The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-08
SI1e Nerala a11l News.
President Hayes.
III. Clay TrunpbuIl in Sunday-school
Tines

III. Clay Trulnpbull in Sunday-school
Times
Notwithstanding the fact that
a new President Of the United
States is chosen every four years,
there is to-day but one ex-Pfesident
living, and he again is the new
President-elect. It Has been said
that every boy in the United States
has the feeling that he may one
day be it's President; therefore there
is a lesson for all the boys in the
life of any one of the distinguished
men who have attained to that
lofty position; and now that an
other of this number has closed his
earthly career. it is we'll to consider
any lesson that his life presents to
those who still have time and op'
portunity to profit by the lesson.
Whoever knew Rutherford B.
Hayes with any degree of intimacy
could say confidently that sense
of duty was a dominant factor in
his character and personal life. He
wanted to know what was his duty,
and then he wanted to do it. His
ambition and his endeavors lay in
that line; and whatever success in
life be had was attributable to this
fact.
On Wasbington's Birthday, Feb
raary %, 1878, an article appeared
in the columns of the Sunday school
Times from President Hayes, on the
character of the "Father of his
Country" The keynote of that
article was this idea of the sense of
duty, which was so well illustrated
in the life course Of the distin-
guished writer of the article. He
said: None of my young friends
who read the Sunday school Times
are likely to have an opportunity
to do such great deeds as were done
by Washington. But all Of them
will have an opportunity to be like
him in character. They can have
his love of country, his integrity,
and his frmness in doing the right.
To have such a character is better
than rank, or wealth, or fame. 1t
is a possession which cannot be
taken away. AS Webster said so
impressiyely of sense of duty
1t will be with rs through this life,
will be with US at it's close, and in
that scene of inconceiyaole solem-
nifty which lies yet farther onward
it will still be with Us"
In the course of conversations
which, during recent years, I have
been privileged to have with Presi-
dent Hayes, in comparative freeness
ofintimacy, I have repeatedly heard
this truth re-emphasized by him, as
obviously a prevailing thoughtin mis-
mind. Referring, on one occasion,
to sneering newspaper statement
that he had been chosen a commits
sioner of highways in the township
which was his home, as fin slight
upon his position as ex-President Of
the United States, he said that there
was no truth in the report itself;
but he added: I'LL had been chosen
to that place, I would have done
my best to fill it creditably; for it
is a principle Of my life to do the
one duty of the hour as well as I
car, without any question whether
that duty seems great or little to
me-" Then he told of the gain be
had found in adhering to this prin-
ciple.
Years ago he was appointed on
local committee for the distribu-
tion of fuel and other necessaries of
life in charity. Recognizing this
work as an assigned duty, he devot-
ed himself to it with his best ener-
gies. His personal labors in this
line were the means of attaching to
him with afectionate gratitude
young man in one Of the families
visited by him; and that young
mans devotion, growing out of the
simple doing of duty because it was
duty, proved subsequently, to be a
deciding factor in an important po-
litical canvass, and it was clearly
instrumental in preparing the way
f5r Mr.. Hayes's ultimate elevation
to the presidency of the United
States. That lesson in itself is worth
learning by any boy or man. The
best way of planning for future
honors, is the being faithful in pres.
ent duties.
r