Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-06-25
PRESIDENT BUcKHAM's REMARKS.

PRESIDENT BUCKEIAMs REMARKS.
know We not that there is Prince and
"A great man fallen this day in Israel ?" |
am sure that the people of burlington
will answer with one voice and one heart,
Eyes, we know it," For Mr. BarneS's
greatness was of kind that all willingly
admit and that no man grudges "Oh,
ne stood high In all the peoples hearts"
He did not grow great at the EXPENSE of
others. He did not rise by tramplng on
others. Rather he drew others upward
along with HIM. The kind of success that
Quired that the whole community, that
all interests, and all people, should
share his prosperity. Did any of
us ever hear a day laborer take
it amiss that Mr. Barnes lived III IA
stately mansion amid beautiful grounds,
with all the comforts and luXuries about
him ! venture to say that every man
who ever worked for him was proud
of Mr. harness success, and proud that he
had contributed to 1t. 1t is Il pleasant
thing to think that while some employers
are eXacting and some labOrers unreason-
Die, and discomfort fills the air, that there
are employers who deserve and keep the
good will of their labOrers, and there are
laDOrers whose deserved good will to their
employers the demagOgues cannot per
vert.
Mr., Barnes was almost typical Amerl-
can self-made man. He started III life
with nothing but his native endowmeuts
of body and mind, with no capital, no
powerful friends, with IL very limited ed
ucation. But his blood was of the very
best; he drew his Inheritance from a
hardy, Intelligent, Virtuous and gOOdly
ancestry-an inheritance of health, good
sense and piety, Gods three best endow-
ments. He had the disadvantages. but
also the advantages, of poverty, hardships,
struggles with difficulties. He made mis-
takes, he met with reverseS He had to
fight like ii lion with the adverse forces
that seemed to be leagued against HIM.
but is 1t necessary to say that he final
ly succeeded Can such a man fail to sue
coed And his success was real success,
not the false kind which is so common
a success that had no flaw or faint in it,
which would bear the scrutiny of con
science, and of good men and of God. His
life ought to be written for the benefit of
young men. 1t would be worth thou
sand sermons to them. 1t would be
sermon, and strangely eloquent and per
suasiye one ON this text. "Ihe blessing
Of the Lord, 1t maketh rich, and he addeth
no sorrow with it,
said his life was almost the typical life
of IA self-made man. In one respect it was
not such. The Self-made man is almost
always Self-couscious, self-asserting, of
spirit unlike that of which St Paul says
that 1t "vaunteth not itself is not pulled up
doth not behave itself unseemly." There
was not in Mr. Barnes particle of this
vanity, He was beautifully simple, natural
ard unconscious of himself He could not
have borne himself more meekly and
graciOusly in the midst of his wealth and
his success, If his ancestors for ten gener-
atous had had the use and wont of great
breeding. He was II native gentleman,
one OF the truest and best, artless, humble,
kindly, incapable OF Otlense, absolutely in
capable of malice.
For many years past, ever since | have
been somewhat intimate with VI. Barnes,
! have never parted from him without
carrying away an impression of his mag
nanimity, and have never heard
or read the word magnanimous with
ont thinking of Mr.. Barnes He
was great minded and great-hearted
man. His large frame seemed none too
large to contain his large soul. 1t was ma
tural for him to take delight in great
things, great thoughts great views of the
universe. His mind had an astronomic
quality. Nothing kindled him to such
glow rs some void representation of the
immensely of the universe, the vastness of
astronomy deals. He once cherished the
plan of building an observatory for the
University. | remember that on the day
of the last transit Of Venus
friend asked him if his observa-
tory would be ready for taking
observations on the next transit.
His reply was-and 1t was quite serious
81 hope to visit the planet Venus myself
before that time" IL II shall be permitted
to the gloritied spirits to visit other
worlds, | can imagine the delight with