Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1880-06-05

ONLY the ancient line of facts fully
;, set forth or called to mind but alst
the lesson which those facts teach
The law deals with an offender
with u double purpose-to punisl
= him for the murder or the theft thai
justice may not 60 wholly unhonor'
ed even in this life-and to so deal
=, with him that in after time men
shall learn what comes upon those
who do deeds of violence. In like
manner come rewards-they pay
for the past and are earnest for the
future.
In fact in all things what is done
is done, and the knowledge of them
is of little worth so far as they are
concerned ; the lesson to come out
of them is what is important. The
j man .t}'o klsoT~s IL raeb -bs,stiie- eff
facts and is content with the mere
knowledge of them may be a very
learned man bu: to go beyond that
and be q wise man he must draw
from them conclusions as to the
conduct of life in himself and his
associates. All study of the past
teaches this, that the power of hab-
it cannot be over estimated and
that it is of great use that the mind
he habituated to contemplate good
and noble things that have been
done. The furniture of the mind
comes to fit the dwelling that the
mind abides in.
1t is well then if we have had in
this country anything worth relnem-
bering that we keep ourselves in
the habit of recalling it. Mankind
in all ages have tried various de-
vices for remembrance in the
land. Wells have been dug, rude
piles of stones cast up, pyramids
have oppressed the desert sands
and trees have made an oasis among
them, walls have been inscribed,
monuments reared high, and days
set apart to be commemorative of
what is past.
Memory serves for little time,
for a generation or part of a gen.
Grafton; tradition lasts longer but
clouds over after time and the
original fact is lost or distorted
history is for all time, but many of
it's pages are dull, many are never
written, and at the best it soon
reaches the few only and not the
many. 1t comes then that other
means have been DEVISED, that
monuments have been set to mark |
continually the spot of great deeds !;
great monuments to mark great
deeds as such. And monuments
placed to mark the resting
place of departed friends are
seen here to-day as a testimony that
they are not forgotten. 1t has been
asked in all days doubtless as it was
when Edward Everett answered the
question ''What good will the mon-
ument do ~ by the counter-question
"What good does anything do ?"
The monument teaches what the
man or the action that it cOmmem.
crates, taught. 1t repeats the les
son from generation to generation.
But greater to this end is the day
set apart. No monument built of
few stones, or of many, so that it
towers skyward, equals in influence
the day that is made in each re-
volving year to mark some great
man or time. The Fourth of July
marks the birth of a nation-stirs
the blood with thought of the fath-
ers-as no local granite column can
do. All Christendom's thought
is active and joyful at Christmas
and Easter. And year by year
throughout their land this day calls
to mind the salvation of the coun-
try and does honor to the men who
saved it.
But all the arches, the towers,
the hugh piles of rock that make
travellers gaze in wonder Oh the
plains of Egypt, all the days of the
calendar, all force of habit cannot
keep alive the memory of that
which deserves to be forgotten.
The pyramids are known but
what do they mean9 That which
was built was greater than the
meaning it was intended to convey,
aud while the huge piles remain
they give no reason for their exist
ence. SO we see an unworthy
thing may not be kept in the worlds
mind by the most ponderous at
tempts. And on the other hand
two many good deeds are lost to
the future by having no record
made of them. 1t will not do to
trust to luck in this matter.
But when the right thing is done,
and the right measure taken to
keep in mind, the two 60 down the
gears together; as long as they
keep together they teach and work
for good Oh each succeeding genera
ton of men.
Then, to-day, and addressing
| mara nartirnlarly thoSa who haua