Service of Dedication

Home is not a railroad town. Its nearest station 19 seven milet» away. Its own is only about two hundred* To gather a large company for any service is therefore no easy task at this place. But the day for dedicating the monument was one of the finest. Heavy rain on the previous day had laid the dust and cooled the air, so that persons could walk or ride with pleasure, and participate in the out door exercises with comfort. The whole vicinity was astir at an early hour; and from withia a radius of twenty Allies, people poured into Rome in vehicles of all kinds, on horseback, or on foot. The scene in the village at noon-day was like a great picnic. Horses and wagons lined the road-sides and filled the stable-yards; booths with venders of refreshments were numerous; family parties were lunching from their baskets; while every public and private house in the village was filled with friends and visitors. And yet, over all the throng there was a perceptible solemnity. Nobody was jovial or boisterous, but everybody seemed conscious of a personal bereavement

At one o’clock the Sunday-schools of the village assembled in front of the house of Judge Passmore, chairman of the local committee and from there conducted to the cemetery the visitors from a distance. Among these were the evangelists Moody, Sankey, Whittle, and McGranahan, who now occupies the post of singing associate with Major Whittle, which Mr. Bliss formerly filled. The Sunday-school workers were represented by the Kev. Dr. J. H. Vincent and the Kev. George A. Peltz; the music publishers were represented by Mr. L. H. Biglow of New York; and among the Christian workers present were Messrs. D. W. Mc Williams, of New York; James H. Moore, of Chicago; and Thomas K. Cree, of Pittsburgh. The Rev. Dr. A. T. Pierson, of Detroit, who was selected as orator for the occasion, was also one of this company.

At the place of dedication within the village cemetery an extended covering of boughs had been erected. Beneath these was an extensive platform, and also seats for several thousand persons. Near by was the veiled monument. Upon the platform stood the cabinet organ which Mr. Bliss used in all his evangelistic tours. Beside this sat the relatives of Mr. and Mrs. Bliss, and around them gathered the speakers, singers, and Sunday-school scholars.

The exercises began promptly by the chairman of the committee ill charge. Judge Passmore, introducing Mr. Moody as chairman for the day. With Mr. Sankey at the organ, the audience sang Mr. Bliss’s hymn, beginning, “‘Tis the promise of God full salvation to give.” The Rev. Mr. Cook, pastor of the church where Mr. Bliss attended when at home, led in prayer, and the hymn, *•’ 1 am so glad that Jesus loves me,” was sung.

Mr. Moodj then said: We come here to-day to pay our respects to one dear to the American peo{»la When the news came to Chicago that night of that dreadful dlaaster and the fate of P. P. Bliss and his family, his friends felt as if they must have some outlet to their feelings. The most obvious and natural ex|)resBiofL of our feelings, and the moet appropriate, seemed to be the erection of a suitable monument. Soon after the news came that the children having been left at Rome were still alive. Then there went up an earnest prayer that they might be a greater blessing than even their parents had been. We then gave notice that penny contributions would be received from all the Sunday schools of America for the purpose of maintaining and educating the children of our departed brother and co-laborer Philip P. Bliss, and also for the erection of a monument to his memory. In response to the call, contributions came in so fast that we had very soon occasion to give out that we had money enough. It seemed as if the whole nation wanted to do something. The whole amount of contributions received was $11,633.83, of which amount $10,600 was invested for the children in United States registered bonds bearing four and one-half per cent interest, and $1000 was appropriated for this monument which we are to-day about to unveil, and the balance, $33. 83, was used to defray some incidental expenses. The number of the contributing Sunday schools was 3063, located in thirty-six states and territories and some also in Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, India, and West Indies. One little mission school in India sent $13, and the prisoners at St. Augustine sent $26. The scholars of a Sunday school in Edinburgh, where they loved Mr. Bliss’ songs, sent $53. We cannot tell the number of those who thus contributed, but it is safe to say that as high a number as 500,000, and perhaps a million, and I don’t know how many more, thus testified their appreciation of the songs of our departed brother. This shows how this man laid hold on the hearts of the children. Twelve or thirteen years ago this young man left this place and came to our city. As a Chicago man I want to thank you for this man. As I speak of him here I can know by the tears you shed how you esteemed him. (Here Mr. Moody turning to the mother of Mr. Bliss, who was present on the platform, said): Mrs. Bliss, in the name of Chicago yes, in the name of the entire nation, we want to thank you for giving us such a boy. Would to God we had more such men and women as Philip and Lucy Bliss. Let us hope that the example they set may Htimjulate others to follow them.

He was one of the most hopeful men I ever saw. He loved Christ and had faith in him. During all my association with him, if I ever was overworked, discouraged, disheartened, how his voice would cheer me. There are nine things of which Paul speaks in the epistle to the Galatiansas evident fruits of the Spirit, namely, love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and temperance, and of all these our brother was unquestionably possessed as few have been. I knew him and his wife for ten years, yet when I returned from Europe they both seemed nearer God than ever, indeed it now seems as if they wererefining for heaven. Nearly all his hymns speak of heaven. Do you know what made him such a blessing to the world? I will tell you: if he had not known Jesus, the world would never have heard of him. The spirit of his life and his song was, make room for the Son of God in your hearts and let him come in. Among all the nine Christian graces he especially excelled in love. You cannot have fruit without a tree, you cannot pray for them who persecute you and hate you, unless you have the love of God in the heart. I think he.

THE children’s TRIBUTE. 3?3

was the only man of my aixjaaintance who literally Lad no enemies, because his life of love was evident to everybody. His life was one of patience and consistent temperance after the commands of the gospel as found, in the epistle of Peter. “Whereby are given unto us great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’’ And then the apostle goes on to say we should add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, “for if these things be m you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Thank God, our brother Bliss had all these graces. We will meet them by and by, — at any rate meet them in heaven, where they continue the blessed work of praising Ood which they were engaged in here. We could find no vestige or trace of Mr. Bliss and wife after the disaster, not so muck as a button to identify them by. We cannot tell where his dust lies, but God knows, and when the Archangel Gabriel sounds his trump, they shall cou forth.

Thank God, to-day for th-e glorious doctrine of the resurrection. In the midst of grief and sadness and gloom, how sweet the voice, “thy brother shall rise again I”

I would say to Mrs. Bliss you shall meet again. Your mourning is not as those without hope. His death was very much lik-e that of Enoch and Elijah, “they were not, for God took them.” Let us so live that w« may meet them all I

Mr. Sankey then sang” Hold the Fort/* the choir and congregation joining in the chorus, after which Major Whittle was introduced and said:

This monument we are about to unveil has peculiar interest to me for many reasons. First, because of the man whom it commemorates. I speak of the man as a man merely. P. P. Bliss was one of the most kingly of men. He was pre-eminently a man to love. He was so gentle, so humble, so tender so great, so deep. He was filled with love to God and love to man. He was my constant companion, my friend, my fellow- worker, for three happy years. We traveled together, prayed together, slept together, knelt together with many a sinner, he on one side and I on the other. And well do I remember when he had the struggle as to whether he should give up his business, and consecrate his life entirely to gospel work. Ho came joyously out of th-at struggle, and his life afterwards was one of continuous victory. But I am interested in this moDument because it commemorates what he and his wife did. What they were is worthy of remembrance, but what they did is never to be forgotten. He and she gave all they had to Christ.

Friends, it is not so much what a man is as what ft man does that preserves his memory. A man may be very little, but if he gives his all, that man shall live. They gave all to the blessed cause and they live. If there is a boy or girl here with like gifts let them follow this example, and their name shall also live.

B74 MEMOIR OF P. P. BLI«&.

This monument is a contribution from the f&ltli of GhriBtianity in the reiiirrection from the dead. The bodies that perished at Ashtabula still live and flhall be created again. You who have no faith in Christ do not know. 1 glory in the faith of the millions of Sunday school children whose contributions have erected this monument, they believe the word of God as found in the epistle to the Thessalonians; “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” O that we may all have a part in the first resurrection!

“Watching and waiting for me was then sung, Mr. Sankey singing the solo, and the choir and Sunday-school the chorus. Before singing, Mr. Sankej referred to the tender and subduing influence which had come over his own spirit as he entered the former home of him who had gone before and was now watching and waiting for us. He expressed his heartfelt desire that henceforth he himself might be able to do his work in sacred song in a manner more worthy, and far more helpfully to souls.

Mr. Moody next introduced the Rev. George A. Peltz, who, as a Pennsylvanian, spoke of the gospel song-writers and gospel singers his own State had given to the world. Of these Robert Lowry, Ira D. Sankey, and P. P. Bliss stand foremost. The work of Bliss is completed, but its influence lives, and shall live on foreverp purifying hearts, and lifting them Christward and heavenward.

Mr. McGranahan then sang, “I will sing of my Redeemer, ‘^ the choir joining in the chorus. The Rev. Dr. J. H. Vincent next spoke. He said:

There were so many sides to the man whose worth we now commemorate, that no one speaker can possibly advert to them all. He might be considered as a singer, as a musician, as a poet, as one who ministered in the gospel, for in a very important sense he was a minister of the gospel; but I to-day propose to speak of him as a friend. Friends in this world are rare. When one finds a large-hearted, generous, genuine friend, he finds a treasure. Mr. Bliss had a special genius for friendship, and he was a demonstrative friend. When he became your friend he told you so. His words, his tones, his looks proclaimed it. We may not all have his high natural qualities, but we may possess the high-toned Christian character Which was at the root of all his power, and which gave him an unconscious influence so great that the most casual contact with him evoked utterances which were melodious with tones of gospel love.

Dr. Vincent’s address was followed by the hymn “Only Remembered,” sung by the choir, Mr. Sankey leading.

THE children’s TRIBUTE. 375

The next speaker was Rev. Mr, Pierson of Detroit, Michigan, (Presbyterian):

We are not here to-day merely to glorify Mr. Bliss but rather to glorify the Master whom he loved and served so faithfully and so well. For I am sure if he could speak he would remind us of the apostolic saying, “by the grace of Qod I am what I am.” You know there is a general and universal agreement that he was a rare man. Mr. Moody, Major Whittle and Mr. Vincent have all testified to it to-day: Now we hear a good deal in these days about the gospel of manhood; it finds expression in the maxim that if one is “born in Boston he does not need to be born again.” Under this humorous remark lies the germ of the skeptical feeling that there are certain natures so good as not to need any regeneration. With all the attractiveness of character of our brother he needed the grace of God as much as any one. Natural virtues very easily pass into natural vices. What! do you say that generosity, humility, and liberality need regeneration? Dotheyneed.it? Yes, I answer. Take simple benevolence. T believe nothing in the world does more harm than it; it makes parents neglect to punish their children when they richly deserve it, makes rulers slow to punish the guilty, and has caused many a murderous villain to go unlianged. Mr. Bliss always overflowed with good nature and could even be humorous. As once when the street was blocked by a crowd who wanted to see ‘’ Tom Thumb,” he said, “Gentlemen, let me pass, I am not Tom Thumb.” But, if the grace of God and good health had failed him, no one knows if he might not have turned into the embodiment of morbidness and despair. Then as to humility, deliver me from the natural soul aside from the grace of God, for example, that humility that dare not take God at his won and rely upon his promises. Our brother in all his natural good traits was a debtor to the grace of God. I know of no text better illustrated in his life than this: “Unless ye are converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter. the Kingdom of Heaven.” Look at his character; certain characteristics which group about faith and love through grace, were fully developed in him. Mr. Bliss was perhaps the best illustration of these Christian graces I have ever known. He had simplicity and sincerity. Simplicity means without falsehood, nothing to be concealed. Sincerity, means without wax. The Roman potters used to fill up all defects with wax, hence where there is sincerity there is no deceit or glossing of a fault. How very rare a virtue 1 I remember very well how he knelt and fervently prayed God to make us honest. He id not come by his sincerity by nature. He loved applause. He was so gentle it caused him pain to inflict pain. Have you ever noticed that such people are usually untruthful? They become time-servers from this gentleness because they desire not to wound others. It was thj grace of God which enabled him to triumph over this temptation. Carlyle says, “Sincerity is the very bottom virtue,” and so it is, for base talent is ever an object of bargain and sale. Peruse the lives of Bacon and Marlborough and how little do their private lives compare with their public fame, nor is this so strange when even Brougham has had the moral effrontery to advise young lawyers “to have no conscience beyond the interests of their clients.” How different was Barlie, who told his constituents who had blamed him for certain actions. “I did not obey you, but the voice of nature’s God, and maintained your interests against your convictions.”

About humility, President Edwards says there is a sort which is just like an onion; take off the layers from the outside and get down to the core, and it is nothing but onion. Mr. Bliss exhibited true humility; he was willing to enter any sphere God called him to. Newton said, “If God would send two angels, one to have control of an empire, and another to sweep the streets, they would be willing to change places.”

The higher Christian life involves consecration, this with most of us means crucifixion, but let me say this, while it begins thus, it flows into exaltation. That our brother had this experience was evident because he bore about with him the atmosphere of a child of God. I think my family will never lose the influence of that radiant face. I remember one occasion when I prayed with him at his home, he knowing that at any moment his dear boy might pass into the other world; such resignation 1 never before saw. Why was he so uniformly happy? Because he realized that Christ is a great living truth, that he died for our sins, that he rose and went up to glory, and that he will come again to judge the quick and the dead. These are the three great statements of the Christian scheme to which I want to add another, that Christ is a living personal Redeemer, and now interceding for you and me. “If a man love me he will keep my commandments, and we will come in and abide with him.” I do not wonder he did not value this world. We read in the time of Solomon that wealth was developed to such an extent, that silver lost its monetary value and became devoted to building purposes. If we live under the glory of the Prince of Peace, of what value is the gold, silver and tinsel of this world to us then?

Mr. Bliss’s happiness and joy came from being used in the service of Goa. Every true man of God must recognize a plan of God in his life. Now Mr. Bliss had a special mission. Mr. Moody says it was the same as that of Charles Wesley, to write hymns, but this is bat half the truth. His mission was not only to write hymns but also to sing them. Other men can write, but all cannot sing. One conspicuous merit about the hymns of Mr. Bliss was that there were no morbid features in them. Cowper, who wrote that .hymn, “Where is the blessedne-ss that first I knew,” had a morbid life and* when old and childLsh wrote that morbid hymn. Take that h5^mn, “When I can read my title clear,” as another illustration of a morbid hymn. Mr. Bliss was given to us by God to protest against the perversions of sacred song. Now what are some of these perversions? Paid singers, quartette choirs, singing in a dead language, praising God by proxy, adulterous homage to art. Why I have seen a notice of the worship of God in which vocal solo, adagio minors, prelude, interludes, fantasias, sonatas by Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt were as formally announced as if it had been one of Gilmore’s or Theodore Thomas’s concerts. What do you think of turning the service of God into the service of art? Again, you may listen to one of these quartette choirs where God is

THE children’s tkibute. 37?

praised by pay. You can rarely understand them. You know vowel sounds are more easily enunciated than consonants, therefore it is thought they display the voice better, so people who want to display the voice sing in Italian, or if in English, skip as many of the consonants and thus render their singing unintelligible jargon. You have all, no doubt, heard of the minister who prayed “O Lord, we suppose you know what they sing, but as for ourselves, we do not understand one single word.” Mr. Bliss practiced distinctness in his singing. I shall never forget when he sang “When Jesus comes.” I have never heard these words since, but I felt knitted to Jesus. Sometimes when he sang our old hymns I have looked to see if they were the same ones. Look at the character of some of the singers employed in our churches. I knew of one whole choir that went into a lager beer saloon and refreshed themselves after the service. What do you think of that? Mr. Bliss was raised up to protest against the evils of praising God by proxy. It is absurd to put people in galleries for us. The old, original idea was to have all sing. There were at least 5,000 singers at the dedication of the temple. We need volume of sound in our devotional exercises; it is a help. The whole idea of having a few only is a relic of the dark ages. Let me call your attention to these passages of Scripture, 1 Cor., 14, 26; Eph., 5, 19; Col., 8, 16. Now observe that in these three passages we have sacred song, first as a means of edification; second as a means of spiritual conversation and communion, and third, as a means of teaching and admonishing one another. Why has the church of God been so long in discovering it? The office of sacred song is to express not only oraise but prayer. Mr. Bliss has said that “song first expres ses then develops emotion.” And true it is, when you find song sung with force it develops sensibility. It is a strange thing that sacred song bias been perverted to mere display. Let the Lord alone be exalted in the home of his majesty. Let me say here in thinking of what has called us together to-day, that the Bible has very little sympathy with our ideas of death. The word death seldom occurs in the New Testament. When the men of God express it, it is as of Stephen, “fell asleep in Jesus.” It is said that our Christian cemeteries have borrowed the symbols of Paganism rather than Christianity. In looking through one lately I found broken pillars, broken urns, and otherindicationsof disappointment plenteously, but only one sheaf of wheat, a beautiful emblem of life. Go into the Roman catacombs where early Christians lie. Upon most all of them you find that they sleep in Jesus. In almost all the symbols you find the idea of life, such as a ship, a peacock and the like, all of these speak not of death but y of resurrection. When the sun goes down does it cease to shine? When they went down into death at Ashtabula they went into the kingdom of our Lord.

As to the manner of the death it was the most dreadful I have ever known, and yet I think there is no question about this, that God had some glorious iDiRpiou to accomplish by their death. God perhaps wanted to call the attention of men to some great truths, and he called in a very emphatic way. Now, <]ear friends, go back with me to the house in Bethany where Mary broke the <)intment of so great value upon the Saviour. I often think our dear brother broke his heart on the Lord Jesus Christ. He followed him and bore his image

3T8 MEMOIR OF P. P. BLISS.

on his person, and no doubt is reigning now with Christ. And when Christ shall come again may we have part in that glorious resurrection 1

After the singing of “What shall the harvest be?” by Mr. Sankey and the congregation, Mr. Moody asked all present to pray for the orphaned boys of Mr. and Mrs. Bliss. As he spoke of these little ones, he took first Paul and then George in his arms, presenting them to the people, who, with scarce an exception, were molted to tears. Silent prayer followed, and then audible prayer led by Mr. Moody. Mr. Sankey sang “The Ninety and Nine,” and Mr. Moody withdrew the covering and the monument stood unveiled*

DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT.

The monument was ordered by the trustees of the Bliss fund. It was made at the establishment of Henry S. Tarr and Son, of Philadelphia, under the direction of friends of Mr. Bliss residing in this city. Its cost to the fund was IIOOO, though its actual value was several hundred dollars more. It stands twenty-two feet high, and is four feet square at the base, which is finished in rustic blocks.

The following are the inscriptions:

No. 1. — On the main front of the die:

Erected by the

Sunday-schools

of the

United States and Great Britain,

In response to the invitation of

D. L. Moody,

As a Memorial to

Philip P. Bliss,

Author of

Hold the Fort,” and other Gospel Songs.

No. 2, — On the right hand side of die:

Through a living faith in Jcsas Christ

they died

in the Blessed Hope of

A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.’*

They lived in the expectation of the

return of the Lord Jesus,

and the gathering together to Him.

Their spirits are with the Lord.

“We sorrow not even as others which have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even bo them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.”

‘* For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,”

“And so we shall be with the Lord.” — 1st Thess.

No. 3. — On left side of die:

Philip P. Bliss.
Lucy Young Bliss.
“Lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in death they were not divided.” — Second Samuel, i., 23.

No. 4. — On back front of die:

Sacred to the Memory of

Philip P. Bliss.

Born in Clearfield County, Pa.,

July, 9, 1838;

and

Lucy Young Bliss,

His Wife,

Born in Rome, Bradford County, Pa.,

March 14, 1841,

Who left their home in this village, Thursday morning, Dec. 28, 1876, tor Chicago, and met their death at Ashtabula, Ohio, Friday evening, Dec. 29, 1876, by the falling of a bridge by which a train of cars was broken into fragments and consumed by fire, some eighty persons being killed. It is believed that the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Bliss were consumed to ashes, since nothing recognizable as belonging to their earthly tfl.bernacle has ever been discovered.

Above this rises the shaft, twelve feet in height. On this is carved a harp with broken string and the name “Bliss” beneath* which is the inscription:

Thy statutes have been

my songs

In the house of my pilgrimage.

Psalm czix., 64.