Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-09-22
The lesson of the Morning.


New York Tribune, Aug g.
The slow tragedy at the white house
has been preaching during this summer
sermon to the nation. with meaning
and force such as no man can put in.
to words. There can be no more help
full work before any of us this Sunday
morning than to try to find out what
that meaning is to each of us indi-
vidually.
In the first place, why has the feel
Ing of sorrow throughout the country
been so general and so poignant and
lasting? The assassination of any
man in the position of the president
whatever. his character, would have
sent shock of horror throughout the
country; but horror at the deed in this
case speedily sank into a feeling of
deep, personal regret. Day after day,
since that fatal July morning, in this
broad land from sea to sea, men, wom-
en-, and even little children have want
ed FOR bulletins from the white house
with hearts as anxious as though the
sufferer were of their own blood. a
long known and trusted friend. Yet
General Garfield could not be said to
be efOre his election, a popular idol.
Compared with the heroes of gaping
crowds and public ovatioRs, he was
unknown and obscure; political jugglers
never chose him as a tool whom they
could use, because his brilliant record
would dazzle the pur-blind, unthinking
mass to their real purport. 1t was
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.
A temperate man, unbiased by sensual
appetites or greed, a tender, wise
father and husband, a good son, a
cheerful, liberal Christian; in a word.
a man faithful in the highest sense to
his friend, his country, and his God.
1t 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
ers comes to die, he will not perhaps
have a 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 blameless az 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 life of steady. persistent endeav-
OF Tor the right in everyday duties re-
warded by call to rule over a mighty
nation; nor when the summons from
the great Master comes fer them to Ego
up higher" do they hear the verdict
of the good Of all lands, "Well done,
thy good and faithful servant"
To the country itself, in the minds
of even many faithful Christians, the
loss of Garlield's hand at the helm is
great and irreparadle. Men who are
not Christians, bat who have closely
watched the history of any people,
: know that the loss of any individual
does rot interfere with its steady
progress. principles live" What
the vivifying 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, 1877, what plain, honest,
sober, GOd-fearing men in the white
house can do for it. Garfield's murder
is not likely to make them forget the
lesson.
For the rest of our anxiety and fears.
whatever happens, let us remember
that God lives. The Source from
which Gar6eld'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. RefCrmer, heroes, and martyrs
have died, but honesty and liberty re-
manned and conquered. Jesus Him.
self disappeared and left only dozen
poor fishermen charged with His mes
sage. Let no mans heart quail on this
calm Sunday morning because one
helpful worker seems called to other
fields of action. "The Lord reigns.
be the people never so unquiet."