E392 .H52 \: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DDDD5Dfil31 C»^ 'o , » ' .0- <^^ ,0« ?^ .=_••.. "^^ „*".." -W^>.°"->-. ./ ^C^S'-Xo^''"" 'V? o .■<■ -^^0^ o «1 '^t. ■ ^ ^ ,*''•■' .• ./^^'^' ^<^ <^. J'" % ■"-?>. 0^ c ^ <;'€S^ > <^K ^l>^. ^,. .-VI ^' r^^'Q\V '■> <■• •p. ■^0 .Ci i^ - -» • o^ ".> ^»J • t • o ^^ ... ., c?^.y'^. "^ .^ A ^ii^: •"-o 'J aO' .•..c,^^"^ ''''> > N O , V • O ^ '^•v .v^. J .• ^ «.*i*-' -^ ^^^ ^^-^ "<,>. » « .0- .<^* y ^<< ^' V * .-?■• 'o , * * ^'V ^^^ •» o ^ » n o .0' '^. ^•'''^•' <^^' v^ DR. HENSHAIV'S SERMON \\ ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. / h^,i JOHN MIRPUY, PRINTER, 146 MARKET STREET. BBaHB FUNERAL SERMON, OCCASIONED DV THE DEATH OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON. LATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DELIVERED IN SAINT PETER'S PROT. EPIS. CHURCH, BALTIMORE, cS'imbiit), %mcntt)-fiftif of Jlpril, 1841: rREPAUED, AND NOW PUBLISHED, AT THE REQUEST OK THE VESTRY OF SAID CHURCH. 13 V J. P. K. HENSHAW, I) . D BALTIMORE: PUBLISHED BY D. BRUNNER, No. 1, N. Charles street. M DCCC X L i. JiillN MlKi'lIY. rUlNTEU. 116 MARKET j^TREET. ■H' 0^ FUNERAL SERMON, &c. Psalm cxii. — 6tk verse, latter clause. " THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL BE HAD IN EVERLASTING REMEMBKANCE. Man is, to a ^reat degree, a creature of anticipation, and much of his happiness is derived from this source. His contentment and peace arise not so much from an experience of his present condition, as from the expectaticm of some prospective improvement in it : not so much from a consciousness of what he now is, as from the thought of something which he hopes to be. A large share of human fehcity consists in the excitement, and interest, and hope, connected with the pursuit of desirable objects : probably a larger one than arises from their fruition. Accordingly, most men are looking forward ; their attention is fixed on something future, and their present possessions and enjoyments are almost over- DR. HENSHAW's SERMON looked or forgotten amicLst their longings for higher and greater ones yet to be acquired. For example, where is the lover of ivcalth who does not indulge in the pleasing anticipation of adding to his riches — and would not, — though his present treasures may be counted by thousands and tens or hundreds of thous- ands — feel disquieted were it not for the hope of further accumulation ? Property is valuable in his estimation, because he attaches to it the idea of permanency ; and one of his fondest anticipations is, that he will con- tinue to possess it while he lives, and then bequeath it as a valuable legacy to his children. Where is the devotee ofpleasure^ who, when drinking the cup of worldly joy, is not stimulated by the hope of one day taking a deeper and more exhilarating draught ? — who, in the midst of the most splendid and fascinating amusements, is not taxing his ingenuity and racking his invention to devise some means of adding a refinement and giving a new zest to the luxurious indulgences of time and sense? The con- stant inquiry of the gay and fluttering crowd is, "Who will show^ us any good" to which we have not had access? Where .shall we find some novel scene of dissipation — some spectacle of vanity of an unfamiliar aspect — .some added ingredient to the cup of carnal ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 5 And as in the pursuit of worldly pleasure — so in the pursuit of earthly honors — man is em\\\Q\\i\j 'pros- pective. What he has already tasted only excites a keener appetite for what is to come. However high the eminence he now occupies, it only serves as a vantage ground to give him a view of still loftier ones, — to raise his aspirations, and urge liim onw^ard in his ascending course w^ith augmented energy. The bright distinctions of to-day derive half their lustre from those yet more splendid anticipated on the morrow. The great power and dignity enjoy- ed at the present time, only prompts to the more ardent pursuit of greater for the future. Thus men live, as it were, by anticipation ; and their present condition borrows brightness or gloom from the fore- vshadowing of coming events — presented so vividly to their imaginations as to have the influence of reality. Are the anticipations of man confmed merely to the period of his own brief existence upon earth? Far from it. '' He is capable of carrying his views — of attaching his anxieties to a period much more distant, than the measure of his earthly being : capa- ble of plunging into the depths of future duration ; of identifying himself with the sentiments and opinions of a distant age, and of enjoying, by anticipation, the fame of which he is aware that he will never be DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON conscious, and the praises he shall never hear. So strongly is he disposed to link his feelings with futurity, that shadows become realities when con- templated as subsisting there ; and the phantom of posthumous celebrity, the faint image of his being, impressed on future generations, is often preferred to the whole of his present existence, with all its warm and vivid realities." In some men the love of posthumous fame is so strong, that they are content to live in obscurity and unknown, that they may have praises after death ; to remain unhonored upon earth, that glory may gather around their monuments and shed its halo upon their graves. Some have spent their whole lives in secrecy and retirement, employed in working out some difficult problems of science, or in discovering some important inventions of art — cheered, amid their solitary toil, with the belief that posterity would be benefited by their labors, and do justice to their memories. And some favored sons of genius have, amidst poverty, disease and suffering — burning with an intellectual fire so intense as to consume their bodily frame while it rendered their minds more ethereal — devoted their high powers to the illustration of truth and the enforcement of pure morality in the loftiest strains of poetic inspiration — who, amidst the cold neglect of ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 7 their unsympathising contemporaries, were consoled by the thougiit that future ages would appreciate their merits, and that their immortal works would command the admiration of those who were capable of being affected by all that is powerful in language, sublime in conception, and beautiful in thought. There have not been wanting examples of men in other pursuits than those of science and literature — for example, in the walks of jurisprudence, political economy, natural history, patriotism and philanthro- py, who have been content to live unknown and die unhonored, and have passed their days in obscurity, neglect and indigence — supported by the belief that the fruit of their labors would survive them, and procure for their names a record in the annals of their country and the world. We are far from condemning this prospective tendency of the human mind — this strong and para- mount regard to the interest, the happiness, and the fame of the future. A regard for posthumous reputa- tion is, perhaps, a lawful and innocent ambition. This gives an incentive to the intellect of youth, imparts vigor to the energies of manhood, and not unfrequently sustains and cheers the patience and perseverance of old age, in a virtuous and benevolent course. The great Legislator of the Jews was, as we are 8 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON informed, prompted to his acts of self-denial and benevolent sacrifice, in behalf of a thankless and obdurate generation, by motives drawn from the futii7^e. Moses cheerfully relinquished all the luxuries, distinctions and fascinations of the Egyptian court, and "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter," — he preferred the lot of Pharaoh's slaves : "choosing rather to suffer allliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season : esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt:" why? "/ie Jiad respect unto the recompense of the reward.'''' And of a greater than Moses, even of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, it is said — that For the joy that ivas set before Jiim, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of God. We do not, therefore, reprobate the principle itself of regarding the interests or the honors of the future. No. We only wish to have it properly directed, and sanctified by the spirit of religion. It is not merely reputation, but that honorable reputation wiiich follows righteousness and virtue, that should be the object of human desire. " The memory of the just is blessed : but the name of the wicked sJtall roty * Some men are " damned to everlasting fame." At their tomb, no tears are shed, but those * Prov. X. 7. ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 11 The true value of every thing is to be measured upon that scale. -What is man himself to be accounted of, except so far as he bears the stamp of immortality and is the heir of endless existence? lie is born to sorrow — doomed to pass a few fleeting years of toil and disappointment upon earth, and then sinks into the rottenness and corruption of the grave. What are riches, except so far as permanent good may result from their being employed in works of utility, and consecrated to the service of benevolence and piety? " They take to themselves wings and fly away" — they soothe no pain — they apply no balm to the wounded heart — they profit not in the day when God taketh away the soul. What shall we say of the honors and pleasures of the world? How fading and worthless! how quickly do they vanish and disappear, like the roseate tints of the morning cloud, or the gay and painted pageant of an hour? Yea, what is this world itself^ which occupies so nuich of our thoughts, and claims so large a share of our affections? It was but as yesterday spoken into being by the omnific word of the Creator, and to-morrow it will be swept from its orbit, wrapped in its winding sheet of flame, and consigned to the tomb of oblivion. Notiiing of it will survive, except those agents and actions upon its fleeting theatre Avhich were connected with a future 12 PR, HENSHAW'S SERMON world and the high destinies of eternity. All else will be as though they had never been; not enough will be left of that which was merely temporal, to inscribe its epitaph upon. God, in his providence and grace, is constantly reading to us lessons upon the transitory nature of all earthly things, and the absolute emptiness and vanity of every thing which is not connected with the unseen world, and linked in with immortality. But alas ! they are lessons which we are slow of heart to learn. He is daily calling upon us to live for heaven and eternity. We hear the call in the workings of inward infirmity and disease, and the outward dangers to which our life is perpetually exposed. Every tolling knell rings it in our ears; it comes up in sepulchral notes from the crowded cemetery, and from every solitary grave. We live in an aceldama, " amidst sculls and coffins, epitaphs and worms." We beiiold the king of terrors shaking his fearful sceptre over every human habita- tion ; with one hand he seizes upon the hoary locks of the veteran, and with the other, snatches the infant from its mother's breast, and hurries them both to a common tomb. He quenches the lustre of the bright- est eye, — blanches the blushing cheek of beauty, and tramples in the dust the pride and strength of manhood. We see the monarch and the peasant alike bowing to ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 9 scalding tears which their cruelty and oppression have forced from the eyes of the widow and the orphan. No requiem is chaunted over their remains, but the groans of the hearts their iniquities have saddened. The only eulogy their memories receive, is made up of the hisses and execrations of posterity. Ah ! who would desire the distinction of disgrace — the celebrity of infamy — an immortality of contempt ? Alas ! how poor a thing is immortality upon earth if it proceed not from such a character as will secure immortality in heaven ? The name of Voltaire will perhaps be remembered in the annals of this world as lonff as that of Fcnclon : — but one will be remembered as a recreant to virtue, and a blasphemer of God — while the other will be venerated as a meek example of devotion, and a useful minister of Jesus Christ. The name of Arnold will be heard of wherever the fame of U'ashingto7i shall extend: but while the one will bear the indelible brand of a traitor, the other will be lauded as the Father of his country. The literary fame of the titled author of Bon Juan mav be lasting- as that of the writer of the Task : but while the one bears the foul plague spot of impurity which all the waters of Castalia's fount can never wash away — the other, — moistened with the cleansing dews of Zion — shines forth in all the lustrous beauty of purity and 2 10 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON truth. When we think of the inglorious fame acquired by those who have prostituted the bright talents with which heaven endowed them, to the infamous service of infidelity and vice, surely every one of us will exclaim — " O, my soul, come not thou into their council ! unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united !" The great truth we wish to impress upon your minds, is, that virtue alone can cmbalin the charac- ter with lasting grace: — piety alone is the true conservator of fame; and that inmaortality is alone worthy of our regard, which extends to both wo7'lcls — which insures the applause of earth, and the appro- bation of heaven. " The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." Their heraldic honors are not written in the dust — but inscribed in flaming characters upon the sky. Their record is in heaven — their memorial with their God. "They that be wise shall shine above the brightness of the firma- ment; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." Would that the regard to the future, which is so natural and powerful an incentive to human action, might be carried far enough; that it might not be confined to the limits of time, but borne forward into the vast depths of the unknown future, and extended upon the infinite scale of eternity ! ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 15 the citizens of these United States, in the event which occasions our present grief. Never was there a more touching illustration of the uncertainty of human hopes, and the transitory nature of earthly glory. But about seven weeks since, vvliat a splendid pageant was exhibited in the capital of this Union ! A scene of congratulation, delight and joy. There w^ere proud banners floating upon the breeze, accompanied with the flourish of trumpets, the roar of artillery, and the more deafening shouts of applauding multitudes. How sublime the spectacle exhibited, when he, the favorite son of the nation — the patriot chief — the ad- mired of all admirers — under the broad canopy of heaven, lifted his hand to Him who liveth forever and ever — the King eternal, immortal and invisible, and swore hdelity to the constitution and the laws in the execution of the highest earthly trust, committed to him by the enlightened suffrages of millions of the freeborn ! The pomp and splendor connected with the coro- nation of an hereditary monarch, is but poor and hollow pageantry, compared with the sublime sim- plicity of a republican inauguration ! The individual thus favored with the confidence of freemen, and thus voluntarily chosen to govern those whom he acknow- ledges as his equals and fellow citizens, has reached 16 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON the summit of earthly distinction; his cup of worldly honor is full. God often teaches his most effective lessons by contrast. As the most brilliant productions of the pencil depend for their effect upon that which is pro- duced by the due admixture of light and shade, so is it in the dispensations of Providence. The lesson he is now teaching us of the vanity of worldly glory and the unsatisfying nature of all earthly distinctions, is the more vividly impressed upon our minds, by con- trasting it with the joyous scene that had so shortly preceded it. One brief month after the inauguration, and that honored individual, to whom all eyes had been directed as the pride and hope of his country, had laid aside his robe of office, and was wrapped in his shroud. The eye which had kindled in the ex- citement of the battle field, was now lustreless and vacant; the ear which had listened to the praises of a grateful country, was insensible to human applause ; the tongue upon which listening thousands had hung with rapture, w^as dumb and silent; and the form which had so lately moved with elasticity and vigor, was cold and motionless in death. The mournful intelligence saddened the joy of our Sabbath services ; it flew rapidly, as upon the wings of the wind ; and wherever it has gone, it has been ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 13 his sway ; the palace and the cottage, in their turns, shrouded in the sal)le drapery of death. In tliese various ways, the voice of our Creator utters its salutary warnings ; by these means it is daily whi.s- pering in our ears its solemn admonitions. Hearken to that voice ! '^ Man that is born of woman, hath but a few days to live, and is full of misery ; he cometh up and is cut down like a flower ; he fleetli as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay. In the midst of life we are in death." '^ What is your life ? It is a vapor, which appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away. ' •' All flesh is grasSj and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of grass; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, — surely the people is grass." Ah! how slightly are thoughtless men affected by these mementoes of their mortality which God ad- dresses to them in the dispensations of his providence from day to day? They stop their ears; they put a bandage over their eyes; and, bedizened with all the trickery of the world, rush on in the bustle of business, or plunge into the vortex of pleasure, like animals decorated for the sacrifice. But sometimes God's providence speaks in such unwonted tones as to startle every slumberer, and arrest the attention of the most careless. There is, 14 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON now and then, a stunning power in the stroke of his hand, which all must feel. There is a pause in the impetuous course of worldly interest and passion, and thoughtless obduracy itself is made to experience a solemn awe under the manifested frown of Omnipo- tence. When the head of a nation is stricken, the shock is felt throughout all the limbs and members. When the heart is touched with the finger of death, a sen- sation of numbness will thrill to the extremities. When a whole empire mourns — an entire people is in tears — there is a majesty and power in the act which occasions it that mocks all human attempts to add to its influence. When the voice of Jehovah speaks as it has done to us in our late national bereavement, we can do nothing to give additional impressiveness to the lesson. Art and eloquence can do nothing to deepen the feeling of grief or give sharpness to the poignancy of public sorrow. The tide of lamentation will flow forth deep and strong : all we can do is an humble attempt to turn it into a proper channel. When God speaks, our duty is to assume the attitude of listeners. We must ''be still, and know that he is God;" and bow in mute, profound submission to the behests of his mysterious, but all wise and merciful providence. Surely, never did the Divine voice address itself in more affecting accents to a people, than it has done to ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 17 received with mourn inn; and lamentation and woe. Cities, and towns, and villages and liandets through- out the wide extent of our country, will emulate each other in giving puhlic demonstrations of the universal grief. The funeral procession far out-numbered that which witnessed the inaugural solemnities; and thousands and tens of thousands who did not rejoice in his elevation, will sincerely mourn his death. Every patriot feels that he has lost a brother; every orphan, a father; every widow, a friend. In all our bosoms the deep fountains of grief are stirred, when we reflect upon the sad truth that the great, the wise, the good President is no more! " Verily, thou art a God that hidcst thyself, O ! God of Israel, the Saviour." "Though clouds and dark- ness are round about thee, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of thy throne." " Thou doest all thy pleasure among the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth ; and none can stay thy hand, or say unto thee, What doest thou?" We bow, therefore, to thy judgment, most Holy and True ! In the midst of our heavy alllictions — the just chas- tisement for our sins — we would rejoice that the Lord God Omnipotent reignelh ; and woidd say, with meek resignation, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; and blessed be the name of the Lord," 3 18 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON My friends and brethren, nothing is left to us of our departed chief magistrate but the memory of his patriotism and his virtues. Let us cherish it as a precious legacy left to us and to our children. Let it be embalmed in our affections and consecrated by our tears. Let the imposing procession and solemn ceremonies of to-morrow, as they have proceeded from the unsolicited and voluntary movement of the citizens of all parties, be considered not as a formal compliance with what custom requires, but a warm and cordial tribute to departed worth from this whole community. May it never be said, to our reproach, " the righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart ; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." With its, let "the memory of the just be blessed, and the righteous had in everlasting remem- brance." It, of course, will not be expected that I should pronounce a studied eulogy upon the character of the eminent citizen whose death we deplore ; or attempt to sketch the history of his eventful life. The former task is neither suited to my talents nor my profession : it belongs rather to the civilian than the divine, and is more appropriate to the rostrum than the sacred desk. The latter task is unnecessary ; for circumstances have ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 19 given to his history a wide publicity ; it has been recorded in books and pamphlets, written in poetry and song, and is " familiar," even to our children, " as household words." I shall be, therefore, content with adverting to a few facts illustrative of his character and life, which show that, as a civilian, a patriot soldier, a man, and a Christian, he is entitled to celeb- rity, and should be kept in lasting remembrance. IHlliam Henry Harrison^ late President of the United States, was the son of the nation from his birth. Though born too late to bear any part in the revolutionary war, he was rocked in the cradle of liberty; and his infant mind caught inspiration from the songs by which the hearts of our fathers were cheered, and their arms nerved for battle, amidst their contest for independence. While, from the lips of his pious mother, he received those lessons of morality and religion which served as a restraint upon his passions and a guide for his conduct in the duties of private life; his distinguished father (one of the noble band who signed the declaration of independence, and pledged " their fortunes, their lives, and their sacred honor," to maintain it unto death,) imbued his mind with those principles of constitutional freedom, and that indomitable love of country, which were uni- 20 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON formly displayed in his long public life devoted to the service of the republic. After having received his education at one of the colleges in his native State, he was, by the sagacious Washington, commissioned as Ensign, and selected as a trustworthy bearer of the national flag; which, though it often w^aved in triumph, was never dishon- ored in his hands. As the aid of General IVaijne, he performed impor- tant services for his country, by contributing, with his companions in arms, to restrain the ferocity, and inflict exemplary punishment upon the cruelties of a savage foe, who " raised the tomahawk, and by their war- whoop disturbed the slumbers of the cradle." His military career, thus successfully commenced at the early age of nineteen, after an interval of many years — devoted, in important civil duties, to the im- provement and benefit of those frontier settlements which had been defended and protected by his prow- ess, — was renewed in his mature manhood ; when, as a Major General in the army during our late war with Great Britain, he contributed by his conquests upon the one element, to increase the splendor thrown around the standard of our country by the brilliant victories which Perry, McDonough, Hull, and other ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 21 naval heroes had achieved upon the other. His skill and fame as a patriot soldier, in connexion with the battles of Tippecanoe and the Thames, will be trans- mitted by the faithful pen of history to the latest generations. His services in the cabinet add more lustre to his name than his exploits in the field. His policy, as Governor of the North Western Territory — the wise and liberal measures, adopted and pursued upon his recommendation — laid the foundation for the rising greatness and unexampled prosperity of those youth- ful, giant States, by which it is now covered, and by whose hardy and enterprising inhabitants the name of their early benefactor is pronounced with enthusiasm, and his memory cherished with the most profound sentiments of veneration and gratitudo. As Indian commissioner, as a member of the Senate of Ohio, as a representative successively in both houses of the national Congress, and in other offices of political trust and honor, he displayed a sagacity of mind, an amount of information, and a readiness of practical talent adapted to the exigencies of those various stations; while in all, he was signalized by a purity of principle, a fidelity to the constitution, and an incorruptible integrity, which were above reproach, and beyond suspicion. 22 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON This man of well balanced and well furnished mind, of a lofty character so well adapted to adorn the various stations of civil life, was, by the amiability of his temper, the benevolence of his spirit, and all the kindly affections which were so sweetly blended in his nature, particularly fitted for all the tender endearments and sweet intercourse of domestic life. In the peaceful quiet, and amid the rural scenes of North Bend, in the bosom of his beloved family, (now, alas ! so sadly bereaved,) he, doubtless, spent the happiest of his days ; and in that loved seclusion, he would, like Cincinnatus and Washington, willingly have closed his life in the peaceful occupations of agriculture, sanctified by works of benevolence and piety. But far different were the designs of Providence. He was called thence by the voice of a grateful country, to receive the highest honors which it is in her power to confer. I will not set my foot upon the burning cinders of party animosity. I will not launch my bark upon the troubled waters of political strife. No ! I would rather pray for the dews of love to des- cend and quench those fires : for the oil of grace to smooth the surface of those rufiled waves. I would devoutly pray that all those excitements of passion- disturbing the elements of social life and weakening ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 23 the ties of good brotherhood which bind fellow-citi/ens together — which were connected with the name of our departed President, may be buried with his remains : that the blow which has removed him from the scenes of earthly strife, may be the death blow of every party but that which is made up of the friends of our com- mon country ; and that men of all ranks may mingle their hearts as w^ell as their tears over his sepulchre. I speak not, then, politically but historically, when I say, that it was the will of an all- wise Providence, that he who had benefited the nation by his signal services in life, should not die in retirement, but in the capital of the Union; where our chief men might behold the peaceful death which was to be the crown- ing act of his honorable life, and the entire nation might unitedly pour forth their admiration and regret at his grave. This illustrious man, who has thus been removed in the very Hush of success — when he had reached that point where ambition had nothing more to covet, and the heart nothing more to desire — was the chosen instrument of God to teach this people tw^o great moral lessons, more valuable than any others which can be drawn from his eventful life. While his death, as we have seen, most affectingly teaches the vanity of all earthly glory, how emphatically does it demonstrate that virtue is the chief element of 24 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON human greatness ! *' That the memory of the just is blessed, and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance ! " Some of his predecessors in office may have possessed higher powers and more brilliant talents in the cabinet : others may have acquired greater fame in the field : but none, except the fatlier of his country, had taken so strong a hold upon the affections of the whole people. He is not to be ranked with the Pitts, or the Foxes, the Castlereaghs and Cannings of the old world ; or with the Jeffersons and Madisons of the new. He is not to be classed with the Alexanders and CsBsars of ancient, or with the Bonapartes and Wellingtons of modern times. But, like Washington and LaFayette, he stands out in marked distinction from the common rank of statesmen and warriors; shining with a peculiar and attractive lustre ; as a man not only to be praised, but to be trusted : not only to be venerated, but beloved: good, no less than great. How applicable to the late act of God's providence, are the words of the prophet : " Behold the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, doth take away— the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, — and the prudent, and the ancient — the honorable man, and the counsellor, — and the eloquent orator." * But if this were all : if we * Isaiah iii. 1,3. ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 25 could enumerate nothing more than the gifts of nature and the fruits of education : if we could speak only of the distinctions he had acquired in the cabinet and the field ; this sacred desk would be no lit place to eulogize his character; for, however bright his earthly fame, his name would be forgotten before God. But we firmly believe that the Sun of righteousness shed a serene and holy light upon the evening of his days : that to his hoary head virtue was a crown of glory ; and that he was of the number of the righteous who ought to be had in everlasting remembrance. The religious character of our late beloved Presi- dent, would, of course, be likely to be overshadowed and obscured by the exciting scenes connected with his political and military history. True piety courts not the public gaze, and does not ostentatiously obtrude itself upon the notice of the world ; but, like the sensitive plant, flourishes best in the shade, and finds its nutriment in retired and holy communion with God. But a few facts which have incidentally come to the knowledge of the preacher, have produced a conviction in his mind that the late General Harri- son was not only a firm believer in the truth of our holy religion, but submitted to its restraining power, and had a tender sensibility of heart to its hal lowing- influence. 4 26 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON The venerable Bishop Chase informed me, that, on liis first missionary visit to the West, as the pioneer of our Church, about twenty-six years ago, General Harrison Was one of a few gentlemen who, in a private house in Cincinnati, cordially co-operated with him in organizing the first Protestant Episcopal church in the great valley of the Mississippi. Of that church he remained a constant and persevering friend: freely contributing of his wealth and personal services to the advancement of its prosperity, he was also regu- lar and exemplary in his attendance upon its devotions. He was not only zealous and exemplary in the discharge of his duties as the member of a Christian congregation, but he had a sincere and icarni attach- mentforthe ministers of Christ — "and esteemed them very highly in love for their work's sake." In a brief private interview with him, with which I was favored on his last visit to this city, he spoke with warm afTection not only of his own pastor, but of other clergymen whom he numbered among his choicest and most intimate friends. He was, manifestly, gratified by the reflection that the choice which the nation had made of its chief magistrate was so gene- rally approved by the divinely appointed guardians of its religious faith and practice. Whatever he might have thought of the opinion that "government has ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDErJT HARRISON. 27 nothing to do with religion," — he evidently acted under the persuasion that religion ought to have much to do with the government — that those who rule men, should do it in the fear of God — that "righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." " My good Bls/iop,^^ said he, meaning the Bishop of the church in Ohio — " has ivritten mc a letter of excellent advice as to my Christian deportment in the high station lam called to Jill: I shall often consult it, and endeavor faithfully to comj)ly iclth it^ When, under the solemnities of his oath of office, he stood up, before the assembled people of this great republic, to announce the principles which would govern him in the administration of public affairs, — he did not forget that he was standing also, in the presence of a higher Poiccr — even that by which " Kings reign, and rulers decree justice :" on that inte- resting occasion, he solemnly declared his faith in the doctrines of the Christian religion, and the sense of his obligation to obey its holy precepts. The very next day he repaired to a bookstore to purchase a Bible and a Prayer Book ; and at the same time he avowed his conviction that the Bible should constitute a choice part of the furniture of the Presidential mansion. "I intend/said he, '-to buy, out of the congressional appropriation, the best copy 28 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON I can find, and write in it " To the President of the United States^ from the 'people of tlie United States P Those precious volumes were his daily companions. He read a portion of God's word every morning and evening; and his well used manual of devotion proved that his reading was accompanied with prayer for the illumination and blessing of the Most High, And if, amidst the cares and duties of his responsible station, he daily consulted the sacred volume as his guide in duty — and in fervent prayer sought for strength to discharge it, — can we doubt that his heart was under the dominion of the Holy Spirit, and that he desired in all things to glorify God? In our reflections upon the religious character of our departed President — there is but one thing we have to regret: and that too, was, so far as we are informed, the only cause of disturbance and regret to him in his dying hours. He had not become a com- municant of the church. It had, however, long been his purpose to do so — but he postponed its execution, till the Presidential contest was over, lest the purity of his motives might be suspected. That being at an end, so far as he was concerned, he avowed his design of embracing the first opportunity to unite himself with the company of the faithful who partake of the spiritual "banquet of that most Heavenly food." ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HARRISON. 29 Alas for us ! in God's wise, but mysterious Provi- dence, he was not spared to accomplish his design. But may we not hope that, in his case, the will was accepted for the deed 7 That he was privileged, spi- ritually, and by faith, to feed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, in his heart, with thanksgiving — and to enjoy " the communion of saints ?"' He hoped on Easter Sunday to engage in the highest act of devotion known to the church on earth : but before that day, sacred to the memory of our Lord's resurrection, had dawned, his ransomed spirit was released. He thank- ed the Lord, with a loud voice, for his mercies to himself: uttered his last wish for his country, and peacefully sunk into his everlasting repose. May we not indulge the belief that God anticipated his wishes, and far exceeded his hopes 7 That in- stead of partaking of the consecrated memorials of his Redeemer's sacrifice, he was permitted to feed upon " the bread of life !" That instead of being received into communion with weak and imperfect believers on earth, he has been admitted to the society of the just made perfect ; the fellowship of angels ; the vision of God ! Yes ! we believe he has gone to the God whom he served, — the vSaviour in whom he trusted. And as we gaze upon his upward flight — exclaiming with sadness — "My Father — my 30 DR. HENSHAW'S SERMON, &C. father : the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen there- of!" — Our prayer is — may he upon whom the mantle of the departed one has descended, be worthy to bear it! May his God be the God of our country! May w^e all be renewed by the Spirit and cheered by the hope of the Gospel ! And as we shall be successively gathered to our fathers, may it be truly said over our lifeless remains — " The righteous shall be had in ever- lasting remembrance." Amen, and Amen ! APPENDIX. To the facts, illustrative of the religious principles and habits of the late President Harrison, given in the foregoing sermon, it may be useful to add the following, derived from sources believed to be authentic. 1. His princijjles elevated him above the claims of the san- guinary code of honor. "In 1838, in the face of the world, he solemnly affirmed that, 'a sense of higher obligations than human laws or human opinions can impose, has determined me never, on any occasion, to accept a challenge, or seek redress for personal injury, by a resort to the laws which compose the code of honor.' " 2. His vieivs of true greatness in the human character, may be learned from the language he addressed to Bolivar. "To be esteemed eminently great, it is necessary to be eminently' good. The qualities of the Hero and the General must be devoted to the advantage of mankind, before he will be permitted to assume the title of their benefactor." 3. His respect for the Lord^s day. In August, 1835, having been on an electioneering visit to Louisville, he returned home on the Sabbath, and the congregations in the villages which lay in his I'oute were not a little disturbed by the roar of cannon and the general excitement of his partizans. This offence against the feelings of the Christian community, was firmly rebuked in the Cincinnati Journal. General Harrison soon afterwards called upon the editor, and requested him to state — "that he deeply regretted that circumstances beyond his control compelled his 32 APPENDIX. return on the Lord's day, and gave occasion to other things equally painful. He also declared his very great veneration for the Sabbath, and the conviction that few had done more than himself, to uphold it in its beneficial influence on the community." "Of late years, he always avoided travelling on the holy day, unless from absolute necessity; and during the short period he occupied the President's mansion, carefully avoided all company on that day, and dined at an early hour, that he might attend public worship in the afternoon with his family, some of whom belonged to the communion of the Presbyterian church." The Rev. William Hawley, from whose narrative of the late President's life in Washington, the fact last quoted is derived, relates the following interesting incident: "I am authorised from unquestionable authority to say, that, the closing part of the inaugural address, especially that part in which he so revei-ently expresses his regard for the Christian religion, was penned by him in the room in which he was born, and where he had often kneeled beside his pious mother, who earnestly supplicated the rich blessing of heaven on his future life." The increase of immorality and vice — the untiring efforts of infidels and the enemies of religion to force us into the attitude of an atheistic people, denying God's authority, and refusing to acknowledge or implore his protection — may sometimes alarm the Christian patriot, and lead him to tremble for his country. But as God, of liis great mercy, has given us one President, who loved his Bible, reverenced the Sabbath, and, on his bended knees, in the sanctuary and the closet, implored the blessings which he needed through the merits of the only Saviour — and as his successor in that high office, has called upon us as a Christian nation to humble ourselves before the Most High — acknowledg;- ing our sins and seeking his mercy in fasting and prayer : — while we find the character of the one so highly venerated, and the recommendation of the other so warmly approved, by the great body of the people, — we will not despair of the Republic. S9 w ■I D. BRUNKTER, AT THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL BOOK DEPOSITORY, J\^o, 1 JYorth Chfirles street^ BALTIMORE, HAS FOB SALE THE FOLLOWING WORKS, BY THE AUTHOR OF THIS SERMON: THEOLOGY FOR THE PEOPLE, IN A SERIES OF DISCOURSES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE CHURCH CATECHISM. COMMUNICANT'S GUIDE. INSTRUCTIONS ON CONFIRMATION. 8HERII>AIV?S EL.OCUTIOr¥. CONTAINING Jnstnicttjjne for tl)c Hcaliittg of t\)e €\)\xvci\ ^exvke. A SELECTION OF HYMNS D. B. keeps also a full supply of the most approved Theologi- cal publications, especially those of the Protestant Episcopal Church. ,^m^. ^^^^4 .^^^\ -^^^^ o ■» ^ov-^ «;^ \^ ^' Ov-. bP .' e> «: :m%-/)h V '^►^ ^^ Mf v^".-- =5^v<» 3.0-5 '"o ,^\ '\ c a " .0' ^ ^'^ ^ .^' .> <- '^t <0n ,> .ci. » VVZ'""" *0^ ► ' S^-- .'■.-) c, '. 1 1 .h .^ I' ^-k. 'jM-Ay>fi>^ * - "-<» a^ e '£l^<((^ ' •^ .0 * V. -^,„,<^" .* ■•• .* > - » • ^»0 xO •?*' P>^/ <.(■**% '' ^-'^o*' '**_ * > ■» i^-' lO., s\^-%. ' • . • "-#> ' •^^, / 1 " :^' , ,.0 ^^^o vn .X-- vVS. 'J^-, •<;5.. 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