Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-15

revelation OF their animus which could not
fail 10 reflect upon their judgment and can
dor. When Guiteau rebuked the district at
torney for using strong language in charao-
torizing his conduct, saying that he was him.
self pious man and such words troubled
him, few level-headed Christians would take
long in choosing between the spirit that con-
demned even unwarrantably so great crime,
and the spirit that not only prompted, but
even Justified it and. gloried in IL. 1t requires
no great stretch OF charity to see more godli-
ness in a righteous indignation, even wrong
ly expressed, than in pious cant glorying
over n Satanic deed. Christianity offers no
plea and suggests no excuse for swearing,
but IL recognizes a distinction between n
formal, thoughtless act Of wrong-doing, and
n deep.rooted, all pervading selfshness, that
assumes the garb Of sanctimony.
In contrast, the career of the President was
referred TO as representing life in harmony
with Gods wisdom and counsel. With tai
ents consecrated from his youth he worked
for higher aims than self-aggrandizement.
He rose in life by the natural gravitation Of
fitness and faithfuness. He lost himself in
work, and the public found him in Office.
The sermon preached from the sick-bed at
the White House the past week, with its les.
sons Of patience, and faith, and courage, and
peace in submission 10 the will of God, was
held to DO far more effective for the cause Of
truth than any book of evidences or laboied
reply to infdel sneers It is significant that
men of all classes and professions have open
ly reioiced that the President was a Chris
tian man, and in the great trial through
which he passed was sustained by Christian
hopes and Christian sources of strength. The
bulletins issued by the physicians have held
out hopes of recovery on the ground OF the
patients vigor of body and strength Of will.
The President has been a clean man, physic-
ally and spiritually. His body has been vast
ed by no indulgence or sensual excess. His
mind suffers now from no remorse for the past
nor dread of the future. Aud his will asserts
itself in no spasmodic, fitful way, but in calm
reliance upon aud in harmony with the Di-
vine will. These are fruits legitimate fruits
of the Christian faith II the corrupt tree of
superstition, and cant, and spiritual ignor-
ance can bring forth such fruits as these, let
it be cultivated. To-day the nation rejoices
that Coleridges idea Of the great, good man
is realized in its chief, who has
"Three treasures love and light,
And calm thoughts, regular as infants breath,
And three firm friends, sure than day and night,
Himself, his Maker aud the angel Death"
In conclusion, after reference TO the pray
ers which had been offered the past few days
to the ways of Providence as shown in the
Presidents escape at Chattanooga TO be shot
down in times of peace and to the necess-
ty for suffering and sacrifice in the purchase
of any great reform an occasion for reioic-
ing was found in the sight Of people lifted
for a moment by the impulse to do honor TO
the noble traits OF noble man. The con.
trast between the spirit of the last campaign,
when only partisans could find words Of
praise for faithful public servant, and the
spirit Of the present hour, when the highest
praise finds echo in every heart. while it must
suggest sad comments upon the average con
dition Of human nature, still opens up a glo-
rious picture OF its possibilities. While the
former spirit was of the earth, earthly, sensu-
al devilish, the latter has been of heaven,
white with the light Of charity that is divine
II the sight of one suffering man, if this one
touch of nature, can make the whole world
kin, who can set bounds to the power of Di-
vine grace? A sight like this may foreshad-
ow for us the possibilities Of the heavenly ex-
istence. The souls we see about us, low and
sordid and grovelling as they seem, have ca
liabilities we have not imagined. A heaven
of purity and love aud light, where Christ is.
may be peopled even with human kind.