The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-03-09

knows they are truths because 1t feels
them; it sees with the eyes OF the soul
the great beauty of our inner life and
knows it is real because it sees It; 1t lis
tens to the sweet harmony of the divine
songs as they are played upon the feel
ings of the heart, and knows the songs
are sung because it hears them; 1t goes
out through all the world and finds God
in all things and knows He Is there be-
cause it comes from Him; it flies up
above the earth and takes hold of Hea-
ven and knows it exists, for 1t reflects
Heavens own radiance; it grasps the
hand of OmnipOtence and reels and
knows that God is and that He Is Life.
That is faith. And that is what
mean Washington had when L say he
had faith. His faith was sublime in its
simplicity. He believed in Nature;
he believed in man; he believed in
right; he believed in God. Had it not
been that he possessed this divine at
tribute of manhood, he could not have
done the work which he did. just as
certainly as l believe that Moses was
chosen of God to lead the children of
Israel out of Egyptian bondage, just SO
certain am l that Washington was a
man chosen of God to lead His modern
people out from the bondage OF Kings
and to plant freedom and liberty upon
the eastern shores of the world.
Washington's character fitted him for
his work. Because he did that work
faithfully and we'll, we cherish his
memory and love his name. His truth
fu.ness, honesty, great moral courage
and sublime faith should be sufficient
evidence to prove to all the world that
human nature is divine-divine in its
| origin; divine, also, in its ultimate des-
tiny"
Washington is not the nations idol;
| he is the nations ideal He embodles
all of the great qualities which make
| for manhood. 1t is right that we should
| remember him and what he did, for his
work was great and far reaching IN its
effects. But it is more essential that
we remember him for his character,
| for the man, Washington, IS greater
, than the work he did.
| Our greatest danger as people Is
that we may hold too low ideals of life.
| AS a nation, we are in danger from the
element which cannot understand or ap-
preciate the ideal of manhood that makes
| for good citizenship. That part of our
population which cannot feel the worth
| of character as it is found in Washing
ton is a menace to the liberties of the
whole people. These men are not all
ignorant and poor; they may often be
found among the learned and the rich.
| And ! believe that it is essential for
the future good of this country that we
teach to every boy and girl in America
the principles of right AS they are found
in the character Of Washington. We
need to put this strong love of truth
into our national life; we need the hon.
esty which Washington had: we need
his courage in all our national acts so
that we may stand as nation always
for the right; we need his faith that we
may believe in ourselves, in the nation,
and in God. "They that build the nation
| labor in vain except COD work with
them" We need then to make this
great character national in its life that
the nation itself may live. Men have
toiled, suffered and died through all
| the years of our national life that lib
erty might be real thing on this con-
tinent. Our national life has been con-
tinuous. Each generation has taken
up the task where the preceding one
| laid it down. Whether in war or peace
the people of America have always held
liberty sacred and have sought con-
stantly to strengthen it, Today we love
our liberty as dearly as did the SONS of
the men who crossed the seas in the
| Maytlower and hewed for themselves
home out of the rugged forests of old
| Massachusetts, or builded their temples
| beneath Virginia's blue arch and amid
her rustling groves.
| Yet we allow thousands of men, born
| and reared in foreign lands, who have
no conception of what liberty mean, or
| who cannot understand our national
| ideals, to take upon themselves all the
powers and privileges of citizenship. |
assert in all fairness and candor that
the time has come when no man should
be naturalized or given the power of the
| ballot, who has not learned that liberty
is not license to do wrong and that the
ideals which dominate our national life
must be preserved.
| [ hold it TO be self evident that the
man who does not realize what liberty
and right means in this land has not the
moral right, and should not have the
legal right, to help shape the policy of
our government. There is much of
Washington's character in our national
life He is the most influential citizen
in the United States today. And his
Influence as it is felt through the peo-
PIE WHO are dIecleu ny HIS CLdIdCteI
must not be trampled in the mire of an
archy and nilhilism by the swine of
other lands.
Washington lives, l wish might i'm
press this truth upon the hearts OF all.
Men like him are not destined to die.
They live in their deeds; in the hearts
of their countrymen; in the life of the
nation. Shall we say of him, "being
dead he yet speaketh?" Nay! Rather
let us say for such man as this there
is no death. That he has gone forth
into larger life than this and that the
man who did Gods work here for mans
good is living now somewhere in Gods
great country He, who took the divine
gift of liberty ami planted it upon the