Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1925-01-16

attended.
Members of the various Labor or
ganizations met at Assembly Hall
and headed by band furnished by
the Musicians Union marched in a
body to the church which was filled
to ovelflowing
After the invocation by the pastor
the Rev. K. r. Close, who had kind
ly offered the use of his church as a
place in which to hold the meeting
Harry Cochran, president of the
Trades Assembly, presided over the
assembly and directed the following
program:
Selection by Band.
Scripture Reading.
Hymn by Church Quartette.
Prayer.
Selection by Band.
Welcome by Rev. K. r. Close.
Response by Pres. Cochran.
Address by Thomas J. Donnelly.
Selection by Band.
Prayer and Benediction.
Pastor Close, in his remarks, paic
many tributes to the late Samue
Gompers and to the great cause he Sc
long and faithfully represented, say
ing among other things:
Samuel Gompers did as great
a religious work as any man in
his generation, and although not
christian, he accomplished as
much for personal character and
social righteousness as any
churchman Of his time
"He was an idealist He be-
lieved that what ought to be
could be. Liberty was his pass
ion, justice his devotion, and hu-
manity his love. Although | did
not always agree with him, nev-
er questioned the nobility of his
purpose or the integrity of his
character.
Samuel Gompers was friend
of man. Those who hew the
worlds wood and mine its coal,
who build its bridges and sail its
ships, who drive it's engines and
harness it's electricity mourn his
passing! He was their friend.
He toiled with them and spoke
their language. Their sorrows
were his sorrows, their struggles
his struggles. He went hungry
with them. He fought their bat
tie and builded for their welfare.
"He was a man of love. His
heart held no malice. He forgave
his enemies. There was too much
to be done in the short span of
life to squander golden hours in
the uselessness Of hatred, preju-
dice, and getting even. Though
he loathed with fine scorn the
meanness of his enemies, he did
not seek reprisal. His was one
of those whose great soul and
warm heart have no place for the
smallness of prejudice and re-
venge.
Samuel Gompers was loyal to
duty. He saw success in terms
of human betterment and not the
amassing of wealth. He died
relatively poor man. He could
have made a fortune in business.
But he saw that to build up a for
tune would deprive his fellowmen
of the money they needed for a
decent life. No man who loves
his fellowman and is sympathetic
to human need can give his life,
to building fortune. Samuel
GOmper's life was rich, happy and
successful in all good things.
at is most fitting that the
church should join in a memorial
to him. Unfortunately, the
church has sometimes forgotten
that it was founded by Jewish
peasant who left the carpenter
bench to preach simple gospel
of love and fair play. Jesus held
all men of equal worth. The
church has sometimes bowed
down to the men with the silk
hat. Jesus held the greatest sin
to be hard unbrotherly heart.
The church has made sin viola
tiOn of creeds and commandments.
The church has held religion to
be the intellectual affirmation of
creeds and dogmas. If one be-
lieved these hard enough, he
could have his soul and secure
rich rewards. If one didn't be-
lieve that way, he was lost re-
gardless of the beauty of his life.
All too often the church has been
too busy debating its creeds to
practice the teaching of Jesus.
The church is beginning to see
that religion is what Samuel
Gompers made of his life-an eff
fort to secure for all men a fair
share of the good things of life.
"Too long the church has left
labor to fight it's battles for hu-
man welfare, alone When the
first child labor law was introduc-
ed in Illinois, the labor leaders
sought in vain for preachers to
join them in visit to the legis-
lature to urge the measure. Fin