The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-01-11

Ministers of the gospel sometimes deem
themselves justified in preaching on the
deaths Of eminent men when history sug
gcsts thoughts suited to thoii congrega.
tions. For such reason have concluded
TO make the death Of tho Hon. Henry
Wilson the subject Of my discourse to.
day. In revolving the question whether
| had better speak on his death, | con-
cluded to do SO from the hope OF benefit.
ting the young,in setting forth some Of the
virtues that graced Mr.. Wilson's life, and
chiefly his positive christian character.
Well may it be said of him, "lis witness
IS in heaven, and his record is on high"
Two weeks ago to-day, at the close Of
my discourse. | mentioned Mr.. Wilson's
death, and remarked that in his history
there was more Of seeming romance than
in some works Of fiction. A survey of
his history would, think, abatc nothing
OF this sentiment. According TO accounts
that are, doubtless, correct, lac was born
in extreme poverty. To uso his own
words, poverty sat by his cradle" In
one account that | have read, it Is limited
that his fathers family was lower in the
social scale than mere poverty would car.
ry it, in consequence of which, on arriving
at majority, he abjured his fathers name,
which was Goliath, and took his mothers
family namo. From his own statement,
it appears that such were the straitened
circumstances of his parents that he knew
what it was, in early childhood, to ask
his mother for bread when she had none
to give that at ten years he was linden.
tured to farmer, and continued with
him till he mas twenty.onc spending all
those years in hard labor, for which he
received, at the end Of his term Of service,
property that he sold for eighty.four dol
lars. Up to this time he never spent one
dollar Of money, counting every cent.
The first month he worked after arriving
at his majority he went into the woods,
drove team, cut wood and mill logs /;
rose in the morning before daylight, and
worked till after dark. For this month g
work be received six dollars and no more;
and this was only forty.two years ago the
present winter In forty-two years from
the time he performed this first month s
work Of his majority, he finished his
earthly course, filling up those years with
great amount of work ; well nigh every
day of which added to his usefulness and
honor. He very seldom knew day Of
idleness, or recreation. For some time
after this notable month Of his ma.
jority, he looked for work in differ.
ent places without success. Finally, in
the latter part Of 1888 he went to Ma.
tick, Massachusetts,, which was always
afterwards his home, Here first be
learned the shocmaker's trade; worked
at it as journeyman for while, and
then set up for himself. eventually doing
business in the manufacture Of shoes on a
large scale, employing sometimes sixty
hands.
Seven years from his entry into Mattel,
and when twenty eight years of age, he
entered public life,b by becoming member
of the Massachusetts legislature. We
say nothing Of him during those seven
years, because the history Of Mr. Wilson
, during thip period could not be told in
a single pulpit discourse, His subsequent
history would require volume. In
fifteen years after his entrance into pub.
lie life he entered the Senate Of the
United States. Here he remained eigh-
teen years, when he exchanged it for the
second office in the general government.
On entering the Senate, unlike most
new members, he went at once to the
front, and held his position there during
F the whole Of his continuance in that body
period the most remarkable and mo-
mentous in our history as a nation. He
grappled In debate on the greatest and
most exciting questions with the oldest
and strongest Of the senators, who found
him an antagonist worthy of their best
) Having now glanced at some particu.
lars in Mr.. Wilson's history, will notice
few things in his life moro at large.
l. | have spoken of the poverty Of the
, family in which it was his lot to be born
f Was this poverty an injury 20 him
think not. know there is, generally
, great exertion on the part of parents fol
property, that they may educate theil
children, and set them out in life. AL
, this is well, perhaps 1t is the duty oi
parents to educate their children: ant
property PRESENTS seeming benefit to then
: on their going for themselves, Aud ye
i as rule, do those that arc put in posses
+ sion of a competency in their start in lif,
do any better than those who begin th,
world with nothing? Indeed it is no
very unfrequently the case that a married
couple 60 for themselves without help, nc
=. cumulate wealth, and provide their child
= ren with a competence, who fail to do a
!. well as did their parents, who receive'
n nothing from any source. Then again
;. we hear farmer or a mechanic accustom
d ed to hard work, say, am resolved t.
: educate my son, that he may be of pro
h fession or calling where he will not be oh
# liged to take the hard knocks that hav
taken while in doing so he is only pre-
pairing bis son for harder knocks than b
|. ever took The position of labor-of Ia
|. Dor with the hands | mean-is, in trutl
g no less independent or honorable than an
}. other position; and to one who is conten
}. with that position no other lot can brin
IS more happiness. Henry Wilson nevC
a needed any ones sympathy for the poyel
le ty Of bis early years, or for the hard labc
y Of his hands to which he was subjecte,
)" His poverty aud his toll made him stron
,. and selfreiaut, and all the more happ
IN and honorable.
le ?. The early manhood of Mr.. Wilsc
ct was such as we might expect it to be fro
" his carly aud later boyhood. Ho was
u. customed in his boYhood to work.
be never went into dissipation. 10 ear
at manhood he was the sane. Always il
d. dustrious, and always frugal, be accnm
ne lated means; and by a steady, laudab
course completed the foundation on viii,
Al