The Advocate and news., 1899-01-25

In every age Of the world the dreamers
have been the movers and mOulders OF
men. Every great invention was dream
before 1t was fact. Arkwright, Steven
son, Fulton, Morse, Edison, all were
dreamers, theorists, idealists. EdisOn's
interviews in the papers every now and
then, as to what he Is going to do, read
more like Arabian Nights" than the
work of any Of our nOvelists. Dreamers
preceded each Of these inventors, dream
ing the thoughts that blOssOmed into re-
ality In their lives, years, centuries, ages
sometimes, of ideals slowly ripening till
at last the bud bursts into fact. But all
the time It the ideal that ripened before
that has been filling the air till the new
thought Is ready to bloom.
It is the ideal always that rules the
real, and at the bottom, as history album
dantly proves, there Is nothing so In
tensely practical as the ideal.
The British colonies In America were
not fairly treated. The ideal Of indepen-
dence took possession Of a few cOur-
ageous minds that were open to new
ideas, and ready to adopt the best that
presented themselves, and work for their
realization in spite Of difficulties and
dangers. The ideal captured the people.
England resisted 1t and found It very
practical thing. It took up arms and
fought for itself and conquered. What
could be more practical than that?
The confederation of States was weak.
The States were divided in their inter-
ests. DissensiOn and conflict were in
prospect. Hamilton and his compatriots
conceived the idea of solid federation,
powerful union, capable OF vigorous
national life, and strong enough to har-
monize the interests and overcome the
Disbursements Of individual States. The
ideal persuaded men TO its support
called d congress Of wise men to con-
slider the means OF it's realization, em-
bodied it's conclusions In a constitution
and was adopted by the people. Is not
the making of a nation very practical
thing? And was 1t not accomplished by
the Federal ideal?
The thought of united Germany
grew in the Teutonic mind. 1t was a
dream" of students and vlsiOnaries
But Bismarck had the dream. 1t pos
sessed his soul. He lived for that dream
Through him II took arms against the
hosts Of Austria and drove them out OF
the German nest Through him 1t made
Prussiar armies the best In the world,
invaded France with the forces OF the
Northern and Southern TeutOn-land
side BY side, and crowned King William
Emperor of Germany, with the enthusi-
astic goodwill Of every German State.
A very practical thing, the union OF Ger
many. France knows 1t Is not dream.
It is one OF the grandest facts OF mod
ern history. And 1t is the result of a
great ideal in the heart of a powerful
man, moving him to move the world, by
force and persuasion, remolding men
and nations to itself.
JESUS taught the ideal Of life Of low
ing service, a life Of devotion to truth
and kindness and nobility, a life domi-
mated by love; and, through the mighty
power OF that loftiest Of all ideals, the
influence OF Jesus has permeated and
transformed the civilized world, and Is
recognized as the strongest force that
has entered the life Of Europe within
historic times. at,
Luther conceived the ideal Of individ-
ual freedom and self-govefnment In re-
ligion, and the ideal tore Europe asun-
der, drench9d her soil with blood, Grip
pied the power OF popes and creeds, and
gave the world a religion which at last
is beginning to manifest q kindly toll
erance toward those OF differing faith.
Garrison, Phillips, Lincoln dreamed OF
freedom for the blacks, voiced the ideal
Of political liberty for all men regardless
of color. That ideal caused a secession
which put a million men in arms and
cost five thousand millions OF dollars;
and on the field Of battle the Ideal
wrought iself into realization.
ideals are dangerous things to trihe
with And the loftier they are the surer
they are in the end to triumph and the
more dangerous 1t is to resist chem. DO
you wish to help in the next eniancipa-
tion that has nailed it's theses In the
market place? Or do you wish your de-
scandanfs Tn look hack in shame upon