodrow Wilson
failed, then Christ failed before the
bowling mob on Calvary's Cross, but
today a sorrowing world looks to the
crucified Christ for hope and saliva
ton.
The dream of Woodrow Wilson for |
universal peace and brotherhood of
nations will be a reality of the future.
He lived in an age that is not yet
ready to accept these policies. But
that era is coming when swords are
bA en- into ploughshares and spears
III pruning hooks; when nation shall
~ lift UP sword against nation, neith-
kr shall they learn war anymore, |
saw when that time comes, though 1
YOU and, may not live to see it, the .
name of Woodrow Wilson will be
hailed and acknowledged as the hero
of this generation who blazed the {
wav for the realization of such a state
of feelings among the peoples of the I
world. sI-N.
ican. but L.s influence was not only
felt at home, it was felt around the
world. and he no doubt exerted a
greatr influnce on world affairs than
any other living person. He walked on
heights of fame never before touched
by human feet, and London editor
has lust described him as great teach
ef with the whole world for his class
room. Though he is dead, his spirit
will live forever, and we shall always
cherish his memory and let it be an
to us to hold up the torch
,.,l.s.L L. f1..<~f,A ~