Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-09-15
The Lesson of the Morning.

The slow tragedy at the white hOus
has been preaching during this summe
a sermon to the nation. with meaning
and force such as no man can put in
to words. There can be no more helE
full work before any of us this Sunda
morning than to try to find out wha
that meaning is to each of us indi
vidually.
In the first place, why has the feel
ing Of sorrow throughout the cOuntr,
been so general and so poignant AM
lasting? The assassination of an,
man in the position of the presiden
whatever his character, would have
sent Il shock of horror throughout til,
country; but horror at the deed in thi
case speedily sank into Il feeling o
deep, personal regret. Day after day
since that fatal July morning, in thi
broad land from sea TO sea, men, won
en-, and even little children have wait
ed for bulletins from the white hOusl
with hearts as anxious us though tn,
sufferer were Of their own blood, ;
long known and trusted friend. Ye
General Garfield could not he said Il
be iclorc his election, a popular idol
Compared with the heroes of gaping
crowds and public 0yations, he was
mknOWn and obscure; political iugglers
never chose him us Il tool whom they
could use, because his brilliant record
would dazzle the pur-blind, mthinkinl
mass TO their real purport. 1t wa,
not until after his assassination, indeed
that the people discovered how pure
and noble had been the career of the
man whom they had made their ruler
\ temperate man, unbiased by sensual
,ppctilcs or greed, Il tender, wise
'athcr and husband, a good son, a
hcerfu, liberal Christian; in Il word,
IL man faithful in the highest sense To
| his friend, his country, and his God.
| II WAS this James Garfield endowed
with manly and rare virtue TO whom
the people have given the homage of
their affection, watching by his dying
bed with bated breath, not to the fam
Gus soldier or hero.
"Nothing lasts but character"
When the most obscure Of our read
crs comes to die, he will not perhaps
have Il whole people watching over
him, nor have messages from kings of
all nations TO cheer his way to the
grave. But if his character in his quiet
home has been as bameless as James
Garfield, If his course in his humber
field of duty has been as manly and
as true, the mourning for him will be
precisely the same in kind, though not
in extent. No triumphal victories on
the battlefield could conquer for him
this tender, deep regard; no money
could buy it.
For the man Garfield himself, if it
is Gods will to remove him from us,
we should, did we look at his fate
Alright, shed no tears Of vain regret.
He has done his work well. Few men
find a life of steady, persistent endeav-
ol for the right in everyday duties re-
warled by Il call to rule over a mighty
nation; nor when the summons from
. the great Master comes for them to "go
up higher do they heal the verdict
of the good Of all lands, "WeIl done,
thy good and faithful servant
70 the country itself, in the minds
Of even many faithful Christians, the
loss of Gmricld's hand at the helm is
great and irrepaadle. Men who are
not Christians, but who have closely
watched the history of any people,
know that the loss Of any individual
does not interfere with its steady
progress. principles live" What
tine yiyirying principles of American
life are, how Just, how honest, how
stern in condemnation of trickery and
corruption, the public feeling since the
presidents assassination has shown
The man who mistakes the tone and
temper of the American people, and
commits himself to that mistake, after
the experience Of the last two months
is fool whose folly will bring its own
punishment. We have had enough of
tricky politicians and their tools in
high places. The nation has learned
since March, 1871, what plain, honest
sober, God.lening men in the white
house can do for it. Garlield's murder
is not likely to make them forget the
lesson.
For the rest Of urTXiety and fears
whatever happens, let us remember
that God lives. The Source from
which Gmlcld's pure life, his honor,
courage and truth, and the responsive
virtue and nobility in the people which
recognized these traits in him, is eter'
nal. Rclormer, heroes, and martyrs
have died, but honesty and liberty re-
mained and conquered. Jesus Him
self disappeared and left only dOzer
poor fishermen charged with His mes
sage. Let no mans heart quail on this
calm Sunday morning because Ont
helpful worker seems called to othel
fields of action. "The Lord reigns
be the people never 50 unquict."