New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-10
TUE LESSONS OF 4 WEHE

Last Sabbath from every Christian church
and every Christian flrcsdo in The land went
up heartfelt prayers for the life of the Prcsi-
dent. 1t liz hard to realize that only u week has
passed. The nation has lived fast and learned
much within these seven days 1t knows its
President, his noble wife, and his whole family
far better than it did week ago. and can ap-
prcciate far more fully the loss that it w ould
sustain II such man should be taken from
his sphere OF usefulness. Il voted against
him" said gray-haired Democrat on Saturday.
but | know now that he is the largest and
best man we have ever had in public life
within my time.' In greater or less degree
millions of men have found in themselves the
same change Of feeling, the same growth of az
probation, OF thorough trust and of high re-
gard, as they have watched by tho bedside of
tho President. His calm resignation and read-
ness to meet death, with his cool courage and
unwavering resolution to do his best to preserve
a life useful and precious to millions: his pa
tent endurance OF pain, and OF all the restraints
deemed essential TO his recovery; his tender
mesa or feeling and his royal strength of will,
have made him loved with an unsncakabIe
love by millions Of true hearted men and women
throughout the land. 1t il not too much to saw
That this last week by the bedside of the
wounded President has lifted the National
standard of truo Christian manhood for all
time to come.
Great trials educate a whole nation st once.
The people will never realize how much they
have learned within the past week In knowl-
edge of merely material things, the whole M
ton has grown wiser; il has been STUDYING
physical injuries, their nature and treatment.
with such intense interest that there are tbou
sands of schoobOys to-day who know more of
such subjects than their fathers did u week AFRO.
But this is an insignificant part of the knowl-
edge gained. Moral culture has been advanced.
how much we can only suiInisc. There are
millions of men and women who realize now. As
they never did before, the value of calm forti.
tudc, resolutc will and strict obedience in every
emergency. For years to come there will be
better patient In thousands of households be-
cause OF tins weeks teaching. How many
wives ana mothers are there who have learned
nothing from Mrs. Garfield EVERYDAY
stopped to think moment on Inauguration ,lay
when it was said that the President kissed his
wife and mother Immediately after tallin. the
oath OF office. But now who does not realize
more keenly than ever before the incalculabla
blessing and helpfulness of u united and loving
households Is it possible that the pure light of
such bright example will not make better
For a week it is as if the Nation had been sitting
at the bedside Of a man in sore distress. count.
ing his pulses, noting his temperature and
breathing, and listening for every WHISPERED
word. But neither the near approach of death
nor inc agony OF long continued suffering has
drawn from the President a word of anger or
VlhdlctiycneSs toward any one How pitiful
seems the wrath OF angry foes cOntrastcd with
the kindly spirit of this true, gentle man. In
early days Mr. Garfield was a teacher. But in
ripe manhood he teaches greater lessons 70 a
larger class.
This country thinks more Of its free inst;tu-
tons since it sees what sort of manhood those
institutions develop and have lifted to tine
highest station. 1t is pride and pleasure n
know that, III ono country on earth. neither
lowiy birth nor iron fortune prevents the adj
vancement OF true man to the highest usc
fu!ness. In some quarters, it has been FASH
lonable to sheer at the convention and tbo
ballot. But system which picks out sucb
man as James A. Garfield can bear close crit;-
cism. III his life is spared, it is probable that
his personal influence will become remarkably
potent The people will trust him as they have
not trusted any other man since Mr.. Lincoln
His power to put down indecent, intern ,,erate
and lawless partisanship will be very great. No
hostile party or faction will find it easy to mako
head against q man SO known and so loved
who can say that great good to the country
may not come from what has seemed to be ot
once great shame and terrible calamity ?
VINO can say that the Infinite Father. who's,
goodness has been shown so often and so mar
Veilously III the history of this country. NAV
not bring a blessing to the Nation and its