Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-02-25

liberty should be established on the
firmest foundations.' How valiantlv
he fought through those seven long
years of the Revolution, suffering hard
ships and privation, until the United
States was established as nation, and
a government of the people, and for the
people, was secured. He left Mount
Vernon on the 18th Of April, l7SS, TO
assume the presidency to which he had
been unanimously elected the year
previous. He says, Il babe adieu to
Mount Vernon, to private life, and to
domestic felicity" At every point he
was enthusiastically received. At Tren-
ton, n. j., triumphal arch was thrown
across the bridge. and in front, in large
gilt letters was inscribed "The Defender
of the Mothers will be the Protector of
the Daughters. He then made his
way to New York, where he took the
oath Of office, and then bowed his head
and kissed the sacred book, and with
the deepest feeling said $50 help me
God" while the people rent the air
with their cries ''Long live George
Washington, President of the United
States"
After serving his country as president
for two terms, he retired to Mount
Vernon, where he attended to his pri-
vate affairs. He did not live long to
enjoy this repose. He was taken sud
denly i'll on the. 18th of December, 1899,
and OH the night of the 14th, after hand
ing over his wills to his wife and giving
directions for his burial, he looked at
Lear, his private secretary and said,
"Do you understand me?" Lear re-
piled Eyes" ''It is WE'LL" said he; and
these were Washington's last words.
So ended noble life. He lived for his
race. George Washington is immortal,
he has injected Lis life currents into the
veins of the people of his country. He
was brave, resolute, tender and child
like. Some biographers have erred in
representing him as of almost super
human excellence, butwhen he is por-
trayed dispassionately. and we look at
his unselfish devotion to. duty, his hope
fulness under defeat, his abiding faith
i'll God, his strict integrity and purity of
motive, there are few, if any, heroes of
history that can be placed beside him.
Every boy should be presented with
copy of the "Life of Washington and
every city should raise a monument in
his honor.
Washington was true patriot. Let
us emulate his patriotism. Webster
says ''the past is secure" but we have
the making of the .otesent and the shap-
ing of the future Washington has done
his duty, now it remains for us to do
ours. To the patriot, national interests
are personal interests. One of the first
questions of the day is that of education
1t is the duty of the body polite to see
to it that not one of the children of this
country grows up in ignorance while the
doors of its schools are open and free.
If we neglect this, then we prove false
to the trust of our fathers, who in the
early days made great sacrifices in be-
half Of education. Why was New Eng
land called ''the brains and conscience
of American" Because of its schools
and colleges. History teaches no lesson
more plainly than this, that whosoever
would control the character of a people
must control their education.
If we would worthiy follow our fore
fathers we must reverence the Sabbath.
1t has come to be an accepted truth that
the weekly rest is necessary to mans
physical, mental and social well-being.
The nightly rest is not sufficient to re-
pair fully the energies expended in the
days work. There needs to be one
days rest in seven to maintain body
and mind in their full vigor. A work
ing man has said "a man cannot do as
much work in year when working
seven days week as when working six
days. His nerves are all unstrung."
Let us by precept and example en-
deavor to raise public sentiment on this
question, and let us put the Sabbath to
it's highest, its religious use.
DR.. Z. E. Hale says ''the institution of
Sunday, if it is to be maintained at all,
must be maintained for the nobler pur-
poses of the higher life"
What about the Negro? Educate
him; he is here to stay, brought against
will, and as the nations blood was split
! to make him free, so let the nations
money be expended to make him
worthy of lis freedom. What about the
immigrants who are tiocking to these
/ shores? Let us not onlyseek to naturalize
! Them but to christianize them. 4
glorious opportunity lies before the
| christians of America alon. this line.
! Let christian forces be turned upon all
| the problems which veX the minds of
politicians and philanthropists, and
they will be solved. For the saving of
nations, as of individuals, there is but
one name given under Heaven, among
men-Jesus Christ.
''The rudiments of Empire here
| Are plastic yet and warm,
The chaos of a mighty world
Is rounding into form
] On what shall we place our chief de-
dependence for building up the com
monwealth of freedom in justice and
virtue? Legislation may guide, science
may instruct, poetry may refine, litcra-
ture may ennoble, butat last it is religion