Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-04-01
L I'll K sen TIN l..
ROCKVILLE, MD
Friday Morning. ....... April /, 1881.
a STRIVING CONTRAST

A STRIVING CONTRAST.
A short time since the great thinking
world was plunged into mourning at the
death of Thomas Carlisle, a grand old man,
who formore than half a century has aroused
the finest and noblest aspirations Of his fell
low-men. His great ambition was TO write
of ideal heroes and high cndeayor, the tri-
umph of the spiritual man equipped with
God-given energies to subdue himself and
rise above the petty temptations of the ma
terial world. Historians and biographers
love to trace in beautiful colors the lineage
of those whose lives have been good and
whose services have been eminent, and since
the world began its people have at seasons
mourned the loss of the great and good,
those alike eminent for ability and eminent
for gentleness and worth. He was taken
not in the morning, neither in the meridian
of life. The years of his usefulness were be-
ne6cently heightened to more than the al
lotted span when
Gods finger touched him, and he died"
He passed away in the maturity of age
and in the ripeness of experience, while yet
his eye was not dim nor his natural force
abated.
Thomas Carlisle was indeed an old man
when be passed away, and he himself said
lonely one. His wife, his partner in the
true sense of the word, had gone years ago,
taking with her all the sunshine that be-
longed to this world so far as he was con-
cerned. His death was as beautiful as it
was happy, and though it was not a sur
prise to the world at large, there was deep
sorrow when he exchanged this for better
life When his death was announced, there
were sad eyed men and women wherever
the force of language was appreciated, who
felt that they had lost friend in the rugged
poet. He was buried very much as he was
born. His remains were placed by the side
of his father in quiet little village church
yard, whilst the earth was furrowed all over
with white pillows and with no sound TO
disturb the stiffness of the mournful occa-
sion, save that which came from the old
weather-beaten belfry, solemn tone that
blended with the wintry blast as it hurried
by.
Thomas Carlisle was of humble parent
age, the son of a stonemason, and he was
ushered into the world in crumbling cot
tage. Like most young men of limited
means and bereft of family influence, he had
many and enormous difficulties to over
come, but he was finally successful, and as
he rounded into noble manhood he became
one of the worlds greatest teachers Dust
has returned TO dust, Carlisle sleeps in his
humble grave, we stand at the end looking
back upon long life rounded out with
labor diligently performed and duties faith
fully discharged. Those among whom that
lille began, and was fitted for its work, join
those for whom its matured and ripened
faculties were spent in paying tribute to its
worth and in mourning that it is ended
Only two weeks ago another great mar
passed from the active theatre Of life Hi
death was as shocking and sudden as it wa!
terrible. 1t came upon him as the fulfill
ment of a fixed and remorseless purpose o
his fellow-men. To-day millions of peopl,
are rejoicing that Alexander Ii, Emperor o
all the Russias, Car of Poland and Crane
Duke Of Finland, came to his death at tht
hands OF an assassin. Ills body was en-
balmed and placed upon exhibition IN,
funeral ceremonies were simply stupendous
Dukes and Princes, Marshals and Generals
including infantry, cavalry and artillery
were present in gorgeous and solemn array
rs significant evidence OF nations grief II
fhe death Of a great man. Yes, like Car
isle, Alexander III was mournel, and if til,
kilograms have not lied, some Of the mill
tary shed tears Perhaps they did, Go,
knows they had reasons for doing 50, ant
il is even said that the Princess Dolgorouk
was so moved that she left St Petersburg
if virtue had not long since biushed itself it
death, she would have left sooner Boil
Carlislc's birth and death were wonderfully
democratic With Alexander II, birth anC
burial were two pompous events, At tn
cradle of the latter Grand Dukes bent the
knees, Grand Duchesses We'd with one an
other for the honor of assuaging his infan
pains. Luxurious and cultivated cviliza
ton was ransacked 10 make him happ,
and give additional zest to the splendiC
luxury which every where surrounded him
And with il all we are impressed with th,
belief that OF the two men--one Of whom
was born in poverty and lived almost il
poverty, and whose life was perpetua
struggle 70 fit himself for that state of exist
ence in which the doctrines Of Christianit,
are perfectly praciced. while the other liyet
in seli-indulgence, with The groans OF mil
lions OF bis subjects ringing in his ears.-ih,
perfect spirits of the just will hardly turn
10 receive Alexander lI--onco Emperor o
all the Russias.
Alexander II is dead and his remain
were borne to their resting place with al
The pomp aud glitter that the wealth an,
ingenuity Of o great nation could bring L
bear. The sevenfy-fivc orders and tlecora
tions and the nine crowns that were horn
in the pageant must have served rather {,
mock the poor shattered corpse they wer
powerless TO protect against the hand Of III
assassin. On one side were tho emhiems 4
the Cars human claims 10 Omnipotence
on the other the irrciniable proofs Of hi
littleness. That broken body had no NOR
power than the tiny corpse Of the it'll
Guild who died u neglect or starvation i
some tenement house. the soul that occu
pied il has more 10 answer before a iribuns
which cannot be impressed with royal pom
81 swerved nom lis Judgment By armed bal
ialions. Then why all this pomp and show
five mistake not Alexander II has weight,
matters claiming his consideration than Ill
reviewing Of troops that can win him n
more battles or take pride in the display ,
loyalty which j. either compulsory or pu
chased
Thinning Tor a moment irom the consi,
Grafton 81 the two great men who ba,
a.