Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-28

open before editors ana reporters ana pun
fishers, whether of knowledge on foot as in |
the book, or knowledge on the wing as in the |
newspaper. / pray God, men of the news !
paper press, whether you hear read this |
sermon, that you may rise up to your full OPP
portunty, and that you may be divinely
helped and rescued and blessed. Some one
might say to me: "IIow can you talk thus
of the newspaper press when you yourself
have sometimes been unfairly treated and
msrepresentedf | answer that in the OPP
portuuity the newspaper press of this coun-
try and other countries have given me week
by week 10 preach the Gospel to the nations,
l am put under so much obligation that l
defy all editors and reporters, the world over,
to write anything that shall call forth from
me one word of bitter retort from now till
the day of my.death. My opinion is, that
all reformers and religious teachers, instead
of spending much time and energy in de-
nouncing the press, had better spend more
time in thanking them for what they have
done for the worlds intelligence and declar-
ing their magnificent opportunity, and urg-
ing their employment of it all for beneficent
and righteous purposes
EXAMPLE OF THE CHRISTIAN PATRIOT.
Again, | remark that Henry w. Grady
stood for Christian patriotism irrespective Of
political spoils He declined all official re-
ward. He could have been governor of
Georgia, but refused it. He could have been
senator of the United States, but declined it.
He remained plain Mr.. Grady Nearly all
the other orators of the political arena, as
soon as the elections are over, go to w ashing-
ton, or Albany, or Harrisburg, or Atlanta,
to get in city or state or national office re-
ward Tor their services, and not getting what
they want spend the rest of the time Of that
administration in pouting about the manage
ment of public affairs or cursing Harrison or
Cleveland. When the great political cam
paigns we're over, Mr.. Grady went home
to his newspaper. He demonstrated that it
is possible to toll for principles which he
thought to be right simply because they were
right. Christian patriotism is too rare com
modify in this country. Surely the JOY OF
living under such free institutions as those
established here ought to be enough reward
for political fidelity. Among all the great
writers that stood at the last presidential
election on Democratic and Republican plat
forms you cannot recall in your mind ten
who were not themselves looking for re-
munerative appointments Aye, you can
count them all on the fingers of one hand.
| The most illustrious specimen of that style of
! man for the last ten years was Henry W
| Grady.
Again Mr. Grady stood for the new south
! and was Just what we want to meet three
other men, one to speak for the new north,
another for the new east and another for the
new west The bravest speech made for the
| last quarter of a century that made by
| Mr.. Grady at the New England dinner in
New York about two or three years ago. |
sat with him that evening and know some
thing of his anxieties, for he was to tread on
dangerous grounds and might by one mis-
spoken word have antagouized forever both
| sections. His speech was victory that
thrilled all OF US who heard him and all who
read him. That speech, great for wisdom,
great for kindness, great for pacifcation,
great for bravery, will go down to the genera
tons with Webster's speech at Bunker Hill,
| William Wirt's speech at the arraignment of
Aaron Burr, Edmund Burkes speech on
| Warren Hastings, Robert Emmet's speech
for his own vndication. Who will in CON
| spicuOus action represent the new north as
he did the new southl Who shall come forth
for the new east and who for the new vest
Let old political issues be buried let old
grudges die. Let new theories be launched.
TRANsCESDENT NEED OF NATIONAL HARMONY.
With the coming in Of new nation at the
gates at Castle Garden every year and the
wheat bin and corn crib of our land enlarged
with every harvest and vast multitude OF
our population still plunged in illiteracy tC
be educated, and moral questions abroad in
volving the very existence of our republic
let the old political platforms that are worn
eaten be dropped, and platforms that shall b'
made of two planks-the one the Ten Com
mandments and the other the Sermon on thu
Mount-lifted for all of us to stand on. Blu
there is n lot of old politicians grumblng al
NJ nd ba " " n
a new north, new east or a new west
They have some old war speeches that the,
prepared in 1861 that in all our autumna
elections they feel called upon to intict upol
the country. They growl louder and loude
in proportion as they are pushed back furthe
and further and the Henry w. Gradys com
to the front. But the mandate, | think, ha
gone forth from the throne Of God that
: new American nation shall take the place o
the old, and the new has been baptized 70
God, and liberty, and justice, and peace, an
morality, and religion.
And now our much lamented friend ha
gone to give account. Suddenly the facil
and potent pen is laid down and the eloquen
tongue is silent. What! Is there no safe
guard against fatal disease. The mpersor
y alton of stout health was Mr.. Grady. VIVA
: compactness OF muscle! What ruddy con
e | plcAlpn! w nut Hdsulll, eye! VIZ
him in groupof twenty or thirty persons II
y Piedmont, he looked the healthiest Is h
- spirits were the blithest. Shall we never fee
= again the hearty grasp of his hand or /
u magnetized with his eloquencef Men of tn
u great roll, lscn Of the pen, men of wit, me
, of power, if our friend had TO go when tn
call came, SO must you when your call come
y When God asks you what you have done wit
- your pen or your cloquence or your wealth {
- your social position, will you be able to Civ
satisfactory answers What have we bee
" writing all these yearss If mirth, ht
= it been innocent mirth or that whic
.. tears and stings and laceratesi Frol
y our pen have there come forth production
" v. healthy or poisonousl In the last great da
" when the warrior must give account Of VIII;
;, he has done with his sword, and the merchal
- what he has done with his yard stick, al
the mason what he has done with his trowe
and the artist what he has done with his pc
Gil, we shall have to give account of what "
, have done with our pen. There are go
" pens and diamond pens and pens Of exquisi
10 manufacture and every few weeks | see son
yi,,lf ss,iI TO . hot far h.