Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-13


magnificent division of the union forces
only to find himself bluffed and driven
back by the superior strategy and SOL
diership of Gen. Lee. The army would
advance one day with martial music
and flying banners, only to retrace
their steps the next day with those
same banners trailing in the dust of
inglorious defeat. Thus it had been
from the beginning. 1t is estimated
that nearly as many men died frem
bungling management, inaction and
the hope deferred that maketh the
heart sick, as Gen. Grant lost in the
hard fighting which led up to his
triumphant entry into the capital OF
the Confederacy. As a consequence
the army was dispirited and utterly
without confidence in its leaders. AT
this iuncture of affairs Grant assumed
control He recognized the forces.
looked we'll after the commissiarat,
and then issued his orders of encour-
agement and command. Pretty soon
the army was on the line of march
again with the usual three days ra-
tions, When night came il was
brought to halt and the soldiers were
ordered to sleep on their arms. They
winked and smiled at one another and
said, "The same old story; tomorrow
we will re-cross the river and go back
to our old camp" The next morning
they were summoned into line, and
stood waiting with dull expectancy
| the familiar order TO retreat. But in
stead of that the command ran all
along the line, Forward" Instantly
the soldiers grasped their guns more
firmly. felt the rush of new inspira-
ton, thrilled in every nerve and muscle
with new energy heart and voice kim
died into enthusiasm and confidence,
without single misgiving, they glad
ly followed their great leader to death
or to victory. Blu: it would be
work of supererogation to dwell at
length, or in detail, upon either the
military or civil life of Gen. Grant. 1t
all lies as fresh as the morning dew,
| in the memories of his surviving
grateful countrymen. Permit me to
draw a single lesson from his life, and
close with brief summary of his
character When the time is rife for
a master mind and guiding spirit, be
is always forthcoming. Somehow
mans extremity is Gods opportunity.
When all in righteous cause is given
up for lost, and stupid indifference,
born of despair, is settling down like
a pail of death upon the people, then
II is that the brave heart, the know
ing soul, the inspiring leader leaps
forth from the unknown, and shaking
off the death-like apathy of the people,
reorganizes their defeated and divided
forces, and filling them with hope and
courage, leads them on, through peril
and sacrifice, to victory and final sue
cess. 1t has always has been so both
in political and ecclesiastical history.
A Wallace and a Bruce in Scotland.
A Washington and Lincoln in Ameri
ca. A Paul and Luther in the church,
and Grant in the final death-struggle
between the forces of freedom and
slavery. Gods choice of men 10 do
the master work of this world is not
as mans choice. Men look to their
superiors, the great, the mighty, the
titled. But God, as a rule, passes by
all such and going down to the bottom
of society, selects his grandest work
men from among the base and lowiy.
Men look to their rulers, statesmen
and heroes to redress their wrongs
and maintain their rights, but God
chooses the weak things of this world
TO confound the mighty, and out OF
the mouth of babes and stockings or.
dams strength and wisdom. The
humble cottage becomes shrine of
devotion to the admiring multitudes
through all generations, when the
lordly palace has crumbled into dust
and its naughty occupant forgotten as
a watch in the night. Thus science,
art, literature, mechanics, government
and the church owe most of their
progress and brilliant achievements to
men who were raised up from the
humblest and obscurest walks in life.
Christ, the peasant and carpenter OF
Nazareth; Paul, the tent maker: Lu-
Their. the beggar monk; Shakespeare,
the wool-comber and poacher; Crom-
well, the farmer; Washington, the sur
veyor: Lincoln, the rail-splitter; Gar
field, the tattered canal boatman, and
Grant, the silent tanner and leather
dealer of Galena. Thus God would
keep fresh in our minds the lesson we
are so apt to forget, that ii is not 10y
might or power, but by my Spirit,
saith the Lord of Hosts. lie would
teach us that He is the chief maker of
history and the most potent factor in
the final settlement of the stupendous
questions that agitate the minds and
yex the hearts of humanity. He
would save us from hero-worship-the
worship of force as it is represented
in nature, or in intellectual greatness,
or in wealth. or in valor. lie would
save us from the paralyzing worship
of Fate as he is portrayed to Us in much
of the science and writing of the day,
blind and impersonal god, driving
ruthlessly along IN his chariot of iron,
drawn by material forces, scattering
his benefits among the favored few,
and crushing, with relentless speed,
the wretched many beneath his pom
derous wheels. In the undying light
that fingers along the wake of Gen.
Grants marvellous career. let us 60
back with renewed confidence 10 the
personal God of nature, of men and
of battles. 1t is not only true, but
there is warmth and JOY and power
in it. Let us trLst in Him with the
sweet simplicity and perfect faith of
childhood. Let us rest on the tossing