Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-03
BismarcA,'s Religion and Superstition.

BiSDlarc5s's Religion and Superstition.
The princes religious principles have
undergone change. In early years he
inclined toward the philosophy of Spinoza
and Hegel,bu at present lie must be called
a pious man in the purest sense of the
word. He bases his opinions and resolves
upon religion,and considers death as sian
ia vite," but he does not make friends
with an intolerant priesthood. In many
letters to his wife he expresses regret at
the unbelief of his younger years, and
says he cannot conceive how any one who
will not believe IN God
and eternal life should be
able TO bear moral existence.
When Bismarck received the Danebrog
decoration ne was obliged to select a mot
TO for his arms. He selected one with a
double Specification, in trinitate robur,"
that is, L seek my force in the Trinity"
or else in the device Of his family, the
three-leaved oak sprig. During the night
which followed the battle of Sedan, and
preceded Bismarck's interview with Napo-
leon I'LL, he read for hours in prayer
book. In a speech held during dinner upon
a festive occasion, Bismarck declared that
without his faith in God he should have
given up his post long ago. He should
have been we'll satisfied to withdraw from
public life ard spend peaceful days in the
retired woods of Varzin, 6ut his duty toward
God r1ade him remain at his post. 1t is
not the desire to obey his worldly master,
but his heavenly father, that made him put
up with so many sorrows and grievances.
Maurice Busch remarks that many of Bis
marck's speeches upon this subject put
him in mind of Oliver Cromwell's say
ngs.
Generally speaking, Prince Bismarck is
Indifferent to the worlds opinion of him,
and this gives rise to the belief that he is
adamant in all things. But he has mo-
ments when his heart softens, and when
melancholy overcomes him, and for
time destroys the elasticity of his spirits.
He then complains of having fought in
vain, of having spent his life in idle en-
deavors, of having failed in almost every
thing. One autumn evening in 1877 he
was sitting by the ireside in the room ad-
joining the greenhouse of Varzin. and
com planned bitterly that his political
career had given him no pleasure and no
satisfaction. "There is no one that loves
me for it." he said. cit does not make me
popular. l have never made any one
happy in all my life; neither myself nor
my family nor the nation at large" His
friends protested against this accu-
sation, but he persisted in say
ing that the numbers he had made unhap-
py by far exceeded those he had made
| happy. eff it was not for me-" he said,
''the world would have seen three great
wars less. and $4,000 who died in their
| blood might have lived, and how many
parents, brothers, sisters, widows, would
have been spared their grief and tearsr'
! And ne said all this in a tone resembling
Hamlet's when he asked, ITO be, or not to
be?" Bismarck is a little superstitious
| sometimes. He will not have a which Is
| vet undecided spoken of as if it were won.
| He will not sit down to dinner
| if there are thirteen. When Gen. Boyer
came to him TO negotiate in the name of
Bazaine, Bismarck would not resolve any
thing of importance because 1t was Oct.
IA, the date OF Hochkireh and Jena. Then
he dislikes Fridays. VIII not start on 8
Friday nor sign any important document
on that day of the week. When he was
offered the title of count he hesitated be-
fore accepting because many families in
| Pomerania whom it had been conferred
had died out in a short time. "The little
country can't afford counts" he said. On
Nov. %. 1870, he was speaking of his death.
and said he knew when it would happen
the day of the month, year and all. His
friends cried out that he must be mistaken
but he only said, mo, know-it is a mys
terical figure" Seven years afterward he
repeated the same date, but added, "God's
will be done, however, IN all thingsr' To
one of his ministers, who had appeared
with his hair cut, he remarked: '.You have
cut your hair in good time; the moon i
growing, and the right time for cutting
hair and trees. Scientific people do not
believe in the influence of the moon; bat
do, and feel 1 am right"
s*s'Men condemn in others what they prae
tice Themselves Those who practice the us
of Kidney Wort never condemn its use by others
but commend it to all affected with piles, dys
pepsia constipation and all other diseases result
ing from disordered state of the kidneys, live
or bowels.