The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-14
LIBERTY.
By GAsKELL.
Written for THE HEEAL

/ Written fOr IHE HERALD
There is music in the very word
liberty. At the sound of it the heart i:
eIated and the form expands and tn,
soul grows valiant. 1t brings to oul
memory trying scenes of long ago, when
our fathers and their fathers struggled
so bravely, so sseadfastly, against the
usurpations of kingly power, and the
soul-destroying blight Of priestly rule
And later still, in our own day the long,
dreary pilgrimages taken by our fathers
in search Of peace. and sustenence and
home. How, when striving zealously
to serve God, and do good to all, they
we're driven ruthlessly from roof-trees
and fresides their industry had won
from wild, uncultiyated nature, and
hsw, like birds Of passage in their fight,
the white covers Of their vehicles dotted
the flower-spangled, undulatipg prairies
Of the far west; IN hardy and strong
leading the van, the weak and sickly
| struggling resolutely, yet lully after
them, worn and weary. praying for
shelter fiom mans iniumanity. seek
rest from toll and trouble and ceasele
struggle, even though it were in the
grave.
Such a sight as that may not be so
grand as is the fierce struggle of q
powerful nation against foreign aggres-
sion. yet is It fully as noble and far
more self-sacri6cing and uncomplain-
ing on the part Of individuals than the
former, for each actor in the latter case
is hero of moral strength. There are
thousands of unknown heroes in life
whose actions are now and ever will
remain unrecorded on the page of his
tory, but whose words and form are
im pressed in loye-lit lines upon the
warm hearts OF those who know them.
such men and women are the true
heroes aud heroines of life, and they
stamp their victories upon posTerity,
who in turn manifest their achieve
ments in the good they do and the pro-
gress the make.
WalpOle tells the story OF the rescue
OF two or three persons from the Fiat
ing ruins OF their cottage, during the
sudden inundation of the river Loire, in
France. by a humble peasant at the
imminent risk of his life. He records
the name OF the English nobleman. who
offers the rescuer a guinea for his daring
and brave deed, but he has omitted 70
give Us that of the performer of the
generous exploit. The spleen and malice
OF his enemies could have written moth
ing more sarcastic upon him, nor upon
human nature, than that omission
Men all, more or less, worship state and
power and popularity. II is not always
true worth that regulates our likes and
dislikes, nor is it always principle that
governs our actions. IL Is often not
- rIer Al
ton, our capabilities, our desires. that
makes Us wrongfully estimate real
liberty.
Men will even differ as to what is the
greatest amount of liberty human
oeing is qualified TO enjoy. Yet all
agree that il is right TO do good and in
crease in intelligence, and reneft with
out ceasing all who are worthy. When
men and women submit themselves 10
be guided by the inspired word of God.
the world cry out against them. and
call il superstition, tyranny aud oppres-
sion. The world cares but little for, IL
they do really understand, the religious
principles which govern human intc.-
course and regulate spiritual progress.
They do not care TO examine comprs-
hensively and logically the grounds of !
such complaints, and as 10 the Justice
manifested they care but little: that b. s
nothing to do with them and may b. |
set rigidly on one side where II conflicts
with either desire or interest.
The sacred name and nature ofliberty |
has been outraged and they constitute |
themselves the champions who .Qujxotic |
ike. iiet with the Windmill of popular |
dislike, assisted in their daring by pre-
judice, sectarian bigOtry. and inovatiug |
opinion, to overturn imaginary evils. |
But truth cannot be overcome by frothy |
assertions, BY wild gesticulation, nor |
can free men be overawed and con- |
quered by wrathful words. The perse-
cutions OF earnest. god-fearing men only |
strengthens their faith and the trials |
they are called 10 meet. but facilitates |
and makes more rapid their groa tn. !
The blood OF men, armed with the |
truth, spilled by the cruel, unrighteous |
hands of ungOdly men, has the same /
effect as the sowing OF Dragons teeth in |
the old Grecisn legend-ten springs up I
from where one was cut down. Liberty |,
is unconqueTable and cannot be crushed \
out. Life may fall-does fail-but the |
fire. dom of the mind is unbound; IN
din ned and unconquered.