The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-09-30

therefore we hear him saying in his
maturer years ut is the high priv
ilege and sacred duty of those now
living to educate their successors and
fit them by intelligence and virtue
for the inheritance which awaits
them" DE prived of his father in his
childhood, u double responsibility was
thus thrown upon the home training
of the mother. And the currents of
deep and tender affection passing and
requesting between the aged mother,
now having passed the goal of four
score, and the wounded, suffering,
dying son, causing audible heart
thrObbings, have shown to the world
how deeply the one life WAS bound up
in the life or the other. What an
empire was tho early empire of
such u mother over such a child-re.
minding US of JOchebed and the child
Moses. Said the mother, already
awaiting the announcement of the
lleadly bulletin, God made so few
men like him, he will not take him
away" What Il contrast of Il divine
christianity with heathenism of
idolatry, leaving the mother In her
old age to starve OH the banks of the
Gauges. Equally beautiful was its
contrast with Mohammedism whose
disciple feels insulted if you ask after
the health of his wife, when rs the
first public act after taking the presi-
Dental oath. he turned and kissed his
mother and then his wife. So the
Gospel blossoms in a christian home.
After he had struggled through a
preparatory course and his attention
was turned to college, whose presi-
dent had said in his inaugural: ~
shall labor that this may be a safe
college, that here there may be health
and cheerful study, and kind feelings
and pure MORALS" he thought this to
be the college for him, and when after
Il confidential interview, the president
said: "We will see what we can do
for you," the joy of bOundless hope
leaped up in his heart. And now was
manifested the power of one great
man in developing greatness in anoth-
err man. When the telegram of sympa-
thy came from Williams college to
the sick chamber at Washington of
the many remarkable kilograms from
that sick chamber, none Is more in
structive than the response to this.
Said the pupil of his teacher "God
bless the dear old man! Give him
my thanks" and added "there is
nothing so powerful us the moulding
influence of a thoroughly good man.
There is Mark Hopkins not a day
has passed for years in which l have
not been made in some way to rec.
ognize the fact, that me moro than
any other man has left his mark upon
me-" On previous occasion, in
meeting of alumni he remarked
"Give me a log cabin in the centre of
the State of Ohio with one room in it
and bench, with Mark Hopkins on
one end of it and me Oh the other and
that would be college good enough
for me-" These statements furnish
IA suggestive illustration Of the power
of that perfect life that has moulded
Mark Hopkins and is mightier than
all other forces to-day in moulding
the life of christond0m, and through
christendOm the life of the human
race.
2.-It was but the unfolding of this
ideal germ of the fullest self.educa-
ton that blOssOmed into a life pur.
pose, to do as diligently and as per-
fectly as possible whatever work the
providence of God assigned him to
do. The prayer of Solomon breathes
its spirit through his life-work. "Give
TO thy servant an understanding
heart that l may discern between
good and bad" i. e. that l may wisely
fulfil my mission. He was diligent
student. lie was diligent worker.
He carefully classified and arranged
for easy reference, all the accumulat.
ing acquisitions of his daily toll.
His speeches also glow with the fresh
ness of original thought. He has
coined more living utterances to be
repeated in the future than perhaps
any of our statesmen except Webster
and Lincoln. He has hOnOred every
station he has filled, rs president of
college, as n member of the national
congress. rs a general on the battle
field, as the nations chief executive,
and cut down in the very prime of
life, two months this side the ripe
age of so, no man in christendOm had
more promising outlook for grander
achievements in the future. None
has more grandly illustrated the diff.
ference between the statesman and
the politician. He did not seek office,
but the office sought him. He was
not even candidate for the presidency
and the conflict in which he lost his
life was the deadly conflict of states
manship with politics, Of patriotism
with public plumber, of civil service
reform with official favOritism and
selfish barter. In the treasury de.
partment, in the post Office depart
ment, in the state department and in
the civil service reform, the admins.
tration though so brief had already
won golden opinions. and all because
each sought to do as perfectly as
possible its own work.
3.-The underlying and overShad-
owing greatness Of James A. Garfield
was his moral greatness. He was a
christian statesman. He was an avOw
ed disciple of the Divine teacher, and
he openly professed his allegiance to
Him. The words of his pastor in
Washington give fullest testimony in
briefest words, when he says "his
life spoke for ITSELF" and that "he
had been from his 10Th year an active,
practical and faithful christian" and
he died as he lived patiently and even
heroically struggling that he might
live and conquer, for the nations sake,
4. a.