Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-17
What the Dean Of Westminster Had To Say Of U.s.
after His Recent Visit 10 America

Il.
| after His Recent Visit 10 America.
In MacmillaH's Magazine for January is
printed Dean Stanley's address before the
Birmingham and Midland Institute at Bir-
mingham, December l6 1.-THE Historical
Aspect of the United States" SpeIking of
the formation Of our republic and its growth
in new ways of its own, with its much yasteI
and quicker methods of Development than
those in the older nations, he said
In thus comparing the growing history
Of the present with tie possible history of
the future, may be allowed to use figure
which | employed in ore of my farewell
speeches to my kind American hosts? IN
that memorable hOur-memorable in the lie
OF every one as the moment when he first
sees the Pyramids Of Egypt or the Alps of
Standardization | first stood before the
cata-acts Of Niagara it seemed to me that the
scene which | Witnessed was not an unapt
likeness of the fortunes of America. Ii was
midnight the moon was full, and | saw
from the vast bridge which span the river,
the ceaseless cOntOrtiOn, confusion, whirl
and chaos, bursting forth in clouds of foam
from that immense central chasm which
divides the American from the British do
minion; and as | looked on that ever
changing movement, and listened to that
everlasting roar, it seemed an emblem of the
devouring, fermenting, perplexed, bewilder-
ing activity, the ceaseless, restless, beating
whirlpool of existence in the United States.
Rut Iptn tho rnnnnlinht uGy thara
cloud of spray twice as high as the falls
themselves, silent, majestic, immovable. That
silver column. glittering in the moonlight,
seemed an image of the future of American
history-of the upward, heaven-aspiring des-
tiny which should emerge from the distrac-
tiOns Of the present. Let me explain in a
few words wherein that pillar Of light has
an historical substance which may lead
Us to hope that it will not vanish away with
the morning light, but may continue to
guide the coming times of the United States.
And ior this purpose l select three points
from the history of the past which conduce
to confidence, which, if not without
trembling. still 'rejOices' always-points on
which | venture to insist. because they bear
practically on an educational institution like
this.
There is the marked popularity of the
American people, apparent almost from the
first. the singular DuOyancy and elasticity
both of the national and individual charac-
ter. 1t may be the product of their bril-.
liant, exhiiarating, invigOrating climate; it
may be the accompaniment of the vast
horizon opened out by their boundless
territory; it may be partly the youth of the
nation, on which have so much enlarged
IN this address; bus its existence is unques-
tionable. If at times there is something
almost of levity in the readiness with which
misfortunes are thrown off and life begun
over again; if at times the more sober part
Of the nation is depressed by the sense of the
difficulties which they have no encounter,
yet on the whole this spring of vitality, if
turned to good account, must be of incal
cuable value in this working world, where
Imagination still plays SO large part and
where so much is given to assurance Of VIC
tory, even more than to victory itself, if,
Ierchanee, the United States have too
much of it, We, it may be, have 200 little
and this confidence of Americans in their
own political, ecclesiastical, and social sys-
TEN. Is warning TO US to rise above those
dOfeful lamentations with which in these
days we often hear the citizens and church
men and Christians of English despair of our
county, our church, and our religion.
There are also the elements of that charac
ter which they possess in common with the
English race, with which their past history
shows them to be in so many respects identl-
cal. In spite Of some dark and sinister fea-
lures in both countries, there is on the whole
the same keen appreciation of the delights
of pure domestic life In spite of the law
le>sness which is perhaps the inevitable out
bursts of the efervescence of communities
not yet fully organized, there is on the whole
in the mass of the people something Of the
same self-cOntrol and cOmmon-sense and love
Of freedom and obedience to law on which
We pride ourselves and which we are glad to
recognize in our descendants And these
points of contact 'r-een the mother coun-
try and the dtJgu,ei States not cnly are
themselves encouraging, but they derive
additional force from the guarantee which
they give that the Union between the two,
though severed by the revolution of the last
century, Is in the essential elements Of
character and social sympathy yet unbroken.
I'VE no doubt may have murh to learn
from America but il this closenes- OF SYM
pathy and hOmOgeneousneSs of race Is still
maintained, they will always have something
to learn from US, and will, we trust, be not
unwilling to receive 1t. Ii Is solemn res
possibility which this recollection of Ameri-
can history inpresses upon US, that as VS.
were their fathers, so in large measure We
are responsible for them-Our children ; res
pOn>ible because they sprang from US, but
vet more responsible because our good or
evil actions still produce direct impression
on their susceptible minds. Commercial
dishonesty, blind political partisanship.
demsgoglc stratagems, frivolous luxury IN |
English society, are strong incentives to any |
like vices which appear in the kindred stock /;
and. on the other hand. every attempt on
our parts to maintain refinement of manners,
truthful dealing. policy that does not tend |
to popular fashion or faction, simplicity and |
sell-control in social life, act and have acted
with immense force in promoting the like |
virtues beyond the Atlantic. 1t is the |
spirit Of the British Constitution says |
Burke. which, infused through the mighty |
mass Of the English settlements. pervades,
feeds, unites, invigOrates every part even |
down to the minutest.' Our kinsmen be- |
yond the sea may be flttered for the mo-
ment by being told that they area nation
stronger and greater than We. But they |
bave too much sense and knowledge Of our |
joint history not to be proud Of their Eng
lish parentage and their ancient home"