Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-06-25
Kr. Bserher at Wesl Point.

That the world has moved during the past few
years is shown in the circumstance that Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher preached sermon to the
cadets at West Point on Sunday. In those good
old days when Jefferson Davis and John B.
Floyd we're Secretaries Of War, any of the
Beecher tribe who dared to land at the Point
would have been warned off the premises. But
Mr.. Beecher had his say on Sunday and he spoke
well and manfully, and told those young men
what a true manhood was. He closed his ser
mon as follows;
You are part Of the Government. It behooycs
you to prove to all men that you are something
better than common men. 1t is your high priv
ilege to guard the flag which represents more
than all other flags, which is more 70 all the
world than any other flag. Now, thank God, it
is a clean, a bright, and glorious flag. Once
there was blood upon it ; not a drop Of blood
now stains its folds. Once the stars that were
on it were but lurii stars on a background cf
barbaric slavery, shining out OF a midnight SKY.
Now they are stars of hope all the world over.
These stripes on the flag are no longer stripes Of
cruelty dripping with blood they are the au-
rOral light that shines over all wherever the flag
is borne by YOU around the globe, by land or sea.
That flag means intelligence and liberty, and it
is blessed thing to be the guardians Of it. You
belong TO a profession hoE0red not only abroad,
but already in our land it has been male honor
able by those who haplv have sprung from the
loiHs Of this venerable school-by the fame aul
achievements Of those who for their skill and
endurance, for their wise victories, yet mainly
for their humanity, for their moderation and
uuauhit.oJs patriotism have shed a halo around
tie name Of the true soldier.
Nor are the stories Of battles won and uuans
of victory such sweet music 30 me as the story
had oi the five chie.est men that the war has
left now ciaspiug each others hands in brother
ly and soidieIy friendship, standing by each
other and by the country without jealousy and
without rivalry, showing to the world what
American men and officers can be, and this at a
time when Napoleon can scarcely hold his army
together through the iealousics, riyalries, and
oauitios Of bis marshlls and generals. As TO
you, youug friends, l heseech y0u 20 take an
aim higher than the mere aim of the school.
Enlarge your conceptions of life, seek an IN
spiratiol above that Of the text book, an in
spiratiou that viii lead to a higher. purer, aul
a n1ber manhood. For you who 90 forth from
this school, what can ask better for you than
that your ambitions may be purer, your aims
higher and truer than even those which were
your highest aspirations when you stood on the
very mountain Top Of the hopes, and ambitions,
ant lesIes you framed ior yourselves May
the blessing of Almighty God, unl Of ,Le Lord
Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit, never de-
par. from you. wherever you are, under bur-
leus and trials, and iu woes, .u sickness, aui iu
death, whether among friends up in the wilder
ness, FAR away among the savage foe or depart
iu- 'u the ir-t thuuler 20 battles may Tie who