Flintshire Observer Mining Journal and General Advertiser for the Counties of Flint Denbigh

THE LATE RIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTONE. • A BRIBF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone was the son of a Liverpool corn merchant—Sir John Gladstone, M.l' sometime of Leith-and of Ann, daughter of Mr. Andrew Robertson, of Stornoway, and Provost o! Dingwall. The greatest Liberal statesman of his ;ime was ever proud to boast of his Scottish nationality and middle-class origin. He was born at Liverpool on December 29, 1809, and educated at Eton, and Christ Church, Oxford, and at both places sarlj developed High Church tendencies, and those Tory principles which he apparently inherited from his father. At school he contributed largely to the Eton Miscellany, and subse- quently took an active part in the discussions of the Oxford Union. Married in 1839 Miss Catherine 31ynne, daughter of Sir Stephen R. GJynno, of ETawarden Castle, Flintshire. Shortly after the passing of the first Reform Bill, in 1832, Mr. Glad- stone made his entry into public life at Newark, where he was elected, as the Duke of Newcastle's aominee, in the Tory interest, defeating Serjeant Wilde, the popular candidate. It was (as Hazell's Annual succinctly says) on May 17, 1833, that he de- livered his maiden speech in the House of Commons, in reply to Lord Ho wick, on the slavery question, when he expressed himself as opposed to slavery, but tot in favour of hasty and wholesale enfranchise- ment. On the dissolution of the Melbourne Ministry, at the end of 1834, Sir Robert Peel called Mr. Gladstone to his first, public appointment as Junior Lord of the Treasury, which post he resigned in February of the following yearfox ;hat of TJnder-Secretary for the Colonies. A month afterwards (March, 1835),* however, Lord John Russell introduced his motion with regard to the temporalities of the Irish Church, which Mr. Gladstone vigorously opposed; but the Ministry were beaten, and Lord Melbourne again same into power. The death of William IV., in June, 1837, caused another general election, when Mr. Gladstone was once more returned for Newark. In 1841, on the accession of Sir Robert Peel, after the defeat of Lord John Russell in the House of Commons, Mr. Gladstone accepted office as Vice- President of the Board of Trade and Master jf the Mint. He took an active part in the Corn Law debates of 1841-42, and although apposed to Mr. ViHiers, the champion of the Repeal party, the revised tariff scheme was said to be chiefly Mr. Gladstone's work. Ho became President of the Board of Trade in 1843 but at the com- mencement of 1845 resigned, owing to his opposition to the extension of the Maynooth Grant and the establishment of non-sectarian colleges.. In 1846, it having been announced that an immediate revision pf the Corn Laws was pending, Sir Robert Peel resigned, finding that certain members of his Government would not go with him but Lord John Russell declin- ing to form a Cabinet, Sir Robert returned to office with Mr. Gladstone as Colonial Secre- tary, and member for Oxford University. On the death of Sir Robert Peel, in 1850, Mr. Gladstone paid his memorable visit to Naples, which laid the foundation of his future friendship with Cavour and Garibaldi. During this period he finally severed himself from the Tories, although holding aloof from the Liberals for a time; and in 1852 became Chan- cellor of the Exchequer in Lord Aberdeen's Adminis- tration, but fell with the collapse of that Cabinet after the Crimean war. Subsequently he was appointed by the Earl of Derby Lord High Commissioner to the Ionian Islands. In 1859 he accepted the Chancellor- thip of the Exchequer in Lord Palmerston's Govern- ment. His budgets were always looked forward to with absorbing interest; butno little sensation was caused by that of 1861, which announced the total repeal of the much-debated paper duty. On the dissolution of 1865 Mr. Gladstone was rejected at Oxford, but was returned for South Lancashire, receiving great ovations at Manchester and Liverpool. On the death of Lord Palmerston, in the autumn of that year, Earl Russell became Premier his old foe, Mr. Gladstone, being the leader of the lower House. During the debates on the new Reform Bill a cave" was formed in the House of Commons, and the Ministry fell in l, to be succeeded by the Earl of Derby's Government, with Mr. Disraeli as leader in the Commons, who passed a bill in 1867, by the operation known as "dishing the Whigs." It was in this year that Mr. Gladstone made his famous declaration in favour of disestablish- ing the Irish Church. In February, 1868, Mr. Dis- raeli became Prime Minister, but Parliament was dis- solved in the following November, when Mr. Glad- stone, defeated in South-West Lancashire, was elected for Greenwich. In the Parliament of 1869 ho became Premier for the first time, and thence up to the dis- solution of 1874 a number of important measures were placed on the statute book. The Irish Church having been disestablished, and while Europe was distracted with the Franco-Prussian war, the Liberal Government carried the Elementary Education Act, the Irish Land Act, the Abolition of Purchase in the Army (by Royal warrant), the Act for abolishing University Tests, and the Ballot Act: but they were b^ten on the Irish University Educa- tion Bill in 1873, and Mr. Disraeli returned to powei in 1874. Mr. Gladstone then decided to resign th leadership of the Liberal party, but in 1875 arouscc much public indignation against the atrocities which the Turks were perpetrating in Bulgaria, In 1879 h< made his first visit to Midlothian, and on the die. solution of 1880 he was returned for that constituency and became for the second time Premier. Amongsttti4 important Acts he carried between 1880 and;1885 may b< mentioned the Employers' Liability Act, the secorv Irish Land Act, the Hares and Rabbits Act, a reform in the Land Laws, and, chief of all, the third Reform Act and Redistribution Act. After the dissolution of the autumn of 1885, Mr. Gladstone again came forward for Midlothian, and was re-elected by an enormous majority. On the fall of the Salisbury Administration, January 26, 1886, Mr. Gladstone was summoned by the Queen to again take office. He then held as Premier the office of First Lord of tho Treasury and Keeper of the Privy Seal. In con- sequence of a divergence of views between some of the leading members of the Liberal Party and Nl r. Gladstone with respect to his proposed Irish policy, several of his old colleagues, notably Lord Hartington and Sir H. James, did not join his Cabinet^Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Trevelyan, who accepted office, resigning March 27. Mr. Gladstone introdueed bills relating to the government and land of Ireland, the former in a great speech of April 8. and the Sale and Purchase of Land (Ireland) Bill on the 16th. But the revolt of the Liberal Unionist* became pronounced, the Government were defeated by a majority of 30 on the Home Rulo Bill, and resolved to resign. On July 2, at the genernl election following, Mr. Gladstone was elected for both Midlothian and Leith, and chose to sit for is old constituency, but the result of the general election was to deprive him of power. During 1 he remainder of that year and throughout 1887 little of special importance occurred. He visited Italy early in 1888, and was most warmly received. In De cember he again visited Italy, returning in February, 1889. His golden wedding was celebrated on July 25, 1889, and the anniversary of his 81st birth day in 1890 was made tho occasion of the unveiling of a memorial fountain at Hawarden (Dec. 29, 1890), which had been erected to commemorate the golden wedding. During 1892 Mr. Gladstone carried out yet another Midlothian Campaign; He was returned at the general election, though by a greatly reduced majority, and in August he became Premier for the fourth time. In April, 1893, he moved the second reading of the Irish Home Rule Bill in the House of Commons, but tho bill was thrown out by the lyOfds. During Mr. Gladstone's I stay at Biarritz in February, 1894, a report was cir- culated of his iniliending retirement- from the political arena, and though it was guardedly contradicted at first, the announcement turned out to have only been a little premature. The right hon. gentleman made his last speech in Parliament as Prime Minister on March 1, the occasion being the consideration of the Lords' amendment to the Parish Councils Bill. Next day. his resignation was made public, amd on the 3rd he had an audience of the Queen, tendering up the seal's of office. He underwent an dpèJiatloh for cataract in the following May, and dovoted ilie residue of his days to study and quietude, occasion- ally writing on public questions, and once making a rousing political speech at Liverpool. That was in September, 1896, since which be has practically lived ont of the world and only catne prominently before the public mind again because of the pathetic nature of his last illness, which evoked expressions of sincere sympathy from all ranks of men and womcr in Britain and abroad, from the Queen downwards. TRIBUTES IN PARLIAMENT. SCENES ANP BFEECHPS IN BOTII HOUSES. The House of Commons, which Mr. Gladstone so often thrilled and delighted with the magic of his eloquence, came together on Friday of last week to mourn for him. It was a scene never to be for- gotten. Whilfdhepainter's art might reproduce ( the material elements of the historic occasion, the pathos of it is beyond preservation. Genuine sorrow brooded palpably over the whole assembly. The House of Lords, too, paid its tribute in most fitting language. Both Houses strove through their most engaging and persuasive, speakers to interpret in words which must go down to history the admiration of the whole people for their hero. Long before the Speaker took the chair-hours, indeed, before the appointed time—every place on ,the floor of the House had been taken; even the seats under the galleries and behind the chair were reserved. The Speaker entered and took the chair at three o'clock. It was noticed that he wore a band of crape upon, the wrists of his official robe. His chaplain also had crape. All the members were in? mourning, and many who had left London, anticipating the Whitsuntide recess, returned to tow A to be present. The public galleries could1 accommodate only a small section of those who had applied for admission. The peers' gallery was crowded, about 30 members of the Upper House being present. Most of these, it was noticed, had been elevated to the peerage during the admini- strations of Mr. Gladstone. The Lord Chief Justice (Lord Rassell of Killowen) occupied the seat above the clock, and beside him sat Lord Rendel, one of the dead statesman's oldest friends. The sole occupant of the Diplomatic Gallery was Colonel Hay, the United States Ambassador. By the time the clock that beats out the little lives" of politicians pointed to the half-hour the only four men of eminence not yet in their places were Mr. Balfour, Mr. Chamberlain, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, and Mr. John Morley. The place of Mr. Morley on the front Opposition bench remained unoccupied by him throughout the whole proceed- ings. It is understood that he felt the occasion so keenly as a personal bereavement, particularly after his pathetic leave-taking of his former chief, that he preferrednot to -face the ordeal of being present, for tenderness in his personal friendships is known to be a characteristic of Mr. Morley. Some delay occurred owing to the absence of Mr. Balfour. It arose from an unforeseen circumstance. The Speaker, following the customary routine, pro- ceeded to take the questions, of which there were 104 on the paper,, and called on Sir Charles Dilke, who was first on the list. But the mood of the Houso was not for questions; that was not the business which pervaded the minds of all; and there came from all sections, a firm but respectful protest, No questions." The Speaker at once complied with the the House, and postponed the questions. ut this had not been, expected by Mr. Balfour, and *as not yet present. Meanwhile 4he Speaker read two telegrams of con- dolence for Mr. Gladstone's death which he had re- ceived from the Norwegian Storthing and from the President-of the. Illan. Chamber of Deputies. These, on the motion of gir Michael Hicks-Beach, who had just arrived .with Mr. Chamberlain, were ordered to be entered on the journals of the.Houea. 7. Then, at a quarter to four, when il_i u,lse, w-s,w,. ,i n high-strung expectancy, Mr. Balfour waa sighted behind the Speaker's chair. Looking ill and nervous, he came slowlyto his place, his pallid appe>ra^co t "nd movement showing how much foundation there was for the report of his illness. The noble tribute which he paid to Mr. Gladstone was instinct with emotion, and he held complete control of his voice throughout. Sir William Har- urt, on the other hand, twice broke down com- pletely, and brought his oration to its close with distinct effort. Many members and occupants of the front benches 3f the Commons hurried across to the House of Lords directly Sir William Hatcourt jras down, to bear the splendid tributes paid to Mr. Gladstone in that chamber. Thev arrived too late to hear the nine minutes' speech of Lord Salisbury, but they were in time to hear the whole of the splendid eulogy )f Lord Rosebery. Coming, last of all, to the table to which he has been for some time a stranger, Lord Rose- bery, speaking, a&Lord Salisbury had spoken, without a note of any kind, broke his lengthy silence in .that House. His voice' was superb, Ins few gestures eloquent, and upon his whole rapt oration flowing free the House hung entranced. The best speech of all!" was the general comment as the House filed o ut into the central hall. We append extracts from the chief speeches. LORD SALISBURY. I.ord Salisbury rose in the House of Lord amid a large assemblage of peers and distinguished strangers to move an humble Address to the Queen praying &er Majesty to be graciously pleased -to direct that the remains of the Right Hon. William Ewart-Glad- stone be publicly interred, and that a monument be erected to his memory in the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster, bearing an inscription expressive of the public admiration and attachment, and of the high sense entertained of his rare and splendid gifts as well as of his devoted labour in Parliament and in great offices of State. Very few words from hi.ra, he' said, were necessary to' commend that mot ion to their lordships'' acceptance, nor need he dwell at length on the great career just closed, which had been already dealt, with by so many pens and tongues. But what seemed to him most remarkable was the universal assent of persons of all classes and all schools of thought in doing honour on that sorrow- ful occasion to a man who had been more mixed up in political conflicts than any other man of his time. His astonishing power of attracting men to him, the extraordinary influence he exerted on the thoughts and convictions of his contemporaries, might explaip the attachment and admiration of those whose idead he represented, but they would not ex- plain why almost as fervent feelings towards him were expressed by those to whose views he was almost invariably opposed. The fact was that tho mass of men recognised in Mr. Gladstone a man guided—whether under mistaken impressidns or not mattered not—in aJi-the steps he took and all the effort he made by a high moral ideal and the purest, aspirations; :and he was honoured by all his countrymen because for so many years and through so many vicissitudes and conflicts that one characteristic never ceased to govern his actions. He would leave behindr,hin> a.deepajid most salutary in- fluence on the political and social thought of the generation in. which he lived, and he would be long remembered, not so much for the causes in which he was engaged or the political projects which he pro- moted, but as a great example, to which history hardly furnished a parallel, of a great Christian man. THB'EARL OF KIMBERLEY. Lord Kimberley, in seconding the motion, thought the Printo Minister hid struck the true keynote in regard tb'the extraordinary manifestation of feeling, evoked by the death of Mr. Gladstone. The deep and universal regret which the hatioii felt at his death was due to their appreciation Of his high-mindedness and the unvarying uprightness of his conduct, and also to the sense that ,they had lost not merely a, statesman of splerrdid gifts and great reputation,. but one whose life had set a bright example to both high and low among his countrymen. TIIB DCKB OF DEVONSHIRE. The Duke of Devonshire, as one whose lot It had been to serve in Parliament as a colleague and also as an opponent of Mr. Gladstone, desired to associate himself unreservedly with what had just fallen from the two noble lords who had preceded him. The separation in 1886 of himself tand others from the trusted leader with whom they had had relations of intimate confidence and warm personal friendship was inevitably painful on both sides; but he could I recall no word of Mr. Gladstone's which added unnecessary bitterness to that separation, and those who had been his most devoted adherents never doubted that Mr. Gladstone's action on that occa- sion, as in tyefy. other rpatter with which he had to deal; during his long. public hfe, was guided by no othei* consideration than his sense of public duty. LORD ROSEBBRT. Lord Rosebery, having been associated with the deceased statesman in many of the most critical episodes of the last 20 years of his life, also desired to say a few words. The time had not yet come—as the leader of the House had said-to fix with any approacH to accuracy the place which Mr. Gladstone would occupy M histoid; but he for onei could never forget that Lord Salisbury himself, when Mr; Glad- stone last resigned office, described his ai the most brilliant intellect that had been applied to the service of the State since Parliamentary Govern- ment began. That seemed to him an adequate and a noble appreciation. Mr. Gladstone's intellect was distinguished by an enormous power of con- centration as well as by the infinite variety and multiplicity of his interests; and no man of recent times ever touched the intellectual life of the country at so many points and over so great a ringe of years, while the first and most obvious feature of his character was the universality of his human sympathies. His Christian faith, too, was the nur" faith of a child confirmed by the experi erven and the conviction of the man. This country loved brave men; and virile virtue was per tha quality ranked highest by Mr. Gladstone, whom no amount of opposition to any cause that he had once taken up could daunt or cow. Now he had gone to his rest, and, putting aside that one solitary and pathetic figure, the devoted wife who had shared all his joys and sorrows for 60 years, they might sjvy that was nOt really an occasion for entire and unre- served lamentation, because Mr. Gladstone's later months had been months of. unspeakable pain and distress, and life had become a burden to him. The nation which had produced him might yet produce other men like him; and in the meantime it was rich in his memory, rich in his great and inspiring example.. The Address was then agreed to unani- mously. THB JUORT nOiT. A. J; BALFOUR. Mr. Balfour, in Committee of the whole House of Commons, moved that an Address, identical in terms with that adopted in the Upper House, should be pre- sented to her Majesty. The right hon. gentleman thought he should have no difficulty in inducing even the most scrupulous to join in tht Address, which he hoped would be passed unanimously. This was not, the place nor thp occasion to attempt to form an esti- mate of a career which began on the morrow of the first Reform" Act, which lasted over two genera- tions, and which as far as politics were concerned was brought to a close a few years ago. How, he asked, could they form an estimate of a life so complex or attempt to exhaust the marty-sided aspects of such a career? Dealing only with what was more strictly germane to this Address, he would speak of Mr. Gladstone as a politician, a Minister, a leader of public thought, and an eminent servant of the Queen. He would speak Of him more especially as the greatest member of the greatest deliberative Assembly vliirt, the world had seen. It was using- the- language of sober and unexaggerated truth to say that there was no gift which would enable a man to moy^, to influence, and to adorn an assembly like this that Mr. Gladstone did not possess in air strper-emiiient degree. Every weapon of Parliamentary.. was wielded by him with perfect ease and complete mastery. Let no man hope to be able to reconstruct from the records of the House any living likeness of Mr. Gladstone's great works. The words, indeed, were there, but the spirit, the fire, and the inspiration were gone, and he who could alone show them what those words really were had now, alas, been taken away. In his opinion, Mr. Gladstone rendered one service which was altogether apart from the judgment they might be disposed to pass- upon particular opinions or particular lines of- policy. By his genius he added a dignity and a weight to the deliberations of this House that it was impossible adequately to replace. He brought to their debates a gehius which compelled attention, and he raided in public estimation the whole level of their proceedings. How much he did in raising public life had, perhaps, not occurred to persons unfamiliar with their debates. To him that teemed to place the services, of Mr. Gladstone to this assembly, which he loved so weH and of which. was so great an oraament. in as c j- 't i'r;M <.u Kjj/' clear a. light and on as driia a basis as It was obid. to place them. SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT. Str W. Harcourt felt sure the House had heard with emotion, with admiration, and with approval the noble tribute which had been paid by the leader of the House to the greatest of its members. He i thought it a rpmarjcable circumstance that in the opening years of the 19th century was witnessed the eclipse of the two greatest lights of the House of Commons of that day when Pitt and Fox were interred in what might be almost called a common tomb. It was a remarkable fact that at the close of that century the greatest figure which had adorned the annals of the House of Commons should now be laid in his grave. The House of Commons, as the nation's representa- tive, was deeply conscious of the void 'left in its national life and. hence the striking spectacle pre- tented on Thursday and offered again to-day, when they were addressing the Queen in the name of her people to bestow upon Mr. Gladstone the highest honour which was granted to her greatest sons. As in his life Mr. Gladstone declined all distinctions, it was for the nation on his death to bestow upon him the highest honour it had at its disposal. The voice of general mourning was coming from every quarter of the civilised globe. We had recently been celebrating the 60th year of the reign of the Queen, but the public life of Mr. Gladstone cominencei before her Majesty's accession to the throne.. The bright promise of his earlier years had been fulfilled beyond the expectation even of those who knew him best and admired him most. Far beyond the age allotted to man he had actively pursued and employed the unexhausted resources of his genius and experience in the service of his country. This was not an occasion on which they could canvass the policy or measures for which Mr. Gladstone was responsible. He was aware that he spoke in the presence of a great majority of Mr. Gladstone's political opponents who were generously offering a tribute to his memory and no word would be uttered by him that might jar upon their ears. The right hon. gentleman next proceeded to refer to the rich harmony of Mr. Gladstone's melo- dious voice, which had the charm of almost physical persuasion, to his dignified presence, md lucid statement^ to the resources of his reasoning, to the high tone of his passionate con- riction, and the vek ement appeals to conscience and to truth and lib pointed out that no one of these divine gifts was ever employed for mean or vulgar uses. They were exercised on high matters snu ior noble ends, and they gave him a power over the hearts of the British people which he believed no orator had ever before possessed. His conduct ip the House of Commons, whether in Government or in Opposition, bore the marks of a lofty spirit. He was strong and he was also gentle: he was to them not only great statesman, but also a great gentleman. In conclusion the right hon. gentleman spoke of the in- fluence exercised by Mr. Gladstone on those who had the privilege of his intimate friendship. Of all chiefs he was the least exacting; he was most kind, tolerant, and placable. Such was the man whom they would attend to the grave amidst the mourning of a gmteftal people. This was the noble close to a long and an henoured life spent in the service of his Queen and his country. Mr. Gladstone had deserved fvell of our race, and he had left to us an undying memory, a precious inheritance, and an enduring example. Mr. John Dillon and Mr. Alfred Thomas having spoken on behalf of Irish and Welsh members re- spectively, the Address Wad unanimously adopted. PUBLIC FUNERAL ACCEPTED. The members of the late. Mr. Gladstone's family have accepted the offer" of a public funeral for thu lamented statesman, and the Queen has intimated her concurrence in the project, andgranted the prayer of the Address presented to her by Parliament. The arrangements for the funeral, so far as they had been fixed on Monday, include the erection of extensive staging for seating purposes as on the occa- sion of the Jubilee service in 1887. Tho remains of ,the late statesman were enclosed in a coffin, which has been constructed locally, the plate of which'beaES the following inscription: "William Ewart Glad- stone, born j&ec. 29th, 1809, entered into rest May 19th, 1898—being Ascension Day." Down to Sun- day the body remained in the bedroom in which Mr. Gladstone died. As soon as the coffin was quite 'completed the remains were to be removed from the bedroom to the library, which he always called "the Temple of Peace," there to await removal to London, pending the interment in Westminster Abbey. JOt. GLADSTONE'S FACE. At Hawarden Castle on I Sunday the following description of Mr. Gladstone's face in death, Written by Sir W. B. Richmond, R.A., who has been engaged in making crayon drawings as the basis for a great permanent picture, was given to the reporters: "Hawarden, May 21, 1898. The great states- man, so splendid and yet simple in his life, lies without any adornment about his noble head. Not even flowers are there. This dignity and severity are in keeping with a character of Homeric type. There is no trace of recent suffering. The expression as one watches the beautiful face seems to attain a mobility almost joyous. At times one is reminded faintly of his brilliant smile in life, but chiefly it Sartakes of the Divine severity. It leaves no evi- ence that the spirit has departed. It appear? rather to have found rest. I have never seen any- thing so grand or so touchingly beautiful as the dead face of the great champion of liberty." SUNDAY AT HAWARDEN. For the first time since Mr. Gladstone's death the sun shone brightly over Hawarden village on Sunday, but light showers fell at intervals, so that the sun- shine was as smiles between tears, and it was much in this frame of mind that the large congregation issembled at the parish church for the morning service. Most of the members of the con- gregation were in deep mourning, a con- spicuous relief in the sombre benphes being ;he dainty little figure of Dorothy Drew, attired in cream-coloured dress. Mrs. Gladstone, who bore painful evidence, of the great sorrow she has suffered so bravely, entered by the south door, and leaning heavily on the arm of one of hgr daughters, walked slowly to her husband's pew in the chancel. In the early part of the service the seat which Mr. Gladstone usually occupied was filled by Mrs. Drew. Mrs. Gladstone sat between her and her grandchild, Dorothy Drew, with Mrs. Wickham next. While the hymn before the sermon was being sung Mrs. Gladstone changed places with Mrs. Drew, and occupied her husband's seat, probably that she might better hear the dis- course of her son-in-law, the Dean of Lincoln. In the back pew were Mrs. W. II. Gladstone, Miss Helen Gladstone, Master W. H. Gladstone, the owner of the Hawarden estates, and his two sisters, Evelyn and Constantine. On the north side of the chancel were Mrs. Stephen Gladstone and her chil- dren, Dr. Biss, Sir W. B. Richmond, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gladstone, Miss Wickham and Master Edward tVickham, and Mrs. Talbot, the wife of the Bishop of Rochester. The service was bright rather than funereal. The chants were sung to an arrangement by the late Mr. W. H. Gladstone. Two of the hymns selected Were pathetically appropriate, because they were two of Mr. Gladstone's favourites, and two of those which were recited by his bedside in the last hour of his 6fe. These were Rock of Ages" and Praise to ibe, Holiest." The first part of the service was con- ducted by the rector, the Rev. Stephen Gladstone, and the sermon was preached by the Dean of Lincoln from the text, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy iv.,7). They had, he said, been spending in Hawarden a sad Mid solemn, but yet a beautiful and inspiring Ascension tide. The, distress of the last months of Mr. Gladstone's life had made their hearts bleed, but yet had helped in a striking way to round "and complete his life from the sick bed. He had preached a sermon more eloquent than ever his own tongue could have uttered to an audience a thousand times larger than other sermon could have reached-a Sermon on the reality of religion, on faith and patience and the impregnable rock of the Christian hope. Mr. Gladstone's religion was not a thing of moods and occasions, or resorted to as earthly things began to slip from his grasp. It was profound, per- vading, the master key to his purpose, the rock-like foundation of his strength. The Rev. Harry Drew preached a deeply interesting and -pathetic sermon at Buckley Church from the text Thou hast given him his heart's desire, ind has not denied him the request of his lips" rPsalm xxi., verse 2). They were proud of Mr. Gladstone as the most illustrious man of our time, but above all they were proud of him as a great Christian. That was their most p, r. l previous possession. The greatest man of modern limes was -above alt else -most sincere and__ devoted Christian. Mr, Gladstone was deeply thankful for the kindness and love showered upon him by the world. He received it t/>o with such touching humility. He waj so surprised as though he did not deserve it. He was so profoundly impressed by it that the words were often on his lips, "Kindness, kindftess" everywhere, nothing but kindness." For weeks before the end he might be said to have shed his life, and, had given himself up entirely to the contemplation of divine things. He was as though living above in a higher, purer atmosphere and only now and then recalled here by the voice of those who were ministering to him. Only a few days ago, when asked if he had any pain, he said, "No, I am quite comfortable. I am. only., wa-iting, only waiting." Last Sunday early in the morning when asked if he felt comfortable he said, "Yes, very comfort- able, only the end is long coming. Pray for me and for all our fellow Christians and all eur fellow creatures, and do not- forget all who are oppressed, unhappy, and downtrodden." He passed to his well-earned rest amid universal mourn- ing and universal love. They could not wish it other- wise, but they felt that the vanishing of the great historical figure was like the removal of some moun- tain front the landscape on which their eye was always wont to rest, like the withdrawing, of some strong rock to which they were wont to cling. The world was poorer without him. The Bishop of Rochester preached before a crowded congregation in Hawarden church on Sunday night, from the text: It came to pass that when the time was come that He should be received up He steadily set His face to go to Jerusalem." Mrs. Gladstone and other members of the family were again present and it was noticed that the bereaved lady was looking considerably better than at the morning service. OTHER PULPIT REFERENCE Among other preachers who on Sunday made the life, work, and character of the great statesman the chief theme of their sermons were the Archbishop of Canterbury and Prebendary Wace at St. Paul's Cathedral, Canon Eyton and Canon Wilberforce at Westminster Abbey, Canon Ainger and the Dean of Norwich at the Teulple Church, the Bishop of South- wark at Greenwich, Canon Palmer at St. Saviour's,. The Rev. Dr. Parker at the City Temple, and the -Her. Mark Guy Pearse at St. JamesVhall, in London. Tributes were also paid to him in the sermons Cached at several of the Jewish synagogues on urday. Canon Eyton announced at, Westminster that there would on Saturday be a memorial service in tho Abbey to the lato Mr. Gladstone. OFFICIAL FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS. The following announcements about the arrange- ments connected with the funeral of the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone were officially made on Tuesday morning: The family have accepted the offer of a public funeral conditionally on its taking place in the courst of the present week and on its being conducted witt every simplicity. The body will lie during Thursday and Friday, the 26th and 27th inst., in Westminster-hall, to which the public will be admitted. The funeral will take place in Westminster Abbey on Saturday morning, the 28th inst. The body will be preceded to the abbey by both Houses of Parliament and Privy Councillors, and will be fol- lowed by the family and mourners. Owing to the shortness of the time, it will not be possible to enlarge the accommodation on the floor of the abbey, and therefore the only persons besides those who take part in the procession and niembers of the Corps Diplomatique whom the Earl Marshal will be able to admit will be representatives of national institutions. It has been decided to invite representatives of the Navy, Army, and Civil Service, and likewise of the Universities and other learned bodies, Invita- tions to those whom it will be possible to admit in this capacity will be duly forwarded. With a, view to giving as representative a character as possible to the assemblage, it has been further d^ided i that ^he}; head of,; every municipality and County Council throughout the United-Kingdom, or a nominee appointed by him, should be provided with a seat inside the abbey. Under this designation would come (a) in England, Lord Mayors and Mayors, and chairmen of County Councils, or a nominee appointed by them (b) in Scotland, Lord Provosts and Provosts, and chairmen of County Councils, or a nominee ap- pointed by them; (c) in Ireland, Lord Mayors and Mayors, and foremen of the grand juries ai the last assizes, or a nominee appointed by them. "Owing to the absence of space, and to the fact t,hat the public funeral, is intended to be a tribute of the nation to the memory of. the deceased statesman irrespective of party political organisations >yill not be represented. In deference to the wishes already announced, no flowers will be used; and in order that the cere- monial may be in keeping with the desire of the family for isimplicity, morning 'dress only--will be': worn." TIIE FtIX:15 .ACCEPTANCE. The following is the texLoJ. Mr. Herbert Glad- stone's reply.. to Lpfd Salisbury's,.letter, offering a public funeral for Mr. Gladstone "4,Cléve!ànd-square, S.W., May 21, 1898. ".Dear ]Liord!Salisbtiryl- I beg to acknowledge the receipt, of your letter of to-day's date, informing me that her Majesty has been graciously pleased to accede to the prayer of both Houses of Parliament by directing that, subject to the concurrence of the family, the body of my father should receive the honour of a public funeral, and to be buried in Westminster Abbey. i On behalf of my mother and the family, and with a deep sense of gratitude to her Majesty and to both Houses of Parliament, I have the honour to accept this signal tribute from the, nation to my father. It is right to mention that my father has left explicit directions that his burial should he private, unless it should be found that there were conclusive reasons to the contrary. In our judgment these con- clusive reasons have been established by the offer which you now so generously convey to us and by the marvellous manifestations'of feeling in all parts of the Empire. One condition, absolute and unqualified, which rlly father specified in relation to his place of burial I need not enter into here because we have received the necessary assurance that it would be fulfilled. With regard to the date and nature of the cere- mony, we respectfully bring to your notice two im- portant considerations: "1. My mother's state of health compels us to do all in our power to mitigate the severe strain which it has pleased God to place on her Strength, a strain which would be greatly increased by any serious postponement of the funeral. v 2. My father specified that his btirial should be 'very simple.' We, therefore, venture to urge that the date should be fixed not later than Saturday, the 28th instant, and that, so far as circumstances permit, effect may be given to my father's wish that the whole ceremony should be very simple.' We are fully conscious of the limitations which these conditions necessarily impose; but we all concur in thinking that such limitations are heces- sary for the reasons which I have stated. Thanking you on behalf of my mother and the family for the courtesy and consideration with which you have conveyed to us the offer of her Majesty and of Parliament, I have the honour to be, your faithful servant, HERBERT J. GLADSTONE." TIIE SITE OP THE.GRAVE. The position of the grave in which Mr. Gladstone's remains will be interred is in the north transept, facing the statue of Sir Peter Warren. The Dean of Westminster had considered the advisability of the interment being made in the nave, and an appropriate spot was provisionally selected 'iih'd met with the approval of the family. 111 fifew, however, of the very great preponderance of public feeling that Mr. Gladstone's ashes should find a. rest- ing place in "the Statesmen's Aisle," the Dean con- sidered it advisable to abandon the idea previously entertained, and the spot above indicated was then fixed upon. All who enter the abbey hereafter by the north door, as they proceed down the aisle, will pass over the graves of Fox and Pitt and Gladstone.