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Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

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Central <strong>Library</strong> of Rochester and <strong>Monroe</strong> <strong>County</strong> · Historic Monographs Collection<br />

224 LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.<br />

THE PASTOR'S TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF FREDERICK<br />

DOUGLASS.<br />

An able and eloquent funeral sermon was<br />

preached by his pastor, Rev. J. T. Jenifer, D.D.<br />

He said:—<br />

" Know ye not that <strong>the</strong>re is a prince and a great man fallen<br />

this day in Israel?"—II. Sam., iii. 38.<br />

" And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are<br />

<strong>the</strong> dead which die in <strong>the</strong> Lord from henceforth : yea, saith <strong>the</strong><br />

Spirit, that <strong>the</strong>y may rest from <strong>the</strong>ir labors; for <strong>the</strong>ir works<br />

follow with <strong>the</strong>m." — Rev. xiv. 13.<br />

Thursday last <strong>the</strong> peoples of five continents<br />

and <strong>the</strong> islands read with regret <strong>the</strong> sad intelligence<br />

: " <strong>Frederick</strong> <strong>Douglass</strong> is dead."<br />

To-day <strong>the</strong> world unites in sympathy with us<br />

who sorrow for our great loss, by this death.<br />

We mourn <strong>the</strong> taking away of him who was our<br />

eminent and loved leader, and most illustrious<br />

example of our possibilities as a people, <strong>Frederick</strong><br />

<strong>Douglass</strong>, a representative, ever faithful to<br />

his people, <strong>the</strong>ir champion, wise counselor, and<br />

fearless defender. Such a life as his is itself an<br />

oration, and this ga<strong>the</strong>ring an echo.<br />

No man can give <strong>the</strong> people <strong>Frederick</strong> <strong>Douglass</strong>'<br />

funeral discourse; he has delivered that<br />

himself by his life and labors. He is in fifty<br />

years of his country's eventful history. Seventyeight<br />

years he was passing through <strong>the</strong> most<br />

thrilling epochs of his people's experiences in<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir land of conflicts and sufferings.

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