The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-10
NUMBER 80.
Resurrection.

his surgeons, when he was at the
worst, Il believe he would recover.
and that rapidly. But / do not see
how he can live that long. unless a
great change takes place, for which
we see no good reason to hope" The
great change came, nevertheless, and
the President did live through the
dreaded day, with slow but steady
of condition. If there
was on Saturday morning one chance
in thousand of recovery, there are
many chances in thousand now,
though the terrible exhaustion of
the patient, and the complication Of
his. disorders forbid as 10 hope with
out fear and trembling. But the God
of this Nation has heard prayers
from every Christian fireside and
altar in the land, and from many
hearts unused to prayer. Meyer be-
fore, probably, have so many of the
people Joined in such earnest and
heartfelt petitions for any mercy.
He doeth all things well, and if 10
His wisdom. it appears that greater
good can be done by the life than by
the death of the President, we may
be sure that His arm is not shortened
that it cannot save. To many it will
seem little less than a miracle that a
man should rise from such extreme
pY hauStiOn HE curroooo so;J ~,
many to be unreasonably hopeful,
gave up hope for the first time last
week. Some of his most faithful
friends, who have stood about him
like a solid wall for many weary
weeks, lost heart for the first time
when they saw his mind clouded,
and his royal will losing its gras,.
One brave and loving woman. the
wife whose tenderness and fortitude
have made hel dear TO the whole
world, never lost hope, but to every
body else it seemed that little less
than miracle could save the Presi-
dent.
Yet he grows stronger. and hope
revives. Is it fiji that we. whose daily
lives are crowded with events which
would have been miracles to our
fathers, should presume to say where
are the limits of curative power?
Who can tell how powerfully the
mind controls in bodily ailments ?
Truly. as we read the story OF that
terrible Saturday, it seems as if the
President he'd seen in the faces of
anxious surgeons and loving atten.
dants that one after another they had
lost hope, and had been inspired to
resolve that he would take the matter
into his own hands. with Gods help.
When hope was dead, he reused, and
demanded 1oOd. Others doubted If
he could prolong the struggle. He
asked once if it was worth while, but
saw the path of duty, and determined
to do his best. Who can tell what
slight causes, a brave word, loving
look, a tender touch, noble thought.
nerved the sinking man to a new
effort? Who can tell what slight
change of treatment some attendant
was prompted to make, which turned
the trembling scale? There is in
finite power around US all. The
President will live, if it appears to
the Infinite Father that his life will
make this better Nation.
No other man has ever been so
anxiously watched, by the whole
civilized world, while lying face to
face with death. His life and heroism
60 TO the hearts of men in every land.
The grand Christian fortitude of the
true man himself, and the lofty de-
yOtion of his wife and others about
him, create new standard of man
hood and womanhood for all the
civilized world. Living or dying,
this one man brings blessing that
space or time cannot measure. Mob
Ter impulses, grander and purer
thouG hts. fill all Christendom to-day,
because of the life and the heroic
conduct of one man. Only Omnis-
cience knows how to make the best
use of any man, and James A Gar
field himself, in his highest aspira-
tions, never yet has thought of doing
as much good as he has done already,
lying on bed of pain. If he is to
recover, only Infinite Wisdom can
measure the power for good or evil
which will rest with so rare man,
so raised as if from death itself. A
responsibility before which any man
living might shrink. the responsible
ity of life endowed with strange
and awful power, will rest upon him
henceforth. Out of the blackest cloud
comes the most binding and terrible
light. Praying to the end for his
life, the Nation must also pray that
l tho Tnfinitn Eofh.r will ,.,,;,lo a.