Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-02-27

4
great work George Washington did for
his country was as soldier and no,
as 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 as the first
| president of the United States, so may
our memory be bonored for the bravest
| deeds OF heroism 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 unselfish.
| ly and bravely and nobly On IL we don.
ned 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 Braddock's army,
he could not speak word. He stood
up in the aisle. stammering and blush
ing and trembling all over like child.
With that, Speaker Robinson. noticing
his embarrassment, came to his rescue
| and said: "Skt down, Mr.. Washington:
4 oAt oONhs lnOueSty Is oUu1l
your valor, and that surpasses the pow
er OF any language that I 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,
tlton. just as important TO American
history as George Washington leading
his troops across the Delaware; George
Washington In the political councils OF
state. just as important for American
success as George Washington under
the famous elm OF Cambridge
| George Washington lived and died a
Christian gentleman. II you knew
nothing OF the principles Of navigation
| and should see a ship sail I'D New
York hsrbor. you might be surprised.
You might say to the commander Of
the ship: Captain. how was Ii posi-
BILE fer you to steer your ship through
the trackless deep7 Miles and miles
away is England. and yet you have
pointed your ships prov straight into
the Narrows OF New York harbor."
Then the captain would take you to
the box IN which trembles the magnet
&c needle. He would explain to you
all the laws Of the compass; he would
tell you that no matter which way the
ships PROV turns that magnetic needle
always points toward the north pole.
Then the passage OF that ship over the
trackless deep can be made to you very
simple and plain. When we attempt to
explain George Washington's career
without the aid Of a divine compass.
all is inexplicable, but when we find
the cross as the magnetic needle, guild
ing him over the troubled sea OF life,
then mans impossibilities become
Gods easies"
washin wton's Divine Compass.
Henry Cabot Lodge summed up the
character of George Washington in
these beautiful words: 81 see in Wash
ington great soldier, who fought a
! trying war 10 a successful end, .impos-
sible without him; a great statesman,
who did more than all other men to lay
the foundations of republic which
has continued I'm prosperity for more
than n century. 1 find in him n mar
velous Judgment, which was never at
fault; a penetrating vision, which be
held tho future OF America when II
was dim to other eyes; q great intellec-
tual force. a will of iron, an unyielding
grasp of facts and an unequaled
strength OF patriotic purpose" But
above and beyond that fine conception
or Washington's character, see still
higher beauty. / see in him a great
mind and heart, but see God In tina;
mind and heart, using him to win SUI.
pernatural triumphs. see George
Washington able to overcome the
greatest obstacles OF the Revolutionary
war. Why? Because i see George
Washington on his knees In the SHOWS
OF Valley Forge. L see George Wash.
ington overcoming the besetting diff
culties OF his presidential life. Why
Because ] see George Washington as
soon as he had taken the oath OF Office
going TO the sacred chancel. There, as
a humble supplicant, he begged the
protection OF him who was King OF
kings and Lord OF all. hear George
Washington turn to his old friend, DR.
Craik, and say, 81 die hard, but / am
not afraid tc die" Whyf Because the
Christ who had been his guide through
life was his comforter in death. Oh
nay brothers and sisters, would that we
might one and all have the same di
vine reinforcement in LIES struggles
that George Washington had. Would
that we might be able to use the cross
as a magnetic compass TO guide US over
the troubled sea OF time into the
smooth, unruffied sea Of eternity.
Thus we draw near to the close OF
the earthly career OF this greatest OF
all Americans. His life and death in
one sense shall In all probability be
just the same as our life and death
He ionged - earnestly and intensely
longed-for the time when he could re-
turn to the beautiful fields OF his Dearly
beloved Mount Vernon. When that de-
lightful day at last seemed near, he
wrote those happy words: al have re.
tired from all public employments and
shall tread the paths Of private salts
} faction. Envious OF none, am deter
mined to be pleased with all, and this
my dear friend. being the order of my
, march, I will move gently down the
stream OF life until / sleep with nay ia
TIERS" Bat, alas, alas. less than three
years after George Washington return
ed to his beautiful Mount Vernon there
was heard q rustic In the air. The
} death angel few down and knocked al
. his door. and within a few hours he
was gone. SO with our lives. We may
look forward to happy and glorious
earthly twilight, but in all probability
life for all OF us means continued work
to the close. 1t will mean hard work
clear up to the end. Then when our
!, work Is done, whether well OF poorly
done. God will call us, and we must
go. We shall so in all probability as
George Washington went-Quickiy, un
expectedly. with hardly a warning.
, May we one and oil live as he lived
Be able to die as he died. Live in the
l hon tS nf fhnsa wit no.