The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-07-30
the ACTED LIFE.

lEAtrdcL from an aQQreSS Dy l. II. bromley,
Of the New York Tribune.
The curtain fell on the first act Of a
new historic period. The roar of artil-
lery that was to be the music of the
drama in its stately progress, with a
sublime fitness which there was no
prophet to recognize, had greeted the
occasion and saluted its hero. That
moment, great. grand man, whom the
world then scarcely knew, stepped out
with modest self-distrust upon career
such as the world had never seen, laid
his hand with solemn sense of respon-
sibility upon the great task before him,
and never ceased to bear its burdens
grandly while he wore its honors meek
ly till, from under the assassin's hand,
his labor done and his fame complete,
God called and crowned him.
Magnificent acting there was in all
this, and magnificent beyond descrip-
ton or power of expression was the
acting which came after it. How, at
the drawing of the crimson curtain of
| the war, the world beheld million men
in arms, and saw their camp fires
stretched across continent how the
stage was crowded with heroes great
and petty-how the guns were shotted.
and the blood was real, and the mad
ness and fury of the charge were hot
and earnest-how utterly genuine were
the agony Of parting and the anguish
of bereavement, and how real and re-
morseless the death that brooded over
loved ones, We may all
freshly and tearfully remember the
grand and tremendous tragedy, and for
the most part grandly acted. Possibly
we are not far enough away from the
smoke and the roar of the conflict and
the glamour of the fields to adjust this
political revolution fairly to the motives
out of which it proceeded and upon
which it was carried along. We are apt
to idealize epochs and peoples as we
invariably do individuals. 1t seems to
me very plain that men were only pup
pets in the play. While men were
spinning threads to patch a sail, God
took their puny policies for the strands
of his eternal purpose, and twisted
them together in a cable that should
hold ship at anchor, while it offered
rescue to race. Let us not deceive our
selves as to mans work or mans pur-
pose in the war. 1t was not nearly
so large, so pure. or so noble as we try
| to think. Into it entered all manner of
motives-ambition, hatred, envy, jeal-
ousy, love of strife, and the passion for
notoriety, as we'll as high and holy love
of country, solemn sense of duty, SYM
pathy with the oppressed, love of hui
mainly, and the knightly sentiment of
chivalry. Out of the fiery furnace into
which all these diverging purposes were
turned, there came, through the chem
istries of Gods grace, pure gold. Here
let US walk with unshod feet and reve-
rent head, as one who treads on holy
ground and witnesses the mystery of
miracle.
And now let me repeat that would
not for the world detract one iota from
the dignity and Importance of mans
work in the world. When | speak OF
all life as acting and all mankind as ac-
tors, mean not to be cynical, but sim
ply just. 1t has been said so often as
to be almost trite, but it is always re-
ceived as metaphor, never as the pre-
else statement of fact. To our eyes
level with the stage, the acting all seems
very grand, the sweep Of royal robes
and the glitter of coronets and crowns,
the retinues that wait on kings, the
made and the courts where
they are administered. the officers
Of justice, marching armies, noise Of tn.
multi, din Of strife, shifting and mingling
tableaux Of nations, states, and people,
are all real to US as emotion or pulsa.
ton. Go up hundred feet or more
and from some tower window look down
upon it all. How much less it seems
Go still higher till your men become in
sects and your horses creeping things.
and all the glitter and spangle Of trap
plings and dress are the merest fash oil
phosphorescent foam; and higher still
till you lose all perception or discrim-
nation of writing, gliding, twisting.
individual men and see below you only
man. All! from even here. a short rife
range above the world, what petty
things men are, and how petty their
pursuits but look-how large the world
itself-how broad and beautiful, as from
this hight we gather in the view. Men
are little but the world is large and hui
manity is great. Let US be frank with
and to ourselves. Acquaint ourselves
with our own limitations, nor over-esti-
mate our capacities or our Importance.
Our parts are assigned-we have them
to act. You, young man, standing at
the wings waiting to 60 on, what shall
you do! What character shall you
takes How act it! Let me
say word with you. l have told
you what experience has taught me-
that, high and pure as may be your pur.
poses, lofty as may be your ideals, you
cannot to yourself, your fellow-men and
God. be absolutely open and sincere.
tell you this not to discourage you
but in order that you may not be self
deceived. Make up your mind that yor
take with You in this great venture al
the in6rmities that came down from
! Eden. with all the possibilities Of being