The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-11-20

stand mp before the American people
and tell them that slavery was the
blight and curse OF their natiopal life.
But there were men who, out of their
regard for principle and their sense OF
their own responsibility for using in
the cause OF right such talent as they
had, dared to do that very thing, and
the influences they set in motion re-
suited in the events which eleansed a
foul blot from our country's fame.
There was time within the memory
OF persons now in middle life when the
demon OF intemperance openly claimed
a place in every family; when the in
toxicating liquor was brought out as a
| suitable attention 10 callers, and the
very best article Of the kind was placed
before the minister as he made his pas
toral rounds; when no great or small
work on farm or in shop could be un-
dertaken until plentiful supply of ar
dent spirits had been laid in to keep
up the strength and enthusiasm OF the
laborers. Not small or weak was the
courage required in those men who
first awoke to a knowledge Of the fear
ful vortex which society was fast APP
preaching, when they lifted up their
voices in remonstrance and in warning.
Yet they shrank not from the task be-
fore them, for they knew that il they
saw their work and did IL not, theirs
would be the responsibility for lives
that were going to wreck and Tor souls
that were Fastening TO ruin. And so
they stood manfnlly up under the viAls
OF wrath that were poured upon them,
and they nobly breasted the torrents OF
opposition that were meant to over
whelm them. Now opposition from
people whose long established habits
are being broken mp, whose craving APP
petites are being deprived OF their
wonted food, and above all, whose
money interests are interfered with,
(for history shows us that men and ma
tions will fight for their pocket-books
when they will fight for nothing else),
is no small thing to encounter and
struggle against TO successful issue.
Yet these men and others like them
faltered not in their heroic course, and
to-day, though there is yet a great
work to be accomplished before intem-
perance is banished from our land, yet
1t is TO large extent associated with
the low saloon and the gutter, and no
longer dares to show itself in respecta-
ble homes. in the like OF which il was
once an expected guest.
Almost two centuries and half ago, a
king Of England imposed upon his sub
jects in an unconstitutional manner, an
arbitrary and illegal tax. This was
but one Of a long series Of offences
against the chartered rights Of the En-
glish people. yet save some protests
and efforts made by parliament, no ef-
fective opposition had been offered;
nor were the people aroused to a clear
sense Of the peril in which their hber-
ties were placed. That was the mo-
mont in which a simple country gentle
man who might otherwise never have
been heard of outside OF his own shire,
leaped into a greatness which gave him
a niche in the temple OF fame higher
even than that accorded to many nigh
ty conqueror; aud Whenever men speak
OF brave resistance to oppression and
Of noble abnegation of self TO maintain
"A principle Of right and to serve the
cause of freedom and humanity, they
mingle with their most glowing eulo-
gies the name of John Hampden.
'In order TO bring the matter 10 a
test before the laws, John Hampden re-
fused TO pay ship money" His tax
was only about twenty shillings, and if
lac ls--N ----is-a a - ~ COD -
or his pecuniary interests, he would
have enhanced both 10y quietly paying
il. But he was ruled by a higher law
and guided by q higher motive. He
saw that the liberties of his country
were at stake and was not one to evade
the call which that hour made upon
every true Englishman. Neither did il
matter TO him that he stood alone. He
did not say he would resist if his neigh
bors would, or he would be one Of i've
or ten or some other number of men to
resist the illegal tax. He only asked,
"Whtt does my personal responsibility
TO God aud my country require from
me, and when his conscience gave the
answer he acted promptly and firmly.
We are told, "That all the nation look
ell on with intense anxiety while the
question was argued before the Court
of Exchange. Hampden grew the ar
Rument OF all tongues, every man in
quiring who and what he was, that
burst at his own charge support the
liberty and prosperity of the kingdom.
After long delay, the court gave it's de-
cision. -Four OF the twelve judges,
though holding their places only dur
ing the Kings pleasure, had the manli-
ness to give sentence IN Hampden's IA
yor; seven decided against him, and
one gave an evasiye answer. The NOR
al victory remained with Hampden;
for though the sentence OF the Court
placed all the property in England at
the Kings disposal, the people were
now aroused to q sense OF their dan
ger. This sense OF danger was not
lost by the English people, until, after
many struggles and changes, fifty years
from this time the sure basis of the
stability and prosperity Of England
was laid 10y the GLORIOUS Revolution
Of 1855"
The central figure Of the l6th centu-
~ was Martin Luther. His brave soul
dared 10 lead the way to that grand
protest against the wicked practices OF
a corrupt church and priesthood. II
is n comparatively easy thing 10 follow
where one bold leader has traced the
path, and SO to-day we owe 10 him the
freedom and purity Of protestsntism.
Turn over the pages OF history and
you will find that the grandest men
commemoTated there, have ever been
those who considered only what their
responsibility in the relat ons they sus-
tanned required Of them, and who dar-
ed To act accordingly; and there are
thousands, too, whose names have
never been honored by the historian
who have done and who are doing no
less nobly.
Count me DER earth's chosen heroes, they
were souls that stood alone,
While the men tney agonized for hurled the
cOntumelious stone.
stood serene, and down the future saw the
golden bcam incline
To the side Of perfect justice, mastered by
their faith divine,
BY one mans plain truth 10 manhood and TO
Gods supreme design"
Ii is well 10 read those records OF the
past which tell us Of such men, men,
who, by force OF plain truth TO
their own manhood and TO the supreme
design Of their Maker have wrought
work whose influence for good, will be
felt through all the ages. IL "to look on
noble forms makes noble" surely we,
who are here aud now forming our
characters and shaping our lives,
would do well 10 make those heroic
souls objects of our daily contempla-
tion; we would do we'll TO strive 10 en-.
ter into sympathy with their thoughts,
10 penetrate the secret of their great.
ness, and 10 strive 10 make their career
our own. II is n sad fact that You will
too frequently meet with persons who
viii tell you that there II no such thing