The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-05-08
WASHINGT0N'S WORK
Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage
on Our First President.
Hn "a Patriotic Discourse lie Exto1n
the High Example Set by
"the Father of His
Country"

character or the day, the preacher eA'
tolls the patriotism, the craftsmanship
| and the Christianity Of "the Father OF
His Country" as worthy of the emula-
ton of all good Americans. The text
is Genesis xvii, 4, "Thou shalt be a
father of many nations"
Among the monarchs of Europe there
is only one whose lot l consider enyi-
able. Justin Mccarthy once wrote that
the princes who were born TO thrones
ought to be the most pitied Of all men.
The kings and queens Of Europe, as a
rule, are doomed to lives Of oppressive
and circumscribed servltude. The
would be assassins are always skulk-
ing around, ready to dig their graves.
Kings cannot marry those with whom
they fall in love, as other men are al
lowed to do. When they wed, consid-
eratlons OF state policy and Of inter-
national alliance govern the choice OF
partner, and they must not marry
simply to satisfy the cravings Of their
own hearts. They must breathe. for
the most part, the tainted atmosphere
OF sycophantal praise and insincere
adulation. Royalty has its drawbacks
as well as its dangers; but there is one
conspicuous example OF their being
overcome. Even a freebOrn American
citizen can afford to admire the do
nestle relations Of the German emper-
or. The six bright, healthy, intelligent
boys and the lovely little girl who
compose his family circle are a group
to make a fathers heart glad. To be
the head Of such family is more graf
flying than to be the head of the Ger
man empire.
Ii was so that the beautiful Cornelia
felt when she declared that no wealth
was comparable to being the mother OF
the Gracchi. What, then, must be the
10y of that man who is told that he Is
10 be "the father OF many nations"
For that reason the Hebrew people
honor the name of Father Abraham'
for that reason the American people
ought to honor the name OF George
Washington. AS the Hebrews to this
day venerate the man from whom their
race sprang, so we have in the leader
and founder OF our commonwealth
man whose character is worthy OF all
our honor and veneration. Thousands
upon thousands OF pilgrims have jour
neyed TO the shrines OF Machpelah, In
which are supposed to be buried Fa-
ther Abraham and Sarah, his wife. On
this national holiday in Imagination
we should be willing to journey to the
Mount Vernon tombs in which slumber
the moldering bodies Of Father Wash
ington and Martha, his wife. We should
on this Washington's birthday be glad
10 give up at least one service to the
study OF the life and the character OF
this great and good man, whose name
not only towers above all other names
I'm American history, but whose Ire
has won the admiration Of other ma
tions as well as Of our own.
George Washington was a well round
ed man. His was not the brilliant gen
ius Of a Napoleon or a Richelieu or
Mazarln or a Cardinal Nolsey. HIS
military career was not spectacular,
like that Of Arnold or Greene or Nor
gan or Light Horse" Harry Lee or
"Mad" Anthony Wayne. His pen was
not facile, like that Of Hamilton or
Jefferson. He had no oratorical gifts,
like those OF Henry or Adams or VIII
liam Pinkney; but, as he had not the
dazzling talents OF such men, neither
did he have the moral weaknesses
which marred their characters.
wherever we touch the life and char
acter OF Washington there we find that
II he had any genius. "his," as David
Gregg wrote. "was the genius Of char
acter." and OF character alone. AS a
boy he was not a brilliant boy. but a
good boy, a noble, high principled boy.
We do not have TO refer TO the tabled
hatchet story to prove this. There are
still preserved in his own bOyish hand
writing the famous rules he made to
govern his future life, which he wrote
out at thirteen. Among those rules are
these words: "EndeayOr TO keep alive
In your bosom that little divine spark
called conscience" AS young man
we do not find him a brilliant young
man. but conscientious and painstak-
ing Young man. lie was appointed
public surveyor by Lord Fairfax. Why?
Because Lord Fairfax knew that when
the plodder. George Washington. record
ed a measurement there would never De
doubt Of the one fact, that that meas
urement was right AS a matured man
we cannot portray the well rounded
ness of WashingtOn's life better than
by quoting these words written by MT.
Lear. his private secretary, who lived
with him as a member Of his family In
Mount Vernon: General Washington
Is. believe. almost the only man OF
exalted character who does not lose
some part OF his responsibility by an
intimate acquaintance. | have never
found a single thing that could lessen
my respect for him. A complete knowl-
edge Of his honesty. uprightness and
candor in all his private transactions
has sometimes led me to think him
more than a man.
Washingtons character was not the
grandeur OF a snow capped mountain,
full Of creyasses and fatal precipices.
II was that OF a well chiseled piece Of
marble, over which the sculptor's hand
has gone again and again. His charac-
Ter was not developed in an instant, as
q cUmet ieaps InJo existence ana tnen
disappears. But his character growth
can aptly be compared to the sunrise,
which grows brighter and brighter and
sheds forth a more refulgent light until
at last that light sinks away into the
twilight after the glowing sunset has
covered the clouds with garments Of
cold