New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-02
FOR UTNANITYS SAKE.
doing so.

"Chapan Morris lost his life while trying
10 save the sick" Thus briefly Is recofded
the death of the chaplain of the lll-iated VIC
tora. The sentence is ut once his history ana
his cptaph. 1t places him in the goodly com
many of worthless of every race and age who
have died to save their fcllowmen. The
hcroism displayed by this humble priest Is
hardly looked for in this utilitarlan age. 1t IS
we'll therefore, to be reminded by incidents
like this that it still exists, and may be DIS
PLAYED by men whom we least suspect Oh pos
sessing it, Of this particular clergyman we
know nothing, except what Is revealed 10 us
by his last act of supreme self sacrifice Dut IL
is safe 70 say that few who were brought into
casual contact with him saw in him anything
out of the ordinary. And what was true OF
this man is true of n multitude OF othcr men
in the Christian ministry, who spend their
lives in the performance OF unhcrolc duties
We see them, but we do not recognize them.
The halo is not a visible aureOc around their
heads; it is only the unnoticed glory OF holy
and humble lives. The death of Chaplain
Morris is flash light that casts splendor on
the whole profession which he honored by his
death As We read the brief chronicle of his
end. how cruelty unjust seems that coarse cpl
gram about the clergy being the third sex
Death is the great rcvcalcr. 1t displays the
innate nobility of common men, and causes To
shine for us the light of noble purpose, which
was invisible in the lmd glare of daily life.
But the possible hcroism of Christian min
listers is not the only or the greatest lesson
taught by this incident. II suggests to us the
debt we owe To all men. many of them obscure
and unknown. who have suffered and died for
their fellows. We are not much inclined to-
day 10 acknowledge this debt. Most of us are
swayed by the philosophy Of individualIsm,
and BY the belief that we owe everything to
science and investigation. We recognize, it is
true. certain nobility in sclf-denial and
heroism: but we rather look upon these quail
tiles as belonging 10 the ages OF chyalry. They
are magnificent to contemplate; but they have
little 10 do with the progress of the race. such
4 view Of life would make ii a poor and tawdry
thing. The man who lives for his fellows, or
when occasion offers dies for them is as in
tcgral fact in human history as the man who
nvcnts a new abor-Saving machine, or dis
covers n new use OF electricity. Goodness, no.
bility and self ->acIiiice can no more die than
the forces of Nature. The world is immeas-
urably better for the lives of such men as
Chaplain Morris. The sum of It's goodness il
vastly increased by them. The noblcr pos
>ibiliticS Of our commonplace, unhcroic lives
are made clear by the victories, and even by
the defeats Of all who have conSccrated them
selves To the service of humanity. Home,
country. patriotism. honor. vrtuc-what would
these be but unsubstantial dreams, had not
countless numbers Of men toiled and suffered
and died 10 make them realities?
Life. after all. is Something more than a
mechanical conformity to the facts Of science.
This humble priest going down TO death with
the sick and the helpless whom he tried to
save. touches chords in our nature which are
dumb before the greatest discoveries of the
age "Nonc Of MS livcth To himself and no
man dicth to himself" Duty is a cold word
when interpreted by science; it can neither
INSPIRE nor thrill us But how irresistible it il
when it is translated by man who gives his
life for others. The world will never Outgrow
its reverence for such men and well it is for
the world that his is So For they keep alive
that divine spirit of brotherhood which alone
makes human society possible, and rescues
human nature from brutishnesS.