The record-union., 1898-11-18
REV. OEHLER ON BISMARCK.
AN INTERESTING LECTURE
LAST NIGHT.
The Speaker Gives Lights and
Shadows Of the Iron Chancel-,
1or's Career.

a study of the life and character OF
Bismarck.
Rev. C. F. Oehler lectured lin Ger
mani, and the following program was
rendered:
Prelude, Mrs. Annie Blanchard; So
prano solo by Miss Lillian Whiteley.
"A Dream of Peace" Pinsuti); lecture,
Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor part
L.: recess, 5 minutes; mezzo soprano
solo, by Mrs. Anna Scheller, Cradle
Song (Brahms) selection by the
choir; soprano solo, by Miss Lillian
Whiteley, This is My Dream (Well-
ings); lecture, part II; mezzo soprano
solo, by Mrs. Anna Scheller, "Spinn
Spinn" (JungsD; selection, by the choir.
Among other things the speaker said:
Bismarck the iron Chancellor, what
great memories are connected with this
name. Bismarck, the greatest states
man of this century. the giant who tow
cred above all of them in diplomatic
cleverness and will power. He is
greater in many respects than Glad
stone, England's grand old man, for
the latter guided his country through
many a severe storm indeed but Bis
marck created a new Fatherland, a
united and powerful Germany
BE it far from us to worship him as
a saint. for he was but a man, though
with extraordinary gifts, yet also with
human faults Then we live here as
citizens of this great republic, which
we made our home, and we have
learned to judge European politics from
different standpoint. But it would be
unthankful, indeed, would we forget
that man who has caused the German
name to be honored throughout the
world for through him we have a
Fatherland of which we need not be
ashamed.
BE it also far from US to enter upon
our subject with any prejudice what
ever, national or religious, for we hold
that we are all brethren and children of
one Father in heaven.
when we study the life and work of
great man. we naturally look back
to the days of his childhood, we'll know
ing that the first years are of the great
est influence in his life Bismarck was
born in a time very warlike and full of
excitement Napoleon, the great con-
queror, had smitten to his feet ten
European nations. The battle of Jena,
1906, had taught the Prussians that
with the glorious reputation of Fred
erick the Great no battles could be won
Then came the days of struggle for lib
erty. The battles of Leipzig and
Waterloo were fought, and Napoleon
deported to ST. Helena, a prisoner. In
those days of the highest patriotic feel
ing, on the 1st day of April, 1916 Bis
marck was born His father was a
member of a family belonging to the
nobility, the ancestry of which could
be traced back to the thirteenth CEN
tury. When the wide awake boy wan
dered through the chambers of his
fathers castle the pictures of those
ancestors, clad in mediaeval armor,
looked down upon him, telling him Of
many a battle fought throughout the
past centuries
when six years of age, Bismarck
was sent to- the celebrated Plamau
School in Berlin. AT the age Of Is
he entered the University at Gottingen
to prepare for his diplomatic career.
I'm the year 1S47, the same year
when he married Miss Putkammer, he
stood for the first time in the Prussian
Diet. Then came the years of 1S4S
and, 1S49 so full of political excitement
and rebellion. The thrones of Europe
were almost shattered. After the rev.
olution was quenched. the Emperor's
crown was offered to William II. Of
Prussia. Bismarck then opposed such
a proceeding with all his power, for he
saw that the time for such a step had
not yet arrived. First Prussia should
grow powerful enough to defend the
Emperor's crown after it's King had
accented it.
I'm 1862, when the King needed a
strong hand to rule the affairs of his
kingdom, he called Bismarck to be his
Prime Minister. Since then Bismarck
ruled the European politics with an
iron hand He defeated in 1864 Dem
mark and two years later Inundated
Austria. But strange to say, whilst
Bismarck with firm purpose steered
toward his great aims, he was by no
one understood but by his King He
was the best hated man in Europe, yea
in his own country How he accom-
plished his purposes, history has taught
us.
In 1870, on the I'd of August, only
two weeks after France had declared
war on account of the candidacy of
Prince Won Hohenzollern to the SPAN
ish throne, the united German armies
under the command of William, the
Prussian King, stood at the frontier of
France ready for invasion. King Will
lam said afterwards at banquet.
You, Minister of War Won Room, have
sharpened our sword; you, Count Won
Moltke, have guided it and you, Count
Won Bismarck, have through your lead
ership in Prussia's policy brought it to
this point
You know the outcome of that war,
in which France was utterly defeated
and Napoleon led away captive Then
Bismarck celebrated his greatest tri-
umph. There, in that grand old hall
of the castle at Versailles, his King was
by the common consent of the German
Princes, declared Emperor William I.
of Germany. At last came Bismarck's
fall. When during times of severe
trials, the Chancellor once desired to
resign, his Emperor wrote upon the
petition: Never But William I. died
and after a reign of only ninety mine
days. also Frederick III, his son.
Then a young and ambitious ruler as
cended the throne, unwilling to be
guided by his fathers and grandfather's
counsellor Bismarck requested his
dismissal. which was granted Four
years later, on his eightieth birthday,
the Emperor came to the iron Chancel-
lor for the purpose of reconciliation
What Bismarck had been to Germany,
that nation never realized until after
his retirement. Thousands and thous-
ands wandered to Friedrichsruh, the
Chancellor's home, to bring to their
honored statesman their congratula-
tions. on the latter's birthday.