The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-04
Men of Prose and Poetry.

pursuit OF happiness and the words can b.
construed fairly only whel this is remem-
bered
Men of Prose and Poetry
But these shrewd. strong men of prose
were men Of poetry. too Sense and senti-
ment were Joined in them. They were
seers- They saw farther into their time
and farther into the future than other
men. They belonged to the noble company
Of those who through faith subdued king
doms. wrought righteousness. obtained
promises. stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the power Of fire. escaped the
edge OF the sword. from weakness were
made strong. waxed mighty in war turn
eth 10 fight armies Of aliens" They saw
ideals so clearly that they were eonstrain-
ed to follow them. They were not vision
aries, but they were not disobedient to the
heavenly vision. These men who wrencheC
this continent from the Kings hand. who
laid the foundations OF this mighty ma
ton. cannot be understood unless we re-
alize that they were men Of Imagination
and OF spiritual force, poets in the high
est sense OF the word. This explains why
they carried on upon these shores the bat
tie for political freedom of Hampden and
Pym and Cromwell fgh ing side by side,
so to speak. with Pitt ami Fox and Burke.
even while the majority Of the people on
both sides Of the sea chung to the old Or
der. blind followers Of the blind conserva-
tives.
Contrast George Washington with
George Ill Waving. temporarily. the
moral and intellectual superiority of
Washington. and you viii understand why
each played the part he took in that great
hour Of our history. George Washington
was the most sensible Of men, solid, saga
clous. practical. even prOsaic in ordinary
lie. and he never wrote anything that
-Ould be called poetry except a few love
verses in his counting days But he could
See what the dull BOectian King OF Eng
land could not see. and so he could DO
and did do. what the Dutch monarch could
never have thought Of doing Washington,
we are told. thought continentally' He
saw beyond the AEeghenies-yes, beyond
the mississippi He sought to hold the
continent for his race and to bind the East
and West together with roads and canals
for the future greatness which was real t.
him. He saw the purer state. the better
government. the larger life. Of a repub-
hc-indepsndent not only of British tyran-
ny but Of European prejadices and tradi-
tons, customs. and quarrels He saw
ideals which made all sacrifices reasonable.
Above all, he labOred and endured as see
ing Him who is invisible.
When the newborn nation went down
into the valley Of the shadow OF death
At Valley Forge. Washington went down
upon his knees TO God and prayed for his
people like Moses or Joshua in the ter
Tible hour when Washington was the Gov
eminent. dictator by unanimous consent.
and without appointment. because no 9TH
er man could save the State and The
Revolution seemed more likely TO fail
than 20 succeed. he rose 10 his greatest
height as he turned 20 Heaven for the
aid earth could not give.
The men who made the Declaration Of
Independence. and thea made II good.
left US a gCOdly heritage spiritual as wei
IS material They freed US forever from
the fear Of foreign tyranny. We dread
no foreign foe We are now the arbiters.
n not the masters, OF the world end
where We sit al the council Of the nations
is the head OF the table. Cur flag floats
over countries that George Washington
saw dimly. II at all and millions live
under its beauty and blessing who can
not read the Declaration OF Independence
IN the original We have not only political
independence but political domination in
the worlds affairs But. as washington
fOresaw in his Farewell Address. We are
in danger from foes within the State.
from foes within ourselves. Where there
Is no vision the people perish Our DO
iitical independence. our material power I
and wealth viii not save Us from the
moral slavery OF Rome and Greece. which /
ended in destruction If in self-indui- l
genCe. we yield 10 the Establishments OF /
materislism We shall find our strength /
gone our limbs bound, our eyes put out
the vision ended. the glory departed
1t Is the duty OF every patriot TO lift I
Up the standard OF personal and civic /
righteousness. lest the enemy come in ike |
a food and sweep away our real independ- |
euce. Il is not enough to admire and |
applaud the heroes Of the past. We our
selves must be the heroes. and. il needs
be. the martyrs OF the present In the
faith that the patriots Of America VIII /
keep alive forever the true spirit Of 20
the spirit Of seIf-sacriice. Of splendid [
and OF reverent trust in God and I
obedience to His WILL We may rejoice in
the glorious prospects OF the Republic.
Our Fathers God to Thee,
Author Il Liberty
To Thee We sing
Long may 0g:r land be hight.
Vita Freedoms holy Ies-.
Protect rs by Thy might.
Great God our king.
Prayer and benedictiCn by the Rev Dr.
Thomas s Chids closed the service.
one Of the interesting features was the |
granting of a charter for the proposed 1
French Society Of the Sons OF the Ameri-
can Revolution Fourteen lineal descend !
ants Of Americans and Frenchmen took
part in the American Revolution. and will !
form the charter members OF the new or !
Sanization. Ambassador Porter heads The |
list.