The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-05-08


the tidlngs Of Bunker Hill were carried
TO Washington, he anxiously asked the
courier this question: did the militia
fight wellI" When told that they did,
he replied, "Then the liberties Of the
country are safe" That principle Is
our ground of hope today. On this ma
tiOnal birthday we re-echO Washing
toms words and declare that "the lib
critics OF the country are safe" when
its citizens, from the humblest TO the
greatest, are gdod men doing their re-
spective duties well. II was in Wash
ingtOn's genius OF character" that we
find his greatest element Of strength.
George Washington was a well round
ed man. That means IN ordinary, eV-
eryday language ne was a good man
wherever you study him.
George Washington was ready to sac
rihce his all for American liberty. l do
not suppose he was any more willing
TO sacrifice his all than thousands and
tens Of thousands Of other men. But
the simple fact was that George Wash
ington had more to sacrifice than al
most any other man OF his day. First,
he was home body. lie had to give up
all the endearments OF his Virginia
plantation life. The glory OF war and
the pride OF craftsmanship never ap-
pealed to him, as they often do to the
selfish ambition Of tle modern poll
tician. How pitlful," he once wrote TO
q friend. "ln this age OF reason aud re-
liglon, Is that false ambition which
desolates the world with fire aud sword
for the purpose Of conquest and fame.
| hope to spend the remainder OF my
life in cultlvating the affections Of good
men and In the practice OF domestic
virtues" But though George Wash
ington was essentially home man,
and loved his own Areside above all
thronerooms, yet at the call OF duty
he sacrificed his llfe's desire and drew
his sword as the commander or the
American armies.
When a great crisis comes, are you
and | similarly ready TO make sacri-
fee for principles sake! When we see
might triumph over right and Injustice
,yer Justice, are we ready TO say: Here
is my life. Here is my property. Here
is the property OF my loved ones. l
stake everything in the struggle which
| wage to make all men freeF Have
we the same faith in a Divine Proyi-
dence as George Washington hadf Are
we as true to principle as be, as ready
as he to put liberty. property and life
itself I'm peril for the sake OF rightf DO
we feel II is better to die right than TO
live wrong?
George Washington was also stead
fast. though he had to battle against
and overcome the acknowledgement or
the American statesmen and the Jeal'
ousies OF his own generals. Some peo-
pie think that the only battles Wash
ington had to fight were those against
the English and the Hessian soldiers.
George Washington was not always
FIRST in the hearts Of his countrymen'
as he was first In war and first In
peace. No sooner was be placed In
than his enemies at home
began 10 consplre against him. After
the capture Of Fort Washington by the
British these home enemies tried to
wrest the commanders sword out OF
George washington's hand and give 1t
TO Major General Charles Lee. When
Burgoyne surrendered to Horatio
Gates at Saratoga, the Conway cnbaP
tried TO supplant the old leader with
this new conqueror from the north.
Not only did Washington have to
contend with his Jealous army officers,
but he had to fight his enemies. who
were working against bis plans In con-
gress. Instead OF giving TO him an
army recruited from men who had en-
listed for two or three years or for the
war. these enemies voted to him an
army made up OF men who had enlisted
for a few months OF year. No sooner
would Washington plan battle or
campaign than he would ind that
large part OF his soldiers discovered
that their terms Of service had expired
and that they were entitled TO pack UP
their things and go home. 1T Is im-
possible for me I'm the compass or
letter" he wrote to his brother In 11I0,
ito give you any idea OF our situation
and of my difficulties and OF the cor
slant perplexitles meet with, derived
from the unhappy policy OF short en-
listments and delaying them too long.
am worried almost to death with the
retrograde motion OF things, and | SOL
emnly protest that a pecuniary reward
of 10000 year would not induce me
- undergo what I do, and, after all,
perhaps, to lose my character" Yes.
YES. some Of the mightlest battles
George Washington had TO wage were
against his enemies at home and not
against his enemies from abroad. SO,
my brother, II you are ever going to
accomplish any liiuk AoA bVu anu Nhr
worlds betterment, you will find that
some Of the people who ought TO help
the most are those who will try TO I'M
dermine you; that the man who should
be pushing you ahead will often be
the man who Is trying TO stab you In
the back.
Here, for instance is true gospel
minister trying to preach Jesus Christ
In the village or the city church. Who
is the greatest enemy he has to hghti
The saloon keeperi The proprietor
who runs the low playhousei The In
fidel who never sets foot inside OF a
church? Oh, no. The greatest retard-
ment Of an average minister's work Is
not to be found outside but inside the
church. 1t is perhaps the church mem
her who refuses to be reconciled to the
minister because the congregation
called him instead Of another man to
the pastorate. What is the greatest o0-
stacle that mother has in the right de-
velopment Of her childreni Is II the
bad example set by her sons class
mates or her boys employer oh, no.