Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-12-11

Is ADDRESS OF REV. DIR. CHAPLIN.
Is One month ago many Of us now present
I, met in this place to express our sympathy
c with one who sat, with palid face and quiver-
ing lips, heart-strickcn mourner for his
r wife. To-day, as in the freshness of his great
IS sorrow he himself wished, he is to lie by her
b. side The shadow of death through which he
r was then passing, has enfolded him utterly.
E Such s the providence that checks all human
] purposes and makes life continual surprise.
I And now, as stand here to discharge no
y mere professional function, to do that which |
feel is no more imperative for me as a pastor
n than as a personal friend, still must beg
o leave to limit myself closely TO the Offices OF
t the hour. | cannot attempt here aud now
to unfold the life or estimate the worth Of
} Horace Greeley. Such an attempt on one
| hand would be premature. and on the other
hand is unnecessary, Premature, because
the traits and lessons Of great life can
bost be summed and fixed in history in calmer
, moments, when the first vibrations of grief
and excitemeuthave ceased. This work ought
to be done, and | trust will be done in the
utterances Of some public memorial service
which will deserve and receive a much wider
hearing than | can claim. On the other hand
this work OF appreciation is unnecessary. II
. has already been done. There have been but
few instances in our history when the alicnt
points of a mans character have been so in.
stlnctively apprehended. But very few in
stances when the expressions of regret and
regard have been so spontaneous, so wide
spread and so similar. The record of Mr..
Greeloy's life, like his person, was known
everywhere. These eulogies that pour in so
thick and fast from every quarter Of the land
are not made up with artificial rhetoric. They
are genuine. Those tears as freely she'd to-
day by country fresides and in distant States,
as under the shadowing drapery of these walls
are not conventional tears. They are no off,
cial symbols Of mourning that hang around
US they represent the peoples thought and
are twlned about the peoples heart A ca
reer OF honest purpose and bene6cent tenden-
eies yiudicates itself under all transient mis-
conception. Where to-day are our party
badges aud political distinctions? They coil
to ashes. Where in the reverent sadness of
this hour are differences Of creed They
melt away in the broad light of Christian
recognition that testfes to true mans life
and arches over a good mans grave. All
this, then, | say, indicates an instructive ap-
probation Of character that could not be
made more distinct by any labored analysis.
Aud now, my friends, as one lesson adapted
to this place and this hour, | ask you before
the face Of the dead to consider for moment
or two what il was to which this affectionate
remembrance attaches, and which draws this
spontaneous regard, II was not mere intel
lectual ability, large and undeniable as it was
in the present instance. 1t was not official
station Mr.. Greeley held no official station.
The will Of the people, expressed through its
Electoral College to-day, decreed that be
should hold no such station. To-day the will
of God elects him to place from which all
human honors look small and dim. No, my
| friends, the attraction in this instance is the
magnetism of simple goodness | need not
say that Mr.. Greeleys heart was as largo as
his brain-that love for humanity was an un-
wrought element Of his nature. This was so
complete, so broad in him that it touched all
sides Of humanity, so to speak II was mani
Tested in kindness and regard that keep
their silent record in many private hearts in
hand ever open and ready to help in
one Of the kindest faces ever worn by
man, the expression of which was Z" a meet
ing Of gentle lights without name"
The hundreds Of poor, toil-worn men who
yesterday passed through the crowd to take
q last look at the worn countenance we're
moved by no idle curiosity. They came there
not to gaze at the face of tho great journalist
and the famous politician. They were drawn
by the conviction that he was the poor mans
friend, the sympathetic champion of working
men, who had struggled through their ex-
perences and never forgotten their claims.
Mr.. Greeleys public action was directed to
the same impulse 1t was the motive power
Of his entire efforts, his almost unprecedented
work-for so many years and in so many
ways. II enlisted him in the service Of every
humane cause; not ouly did it inspire his life
long war with oppression and vice and mean
ness Of every sort--it made him exceptionally
generous and tolerant Some may think that
be erred on the side of mercy against justice.
Perhaps so but if one must err at all, that
is good side to err on. A sweet disposi-
ton may hold even an error in harmless So
luton. while there is a precision that is as
sour as it is sound But let it be remem-
bered that often mercy is the synonym Of
justice Another danger attendant upon such
spirit is credullty-too much readiness to
believe the most and to believe the best. But
this human nature of ours, which, discipline
it as we may, will still be fallible, is full as
likely to be wise at this extreme as at the
other. Truth is better than fiction neverthe-
less, if the disparaging estimate of humanity
is the true one, then fiction is better than
fact The doctrine Of trust in man-how-
ever qualified by painful experiences-is
necessary as the inspiration to all noble eff
fort and for any content of mind for the
working machinery of life, and for every fibre
Of the social organism. Do you tell us that
there is no substance in human vrtue3 That
all honesty is marketable and all love a
selfish mask ? That in this world there are
no loyal friendships, no unpurchased benefits,
no faithful hearts, no incorruptible souls2 Is
oil this sentimental illusion2 Then, say,
lot US be cheated by this illusion always,
shutting out minor truths and deceiving us
even to the grave. Whatever may have been
the mistake Of him who is dead before us,
there was no mistake in the main current of
that principle which inspired his labors and
characterized his life. And here, repeat,
is lesson for us all. In trying to do the
work of life We may be discouraged by in-
stances of conspicuous greatness-at least
greatness that expresses intellectual power
aud achieves splendid success. 1t may seem
to US that because We cannot do great things
we can do nothing that is Of worth, and that
it matters little what we do. But goodness
is richer than greatness. IL lifts us nearer
to God than any intellectual elevator, and
moreover il is accessible for the humblest
life. | do not say that all duty, that all re-
igion, is expressed in love for man though
we have ample warrant for belief that all the
love is fulfilled in this one word Thou
shalt love thy neghbor as thyself." The
love of God, however, is the spring Of and
kindles and nourishes love to man. But how
is love of God to be manifested 7 1t is to
be manifested according to our abilities, with
in our sphere, whether broad or narrow, and
every day bless God that tho great neces-
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