Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-26

possible TOT me i'll INC COulpHsb OF q
letter." he wrote to his brother in 1776,
Ito give you any idea Of our situation
and of my difficulties and Of the con-
slant perplexities l meet with, derived
from the unhappy policy OF short en-
llstments and delaying them too long.
am worried almost to death with the
retrograde motion of things. and I SOL
EMMY protest that pocuniary reward
Of 100000 year would not induce me
to undergo what do. and, after all,
perhaps, to lose my character" Yes,
yes, some Of the mightiest battles
George Washington had to wage were
against his enemies at home and not
against his enemies from abroad. SO,
my brother, If you are ever going to
accomplish anything for God and the
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 fight :?
The saloon keeper? The proprietor
who runs the low playhouse? The in
fidcl who never sets foot inside of n
church? Oh, no. The greatest retard-
mcnt of an average minister's work is
not to be found outside but inside the
church. 1t is perhaps the church men,
Der who refuses to be reconcilcd to the
minister because the congregation
called him instead of another man to
the pastoratc. What is the greatest OBJ
stacle that mother has in the right de-
velopment of her children? Is it the
bad example set by her sons class
mates or her boys employer? Oh. no.
1t is the bad example set by the boys
own father that does the most effective
damage. And so. wherever we 60, we
find that our greatest struggles must
often he waged against those people
who ought to help us instead of trying
TO destroy us. And one of the chief
reasons why we honor George Wash
bravcly and faithfully to do his work
and did not ewcrve one inch from the
right path. no matter what his enemies
at home might do or say.
The Duties Of Peace.
George Washington knew that the
duties of peace are of vital Importance
and farrcaChing in their results. As
president elect he lifted his hand over
the opened Bible and promised to up
hold the constitution of the United
States with as solemn Il conservation
and reverence as when he drew his
sword as the commander of the Rcvo-
lutionary armies. He knew that the
work of the pen was just as important
as the work of the sword On his way
TO Inauguration he made this sugges-
tive entry in his diary: April 1G, 1850
About 10 o'clock | babe adicu TO
Mount Vernon. With mind oppressed
with more anxious and painful sensa-
tons than / have words to express I
set out for New York, with the best
disposition to render service to my
country, but with less hope of answer
ing its expectations AS he stood
taking q last farewell Of his beloved
Potomac and with anxious eyes tried
10 look into the future George Wash
ington fully realized that his acts as
first president of the United States
would make or destroy Il nation. And
yet some people suppose that the only
great work George Washington did for
his country was as n soldier and not
as a statesman, as leader of armies
and not as leader in the greater work
of the initiation and administration of
laws
AS George Washington's memory Is
cherished for what he did rs the first
president OF the United States, so may
our memory be honored for the bravest
deeds of hcroism accomplished by us
in times OF peace. We may often be
able TO serve our country and people
in the store and the home as unscltish-
ly and bravely and nobly as if We don
ned Il soldiers uniform and marched
up to the lannon's mouth. When
George Washington, as young man,
was being thanked by the Virginia
house of burgesses for his gallantry
during the French war and for having
saved the remnant of Braddocks army,
he could not speak q word. He stood
up in the aisle, stammering and blush
ing and trembling all over like n child
With that, Speaker Robinson. noticing
his embarrassment. came to his rescue
and said: "Sit down, Mr.. Washington;
sit down. Your modcsty is equal to
your valor, and that surpasses the pow
er of any language that ! possess.
So. like the modesty of Washington
our deeds in time of peace may equal
any deed of military conquest. We
may be heroes and heroines in civil
ian's garb. George Washington up,
holding the financial policy of the sec
rotary of the treasury, Alexander Ham
ilton, Just as important to American
history as George Washington leading
his troops across the Delaware; George
! Washington in the political councils of
state, just Us important for American
success as George Washington under
the famous elm of Cambridge.
George Washington lived and died q
Christian gentleman. If you knew
nothing of the principles of navigation
and should see ship snll up New
York harbor, you might he surprised
You might say to the commander OF
the ship Captain, how was it posi-
BILE for you to steer your ship through