Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1910-02-17

humble vocations--Dayid rom tending
the sheep on the lone Juds elm hills, to
becom the Warrior king OF Israel; and
Lincoln. The rail splitter, from the
banks of the Ohio, to the highest office
in the power OF the nation, that of
president of these United States.
1t is not to be supposed that the
IN IN of his time understood Lincoln's
mission or respected his motives.
Great men are not TO he measured
by small standards. We cannot con
venieutly or accurately measure a
quart of milk with teaspoon. and
small mems estimates of great men
will be unjust. So Lincoln would be
largely misunderstood, especially in
those sections where mems personal
attempting for the good of tn, race.
The horizon OF small II inds is boun1ea
by selfish interest, ar d 1t was these,
u large fraction of his natior, who
failed to appreciate bis greatness The
newspapers and records of his time
show how Lincoln was not only mis-
understood, but repiled, his character
blackelled: his motives traduce d aid
impugred He was pictured ~ the
opposition as Il monster-but bow time
has changed all this! The ma'ignity
OF his enemies. the hatred and Fenom
which kept many from knowing the
true Lincoln, have fallen away from
MS chat cter like wi.hered leaves and
like them have returned to the dust
me nothingncss from which they
came.
1t il; also doubtless true that no
u:attcr how u UGH in sympathy we may
be with the great ones of our own
time, We ere too near to get the true
perspective. Viewed from the right
dittar ce "a fine oil pain ing is thing
OF ,.ty and joy forever, but seen too
close it is little but daubs of palnt
and trushm arlls. In the liveU of those
nell our own time, we are apt to
potit.a most the marks of their strug
;ies, their imperfections, and failures
and so miss the beauty of the perfect
whcle, which depends in large part on
hese very imperfectiors, these evil
dchcos OF growth.
Tho re narkable thing in Lincoln's
life, and the handspring of his char
acter was the love which he reflected
in n marvellous degree toward all man
kind. II was this love-tle love of
God-which he WIS always Expressing
in countless ways that was the secret
CT his wonderful influence 1t drew
me n to him. Men far more Intellectual
AMI refined than he, who came to
jeer, went away with "A respect
for his man of the people that almost
amounted to reverence.
Like the perfect Jesus, Lincoln had
no form or loneliness, but love is not
II thing OF the flesh, and there is TO
relation between matter and spirit
The people proved again and again
he shining Wilderness of Lincoln's love
for them. So kcai, so tender. so com
passionate. History abounds in aneo
dotes of the man who never failed To-
do kindness TO man, woman on child
and even to the beast of the field wher
opportunity presented itself
His love was very pure and unsolf-
ish. He knew the terrible struggle
which the emancipation proclamation
would precipitate upon the nation.
His heart ached over the bloodshnd,
ruined homes and widespread desc
ation bound to be the result of
civil war. But the right of all men
to life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness, was greater than these, great
er than the loss of individual properly.
honor or even life itself
Many parents think they love their
children more than others because
they indulge them greatly. Let them
b. happy when they are young. they
a'gue License and self-indulgente
never make any one happy young or
cid. That love is the greatest which
IL unselfish enough to think OF the
Ghildren's greatest good, and correcs
hem for their own benefit in future
years.
OF his nation, the Father Abraham,
very like in many ways to the great
leader of Israel. did not give his PEG
pie what many of them wanted-hc
not peace but sword; he brought