The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-17

that is not met in this book. Here and
there men fall. This is a part of the
great transition movement through which
our country is going A state of war is
state of earthquake and a state of dis
location 1t has poisoned the air and
inflated mems ideas of the relations and
values of property. Anything that dis
turbs the measurement OF values trans
forms the whole man. A currency, even
though necessary, which initiates every
thing makes man feel three times rich
er than he is, and when it begins to come
down, with its cracks and yawning
chasms and landslides, there is brought
to bear upon business men stress which
the virtue of multitudes is not able to
endure as it would in ordinary times. 1t
is not strange that in going through ma
larial districts the weak are brought
down while the strong survive. We are
going through season of malaria. l
hope we are nearly through. The times
have tested men as one tests timber.
Some woods will bear strain of one ton,
some of two, some of five. When this
strain comes then the original fiber is
discovered. There are some sins which,
having been committed, are repented of
and stop there; there are others that drag
after them innumerable consequences.
This act of Mr.. Gilman is one of the lat
ter class and stands connected with
long train of causes and effects which
he may not have been able to control.
" A child may step on board of White
Star steamer and with a touch open
the valve, set every wheel and lever
in that vast marine engine in motion,
but if it should strive to stop it by TAX
ing hold of one of the wheels? When
Mr. Gilman had through confusion or
through a lack of adherence of evil,
taken the first trust fund to make good a
little shortening, he had either to con-
TESS or ruin himself, or take more in hope
of better luck next time to enable him
to make good the deficiency. Pressed
not by avarice or greed, but by his love
for those who depended upon him and
his reputation, he was forced to take
again and again, and by this time his
moral sentiment was so blunted that he
went on to the next step-actual forgery.
By this time he had come to think of it
as generic, not a specific crime. can
readily conceive of a mans feeling more
morose for some particular act than for
long series of evil deeds. | am satisfied
that forgery has existed and does exist
to an extent which very few suspect.
Many man has issued piece of forged
paper to bridge an abyss, has gone safely
over, and burned the bridge behind him,
you may be sure.
"Gilman thought that he could. If
the times had been prosperous he might
have recovered. They were not pros
porous, and he was crowded into that
Slough of Despond of which Bunyan
says: Thousands and thousands of loads
of soil were thrown in, but it was not
less deep
"What are the relations which such q
man sustains to the mercy of God, to
himself and the Church Universal? l
suppose it may be said that Mr.. Gilman
is repentant man. Some parts of the
statement which he sent to Dr. Houghton
would have melted the heart of stone.
l have reason to believe that he abhors
with utter loathing the air into which he
has fallen. He does not attempt to ex-
tenuate his crime or make excuse for
himself, but confesses, and is ready to
endure all the penalty which his acts en-
tail. The Lord will dwell with him;
broken and contrite heart he says he will
recompense.
" AS compared with the last five years,
the next five in the Penitentiary will be
like Elysium, and he will feel more near
to God, more like Christian than for
merly. Remember those in bonds as if
you were bound with them. What if
this were your son, your brother, your
friend? All parents who have sons
should put up prayers in their own be-
half of the son of Christian parents and
of his family, his wife, his dear little
children, his son, his daughters can
not speak" Here Mr. Beecher was over
come with emotion, and after a moments
silence said, in an impressive manner:
Meanwhile let alone evil before it be
ungovernable. That is safe, that is safe.
Don't believe you are strong enough and
shrewd enough to enter a course of wrong
and yet come safely through. In En-
gland they have homely proverb: He
who would sup with the devil must have
a long spoon Those who think they
are shrewd to do wrong and dodge the
devil should take heed from these re
peated warnings"