The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-12-19

spirit of Abraham Lincoln lives wher-
ever the sentiment of brotherhood and
freedom prevails. OF each one it
might be said in the words of the
text, 80, l am with you Away"
"You may bury my body here" said
Theodore Parker, as he lay dying in
Florence, "but the true Theodore
Parker is in Boston and will live and
grow there!"
ever their phantoms rise before us,
Our loftier brothers, but one in BLOOD
AT bed and table, they lord it over us,
With looks of beauty and words of good. y
The greatest intellect ever pro-
duced in this country, common con-
sent, think, would pronunce to be
Daniel Webster. He devoted his
life to establish the principle that
this country is union, vital organ
ism, not mere aggregation of States
bound together by rope of sand.
For many years, from the political
stump, the lecture platform, and in
the halls of the senate, he proclaimed
that doctrine till it took fast hold up
on the minds and hearts of the Ameri-
can people. When the civil war broke
upon our land, the citizens of the
North were thoroughly imbued with
the principles of Webster. When
the call for men was given, and they
came forth from their homes, in many
cases bidding farewell forever to
those they left behind, it was the
spirit of Daniel Webster that made
them strong for the separation. When
they gathered in armies and marched
from country and city to the scene of
action, the spirit of Daniel Webster,
like strong angel, lowered over
them on the way. When they en-
tered the field of battle, amid the
crash Of arms and the roar of artil
lery and the smoke and dust of the
fray, the spirit of Daniel Webster was
with them; and his words, louder than
the din of conflict, gave them inspira-
ton, Liberty and Union, now and
forever, one and inseparable!" We
can conceive of him, as speaking to
them from the invisible spaces, "Lo, l
am with you Away, even unto the
end of this terrible conflict"
1t is in some such sense as this
that the words ascribed to Jesus
must be interpreted, "Lo am with
you always. even unto the end of the
world" even unto the end of the
work l have given you to do. We
can conceive Of him as saying: Re-
member my words, remember my ex-
ample, remember my sufferings for
this sad world. AS you go forth to
carry out the work | have begun,
think of me as being always present
with you,-the work is my work still.
Let all l have said and done strength
en- you to rry it out.
Wherever you go, there | shall be
with you in spirit. When you stand
before rulers to proclaim the truth |
have given you, think of me as being
still by your side. When you go to
those who are weary and heavy laden
to bring them comfort, do it as would
do it. When you are thrown into
prison, think of me as being with you
in the deepest dungeon to which hui
man hatred can consign you. In this
assurance, the early apostles went
forth to conquer.
''What though the Martyrs and Prophets
have perished
The Angel of life rolls the stone from their
graves:
Immortal's the faith, and the freedom they
cherished,
Their lone triumph-cry stirs the spirits of
slaves!
They are gone, but the Glory is left in
our life,
To climb as star beacons up Liberty's
heaven.
Hold on--still hold on, lin the worlds des
pite,
Nurse the faith in thy heart, keep the lamp
of Truth bright,
And, my life for thine, it shall end in the
Right"
II. That old promise has gathered
meaning and force transcending the
widest expectations of that early
time, and has proved blessing to ages
and peoples they, the first disciples of
Jesus, could not foresee!
Although the mechanical ways of
looking at Jesus as leader and saw
Jour are fast giving way to more ra-
tional views of his person and work,
the words of our text, even now, con-
vey to many the idea thatJesus helps
to day by the exercise of some mirac-
ulous power; that in some way the
personal presence of Jesus is near
and ready to WELD the omnipotence
of God in behalf of his people. But
L