Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-13
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
A Topestry
BY DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain of the United States Senate

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a choice spirit make Of his
life a rich tapestry. / saw
a design of loneliness taking
shape on the loom Of daily
duties where. in the upper
reaches of the human spirit.
"tis only noble to be good"
There is a gripping story Of
one who was so wildly con-
scious Of the essential sanctity
of all life that he had spires
reared on the roof of his
barns. ! want to tell you of
one whose business was so
imbued with the spirit of
pure religion and undef1led
that the place where, for
more than four decades, he
bought and sold was, for
those who had eyes to see,
surmounted by a tall spire.
His place Of business was
appropriately but a few steps
from loved Epiphany Church.
where cross the crowded
ways Of downtown Washing
ton. With a glow of salts
faction, often he expressed
gratitude that his shop was
within sound Of the Ginning
bells in the nearby tower.
There will be hundreds by
now who will know that I am
speaking Of William Adler,
whose gentleness made him
great.
OF the many thousands
who. through the years,
passed through the portal
under the triangular sign,
"Adler's. The Engraving
Shop" hundreds were con-
scious. not just of a vast ar
ray Of artistic greetings for
all occasions, but of q pres
ence filling the whole estab-
lishment with a rare radi-
ance. The man behind the
counter. or mingling with the
visitors" ubiquitous in his
kindly personal attention,
was the soul of the enter
prise. Entering into the prob
lens Of those always press
ing about him. even in all the
hurry and rush of Christmas,
his poise was contagious. He
had a perfect genius in shar-
ing the quest which had
brought the throng in from
the busy street. How often
for me and for others. with a
shop full of people, ! have
seen him take colored pen
ellis, blue and gold, and with
a few def strokes. in lovely
Old English lettering, trans
form a printed message into
one warmly personal. Wheth-
er the one shopping about
for the elusive greeting be-
came a purchaser or not did
not seem to concern him. His
JOY was not in the ring of
the cash register, but in be-
ing the servant of all. 1t
could be said Of him, as Pope
Pious ~ remarked when he
heard of the death of John
Calvin, that his strength
lay in the fact that money
never had the slightest
charm for him"
william Adler had the
artists and poets eye. He
reveled in the beautiful. mir
rored in winged words. When
some literary gem, shot
through with spiritual in
sight. set his artistic soul
tineling. his impulse was to
frame its beauty on embel-
liShed and engraved cards:
whether 1t would prove a
seller was never the foremost
consideration.
Will was a member Of the
great Hebrew race. but in my
more than 80 years in the
Nations Capital. I have never
known a better Christian.
Here was q man whose daily
creed was penned by the
Lincoln he so admired, with
malice toward none and
charity for all" For those not
fortunate enough to have
known him, the past tense in
what has so far been written
will indicate that he is here
no more. One winter night a
few weeks ago, at the close Of
business, homeward bound he
stood in the doorway, saying
a CHEEKY goodnight to the
shop family who adored him.
then out he went never to
return. Yet he would be the
last to want his loved and
nearby chimes to toll for him
as he put out to sea to meet
his Pilot face to face.
His faith was not fenced in
by any excluding pickets of
belief. His heart was big
enough to hold all humanity