The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-02-26
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE, DID,,
Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

Chicago. Feb. PIN this dis
course, appropriate to the patriotic
character of the day. the preacher ex-
tolls the patriotism, the craftsmanship
and the Christianity Of 1.-The Father Of
His Country as worthy of the emula
ton Of all good Americans. The text
is Genesis xvii, 4. Thou shalt be
father of many nations"
Among the monarchs of Europe there
is only one whose lot l consider envi-
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
rule, are doomed to lives Of oppressive
and circumscribed servitude. 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-
erations of state policy and of inter
national alliance govern the choice OF
a 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
adula ton. Royalty has its drawbacks
as well as it's dangers: but there is one
conspicuous example of their being
overcome Even 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 group
to make fathers heart glad. To be
the head of such family is more graf
flying than to be the head of the Ger
man empire.
1t 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
joy of that man who is told that he is
to 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 a
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-
Their 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
to 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
In American history. but whose life
has won the admiration Of other ma
lions as well as of our own.
A Well Rounded Man.
George Washington was well round
ed man. His was not the brilliant gen.
ius of a Napoleon or a Richelieu or a
Mazarin or a Cardinal Wolsey. His
military career was not spectacular,
like that of Arnold or 6 reene 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 Will
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
If he had any genius, his, as David
Gregg wrote, twas the genius of char
acter," and Of character alone. As
boy he was not brilliant boy, but
good boy, noble, high principled boy.
We do not have to refer to the tabled
Ratchet 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
Qut ut tEllIlESli.s5 IuUSC dIG
these words: '.Endeavor to keep alive
In your bosom that little divine spark
called conscience. AS a young man
ne do not find him brilliant young
man. but a conscientious and painstak
ing young man. He was appointed
public surveyor by Lord Fairfax. Why I?
Because Lord Fairfax knew that when
HE plodder, George Washington. record
I'd a measurement there would never be
4 doubt of the one fact, that that meas
was right. Asa mata1red man
we cannot portray the well rounded
ness of Washington's life better than
by quoting these words written by Mr.
Lear, his private secretary. who. lived
with him as member of his family in
Mount Vernon: General Washington
S, believe. almost the only man of
exalted character who does not lose
some part of his responsibility by an
M; ne "a sfarYyra a y.tanaa II have J1nynP