Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-08-02

1.-THE Path of Glory Leads
but to the Grave.s'

Many persons are apt to be dis
couraged by the above lines of Gray,
and refrain from attempting to win
glory. The path of glory may lead
to the grave, but it does not follow
that glory decays, in the same sense
as the human body, when it reaches
the grave. The fact is, every path
we tread during life, leads but to
the tomb. The good man 3 pathway
ends in the grave--and the bad mans
path, though more winding, stops at
the same place. But the grave, with
its hollowness and silence, cannot
lock in the effects of glory. Away
back in the past, over eighteen hun
dred years ago, Christ was born in
stable in Bethlehem. From the
beginning OF his earthly life until its
ending, glory marked His every act,
and shown with such splendor at
the Crucifixion,th that its dazzling rays
have lit up the centuries and will
continue to cheer man onward to
heaven. Did His path of glory lead
but to the grave ? Ask that ques-
tion of the millions who lie sleeping
in Jesus ask it of the millions who
yet live, and they will tell you
that glorious life and that glorious
death are to them the incentives
which prompt them to live in the
hope Of a blessed and happy here
after.
There was time in the history Of
England, when fraud and persecu-
tion threated to scourge, aye, destroy
the very nation, with its blasting ef-
fects. Charles 1 had assembled the
throne and was but a type Of his
father, King James. The people
had suffered long from the unjust
ruling Of their crowns tax levying
had become onerous and oppressive !;
wrong was held up as an image 10 be
worshiped by all; rights that had
long been held inviolable and sacred
were trampled upon and disregarded;
the administration Of the govern.
ment was one foul network Of dis
grace and usurpation. It appeared
as though England's history was to
be forever stained and her fame
darkened. But stepping out from
among the people, came a man who
had learned to detest wrong and to
honor and love God. A man who
was as honest In his love for his
country, as true to his constituency,
as honorable in the discharge of his
duty, as any man could possibly be.
Cromwell came forth, and with mas
terry skill saved his country, placed
its navy on footing and made 1t the
strongest in the world. He dealt
blow after blow to the enemies Of
his country, and raised it to a posi-
tion of honor and fame that it has
never since surpassed. He had the
tyrant, Charles I, beheaded, and af-
ter ruling his country as Protector,
died with the happy hope of "a bless
ed future. II you wish the key to
England's wealth, strong navy and
strong government you must know
Cromwell. He was the man who did
the English people an everlasting
service--he inculcated into them the
true idea of freedom, and his life
has been handed down through the
ages as model Of greatness and
grandeur. Did Cromwell's path Of
glory lead hut to the grave ? A
prosperous English nation is all the
answer needed to that question.
The worlds history is replete with
lives as brilliant and as glorious as
that of the old Ironside. The glory
that shines from their lives Is all
about us to-day. Washington has
been peacefully sleeping in death for
over eighty-four years, yet who can
say his fame has been sleeping thro'
all these years ? Mt. Vernon speaks
to every American heart and bedims
every patriots eye. when it is re-
membered that the "Father of his
Country" lies there. Abraham Lin
coin has been lying at rest in the
beautiful Springfield cemetery for
two score years, and yet his noble
life and undimmed glory illumine
The nations history. Garfield lies
slumbering within the sound OF the