The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-11-16

be bodily. Moral growth, however
shapes the sphere, and life begins to re-
side more and more, not in the uses
which we have of it for ourselves, but
in the uses which which we have of it
for others. At first, life is truly made
of material qualities and measured by
material laws, but more and more, as
we grow toward our true manhood, life
is made I'D of invisible things and Of
moral qualities. Beginning as a mater.
ial being, man soon develops a social
nature. Still unfolding, he evolves a
moral nature, and over all a rational
nature. Beginning as an animal, he be-
comes man. For no one Is born man.
When the reason predominates over all
impulses, appetites and wants of the
BODY, then is attained the true life, to
which may be fifty eontrasted the out
ward and the bodily life. Life serves
all-the body, the mind, the soul but,
in the unfolding series, comes more and
more to reside in the higher qualities,
and less and less in the ANNA! functions.
TO live is hot simply to breathe, to
throb. to sleep, to hunger, to thirst. To
live is to think, to plan, to execute. It
is to love, to serve, to suffer. 1t is to
reverence, to obey, to worship. In the
conflicting experiences of life men are
often called to choose between this high
err and the other lower life, and he is
stamped with true nobility who knows
how to surrender without pang, but
with generous mind, the mere bodily
life, that he may maintain the higher
life OF the soul.
A mans life eonsisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he pos
sesseth, and he that is willing to sacri
flee his higher nature for the sake of
such things, what is he better than a
brute: Not by riches do we live, tho
they have their Uses. They are servants
not masters. Not by luxury and by
pleasure, not by cheap completeness,
not by batteries bartered back and forth
which fills up the common career Of hui
man existence is not life, not even the
stimulation Of it. Men are not to run the
round of life as if they We're born with
out Immortality and without divinity.
They that have been pilgrims for JOY to
all these sources have come back wear
ing the weeds of disappointment, to bear
witness unto mankind, in themselves
that life is not in things, but in moral
qualities.
He thus alludes to the character of the
youthful hero:
We have assembled to respond in our
spirits and to refresh Our memories with
those higher truths by paying our trib
ute of love and admiration for one of the
youngest, puresta and noblestof the spirits
which this war developed. Spirits which
saved the life of the Nation by yielding
theirs. Could we have chosen the cir
cumstances, should we have chosen so
wisely and SO we'll for this young hero's
honor as did that Providence in the COM
bining Of the circumstances which then
seemed black with horror, but whose
glory the now unfolding clouds reveal:
In his career how suddenly he shot up,
by conspicuous services, into notice. He
Won that in the field which a less noble
nature might have been expected to in
herit from the name and services OF his
father. He Won advancement, not OF
solicitation, but Of achievement. He
did not chase down honors. They led
him q race, and caught and kept up with
him. Simple in the family as child.
he tanned forth in the hour Of battle like
an outraining fire. This courage was
not reckless iinpetuosity. 1t was the
concentration OF honest purpose He
carried home virtues into the camp. He
gave his strength and his life for a cause
dearcr to him than life, and the closing
scenes of his visible career We're worthy
of a nature SO elevated. The history Of
the suflerings of Union prisoners in rebel
prison houses has added one more page
20 the great book of cruelty. No apollo
gies can tone down its hideous features.
Ii was an heroic purpose that fired young
Dah!eSen to attempt to rescue these com
panions in arms from this hateful bond
age. But no one VIII ever know thean-
guish that must Lave rent his heart as
he passed By the city of cruelty and
found that he must give up the hope OF
resculng them. He had almost compile
ted his circuit, and was nearing a friend
ly refuge, when from an ambushed foe
theTe came bullet Which brought him
to the ground Is an EAGLE fails. he fell.
And SO his life ended. Nav. SO his life
began. The body was slain-the spirit
was emancipated.
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