Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-07
A MASTER YEAR.
Many Great Men Born Into the
World in 1909.
The Anniversaries of Lincoln and Darwin
Come This Week-Dr. Chamber
Iain's Tribute.

The first in series Of Sunday evening
talks was held at the South Unitarian
Church Sunday evening, WITH a good
attendance The speakers Of the eve
ming were Dr.. Alex. f. Chamberlain
and the pastor, Rev. George w. Kent,
their subject being Charles Darwin and
Abraham Lincoln. In introducing the
talk Mr.. Kent said that a few days ago
Mr.. chamberlain remarked to him on
the coincidence in the date of birth Of
Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln
Both were born on Feb. y, 1909, and
both became leaders of men. After a
. little talk on the subject it was decided
to make the coincidence the basis Of an
evening service
DR.. Chamberlain, in opening, said the
year 1909 is the master year of all the
recent struggles and strivings of men.
what galaXyOf great men saw the light
OF day during its course Van Beust,
who laid the foundations Of Austro-
Hungarian unity; Ricasoli, whose firm
ness in the hour of trial made possible
the Italy Of today; Robert c. Winthrop,
our own New Highlander; Abraham Lin
coin, who saved the republic; William
that is good and beautiful in the last
half century's history in England; Bus
y the great italian poet; Oliver Wen
cell Holmes, physician, humorist and
poet; Edward Fitzgerald, who sang
again so beautifully the Rubaiyat of
Omar Khayyam, the Persian astrono-
mer-bard; Tennyson, the greatest word
artst since Shakspere; Chopin, whose
genius had made familiar the world ov-
5Nf lit %,
land; Mendelssohn, whose magnificent
compositions have freed the Jewish race
from the libel of never having produced
great musician, and who preserved
amid the temptations of artistic sur
roundlngs the morality when his people
nave SO long presented as an object les
son to the world Darwin, whose con
trlpuuons~-to the philosophy of vital
Phenomena has set the current in which
must flow the thought of all centuries.
The 18th of February, 1909, is even
more remarkable than the year to which
II belongs. 1t is a striking coincidence
mat in England on that day was born
CHARLES Darwin and in America Abra-
nam Lincoln-not all the arrangements
OF the quarter century succeeding the
revolution can outweigh this evidence
OF kinship of the two great peoples. The
genius common to them all greeted the
world in twin birth, unprecedented in
It's influence upon the thoughts and ac-
tions of mankind. What better proof
have We that America and England are
one? The twelfth of February ought to
be the international holiday Of the Eng
hsh speaking people of both hemi-
spheres, a worldwide anniversary, en-
blematical of scientific truth and politi-
cal justice
DR.. Chamberlain then proceeded to tell
of some Of the differences and resem-
blances of the two great men and the
underlying unity of heart and soul
which permeated every atom of their
genius AS regards ancestry, Darwin
enjoyed an aristocratic name and honor
in the best sense of the word; Lincoln's
schooling was at his mothers knee.
Darwin had to struggle on under the
burden of schooling that he did not
want, while Lincoln struggled against
the lack of schooling for which he ar
IDENTIFY yeamed. The speaker told of the
four attempts to make Darwin a success
at school, and how Darwin was consid-
cred a Ounce Darwin was compelled to
attend school and college; Lincoln had
not the opportunity.
In closing, DR.. Chamberlain said that
Darwin's work has resulted in the reg
ognition of the growth of love out Of
struggle and strife, as Lincoln's has in
that of Justice out of contention and dis
cord. If Lincoln died the martyr of JUS
tice, Darwin, the invalid, lived the mar
tyr of science. If Lincoln demonstrated
the ability of genius to rise in spite of
poverty, Darwin demonstrated how
wealth could be employed to the endur-
ing benefit of all mankind, Both labor
ers for the truth were long in finding it,
but never failed in their loyalty to con-
science and the right. Through their
lives every child that is born is new
blessed
After DR.. Chamberlain's scholarly and
eloquent address, Rev. DR.. Kent spoke
upon the character of the two men,
dwelling upon the patience with which
they pursued their labors. He spoke Of
the great benefit "The Origin of Spe-
cies'' had been to the world. Darwin had
been despised and hated, but with his
peer Lincoln he had continued undaunt-
ed until success had won the crown of
TN, fol