The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-20
THE NATIONS TWO IDOLS
MISS CHARITY DYE COMPARES
WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN.
Lecture to the Public school Chill
dren ut Plymouth Church Yes
terday Afternoon.

At Plymouth Church yesterday afternoon
Miss Charity Dye delivered lecture on the
lives of Washington and Lincoln to a de-
lighted audience of public school pupils that
filled the church. Miss Dye made forcible
the leading traits of the two great Presi-
dents of the United States, Washington
and Lincoln. the founder and the preserver
OF our Union" Among the illustrations OF
the lecture were many fine portraits of the
two heroes and striking scenes in their lives.
The lecture was impressive and perhaps
gave the young audience a clearer insight
into the lives and character of the two Pres
idents as we'll as more comprehensive idea
of what they represented and what their
life work meant than they had ever had be-
fore. Speaking of their education, Miss Dye
said
',rhev were educated along the same gem
eral lines. Carlyle said it was more impor-
tant that a university go through man
than that he go through the university.
of Washington and Lincoln was unique.
Their studies were living subjects and their
teachers were, for the most part, expe-
riences. For mathematics they had survey
ing to do-for astronomy the actual heavens
to study-for science they watched the
forces of nature in the roll of the seasons.
Ethics they learned through contact with
men and the doing of daily duties. Their
gymnasium was farm life. Their books or
through wild forests. over ice and snow,
and down the Mississippi river in hatpoat.
they acted the manly part. They were max
ers of history Their literature teachers. es-
pecially in the case oflLincoln. were the He
brew prophets and Shakespeare, who taught
them from King Jamess translation of the
Bible, which is one OF the tap roots or civil
ization, and from Shakespeare dramas
which represent the Towering of early mod
ern literary culture. They were educated at
the source of things. Both Washington ana
Lincoln were deeply religious.
They were both men of deep convictions
and sincerity. and each early in life got a
very good word fixed so thoroughly to his
name that to-day truthful man is WASH
ington and an honest man Lincoln
Whether the stories illustrating these facts
ever come to be myths or not. they are true
to these charact~-s and to the truth of the
stories.
WHAT THE FACES TYPIFY.
Each face as we look upon it typifies its
own time and section. Washington stands
forth as the grand central figure of group
of men, such as have rarely been seen living
together in the same time. Behind Lincolns
furrowed face we see the rank and file of
the American people. Lincoln seemed al
ways to have been Of the people and for the
people. Washington kept UP his communl-
cation with England. lived on his landed es-
tate, rode in a coach drawn by four horses,
wore a wig, sat under canopy at church,
renity that you see in his face was part
of his life and station. Lincoln, on the other
hand was the true type OF democracy. lie
was of our soil. born of poverty. lie had
no landed estate; he was a plain man IN
every respect. Any one could approach him.
The presidency, the society at the caplta1,
the honors of state, none of these Things
ever made him other than Honest Abe TO
his early companions in pioneer life.
washington and Lincoln were both CIVIC
and military leaders. While Washington
signal service was military and Lincoln
civic, yet Washington proved himself a
statesman of the first stamp. and lAncolns
service in the Black Hawk war and In MS
intimate knowledge of generalship and his
advice to the officers in the civil war proved
him to be capable of commanding any cam
paign These men We're vastly different in
many ways. Washington carried weight by
his grand presence. He was a silent man.
hut there was in his port, says Emerson; the
sense of victories and great days behind
him. Lincoln had the gift of speech. lie
could tell story well, was strong IN de-
bate convincing in argument. wise In coun-
ell. Washington always took the serious
view of life. Lincoln was a man or deep
sense of honor that often saved him from
despair when the burdens of a nation bore
so heavily upon him. Lowell has referred
TO Lincoln's humor in speaking of his
Supple-tempered will,
That bent like perfect steel 10 spring again
and thrust.