The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-06-15

your God, drying up the waters thereof
in your sight until you passed over, as
He had done before in the Red Sea,
which he dried up until we passed
through"
And as the hosts Of Israel broke off
in Knots and bands and groups and
gathered round the stakes of their tents
and the fires Of their camps, can we
not picture them to ourselves recount
ing the perils through which they had
passed in their long, long journey
across the bowling houseless wilder
ness, and blessing and adoring that
wondrous providence that had guided
and guarded them on their way? And
how could they stop their tears of joy,
or silence their sobs Of gratitude as
they spoke of that browning wonder
done under their own eyes, when the
right hand Of the Almighty smote and
split asunder the torrent of the Jordan.
Venerable soldiers, the last week in
this beautiful month Of May in each re-
curing year, in this the brightest gem
of the twelve months that crowns the
year, the month of days serene and of
sunlight radiant, that smiles at nature
in flowers, eXhaling perfumes sweet
and delicious borne on every passing
breeze. This week Of May is to all
true Americans time of sacred and
national recollections, for it contains
two established days that are rich in
holy and heroic memories Of her brave
ones who fought for her liberties, and
who in fighting fell-fell on the battle
field of glory, or who escaping I'M
scarhed from the thunderous cannons'
fire since slept more peaceably in the
Lord
1t speaks Of volumes for the christi
anity Of this worlds bravest republic
to have her children assemble year af-
ter year in almost every temple in the
land, and lift up their hearts to God,
the Oliver of all good things, and de-
voutly thank Him for all He has done
for their glorious country, for all the
blessings and favors He has lavished
upon her people. Sing We to the Lord
Il new canticle, let his praise be in
the church of the saints, let the child
rem OF Zion be joyful in their King"
Dear friends, we can never lose sight
of the solemn fact that this America of
ours was Graded in christianity and
faithfully nn'sed ever since by it's re-
spective heads in the tenets of the i'm
mortal and imperishablc Washington
1t is sometimes said that the "hstory
OF II nation is often largely the history
of it's famous men," Ii so, what IL
glorious history of ours-from Wash
ington, clarum ct venerable nomen-
to the present day. 1t is not Il matter
of surprise to us that every historian
tries to Out-dO his own countrymen in
praise Of that unique figure in history.
for all who know. from tradition and
history of his life cannot consider any
honor too great that might be rendered
to his memory. In his latest book,
"The History of the four Georges just
brought to completion. the gifted Irish
author. Justin Mccarthy. pays the fol
lowing noble tribute to the father of
his country. 'rhe war that gave the
world Il new nation and Il republic
greater than Rome added one of the
greatest names and perhaps the nOblest
name to the great captains of the
earth. No soldier of I'LL those that the
eyes of Dante discerned in the first
circle, not even Caesar. all armed with
gerfalcon eyes" adorls the annals of
antiquity more than George Washing
ton eliminates the last quarter of the
eighteenth century. His splendid
strength, his sweet austerity. his proud
patience are hardly to be rivaled in the
previous history of humanity. and have
perhaps only been lrivaled since his
days by children of the same continent
and of the same southern soil, who
sacrificed qualities much akin to his
own in cause of freedom First
in peace, first in war, and first in the
hearts of his countrymen.'' T..
The United States of America have
produced great presidents of whom her
people are justly proud. Not to men,
ton those who lived in the earlier
times there have tlourishcd among
others within living memory the great
Lincoln and Grant and Garfield and
Harrison. whose names and praise are
still OH The lips of the people: II
Americans can point with just pride
to these and many others such as
these, the presidential chair of America
has lost none Of its former renOwn by
the accession of its latest occupant. On
the contrary. may it not be affirmed
with perfect truth, that the line Of
presidents reaching from Washington
through the years of the past century,
down to the present time ends with an
augmented glory in the name of the
Hon. William Mckinley.
Venerable soldiers, the grand and
proud traditions of the past in this, yet
young nations history. the enduring
patriotism Of her citizens, the bravery
of her sons in war-all bespeak a
glorious future for our country. AS
thn moot said nf onothar and fair 1an1