Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-12-02
JOHNS LETTER.
HE FINDS MARY A. LIvERMoRE AN oPTI-
MIST OF oPTIMsTs.

Brother Tilton knows a good thing
when he sees it. We claim to be built
that way ourself. "The Story OF My
Life, or, The Sunlight and Shadow OF
Seventy Years." by Mary A. Livermore,
is one of the most interesting books that
we have taken from the library. We are
sometimes pessimist, when our victuals
don't set we'll, at other times we are an
optimist. We think Mrs. Livermore's
digestion must be in excellent condition,
leastwise she is an optimist of the opti-
mists, as this specimen will show. II
do not take any stock in the croaking
that hear about me, and am far from
believing that the day is near at hand
when the Republic shall give up the
ghost. 1t is contrary to all the prece-
dents of history that nation shall 60
down in the first stage of its voyage, in
sight of the port from which it took its
departure. America carries earthly i'm
mortality within her. She is trying, on
a grand and complicated scale, the great
experiment of self-government, which
all nations are yet to undertake for them
selves, and she is going to succeed. Not
in any near day of the future shall the
Atlantic surgeS wall her requiem; nor
shall the dead nations that lie along the
highway of the past crowd together to
make room for our America,-larger than
they all. The Mississippi valley shall
not make her grave, as has been predict
ed, nor will the Rocky Mountains yield
granite for her monument. She is to
live and not die. Undoubtedly God will
be so good to her, that He will continue
to discipline her, as He has done in the
past. She may be visited by calamity,
and advanced by adversely. For Gods
divinest agent of help for nations, as for
individuals, is frequently hindrance. But
through all she shall slowly, but steadi-
ly, 60 on toward the great goal which
the fathers saw, when they laid the
of the country in blood and
tears, in agony and sacrifice-the goal of
a truly Christian Republic. She shall be
the Messiah of nations, and shall draw
after her all other Kingdoms of the
world, winning them to the same high |
destiny-aS the moon draws to itself the
great tides of water, and as the sun
draws at its chariot wheels the vast
planetary universe"
Who shall say that her words are not
the words of truth and soberness? Who
shall say that she is not true prophet
ess? No one can say that she cannot
put her thoughts into attractive shape.
I'VE think that she could vote as intelli-
gently as the average man voter. We do,
honest.
Her lecture on "Has the Night of
Death no Morning." is masterpiece.
gain she is an optimist. She takes
view of the present life and the
life that is to come. She finds enough |
TO satisfy her that all created intelli-
,ences are destined and were and are
created for holy and happy existence
N heavenly country.
In 1.-The Battle of Life she says: VI
I'm not prophesying quick-coming mil
ennium. 1t has taken God millennium
If millenniums to bring us where we are;
md He need not be in a hurry, as He
las all eternity to work in. l only speak
Is one
"'who, rowir hard against the stream,
Sec distant gates OF Eten CLEAN,
And does not deem 1t all a dream"
JOHN.