Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-19
@aSbington ann pinrolr1.
BY THE CHURCHMAN.

M 1DWAY between the celebration of Lincolns birthday
Nv and that of Washington to ask not simply
what kind of men they, what did they do but
what relation have they the Of whom the adj
ece great could by the widest stretch OF the
miraon of them from distance the annual chanting OF
their praises with Others do something
efforts and characteristics learn of useful lessons for
lives 1t always profitable to admire great
in their experiences they help lift the level of human life
generally Indeed Hanack the great German theoosan
has said that the value of great consists the that
he, by his very greatness, lifts all
Our two most famous Presidents OF very diff
feen anecedents and personal traits The pa
trlclan extraction and was accustomed from childhood to
comfortable surroundings the other shared from birth the
dubious fortunes of frontier life small poorly furnished
shack rude and frugal diet little in the of inherited
refinement, such Lncons fate But both types Of men
needed in republic 1t would be unfortunate ideals
plain clothes and have little money the bank Such
indeed, the state and serving it. but
the other hand the republic needs the help
which such Roosevelt bring
of comparative and culture.
Neither Of these Presidents rode Pullman
greatness had peculiar tests and difficulties When
of little school children asked the other day
wnah nnt some ens o M snd @ e
he couldn't tell lie" But if this this deprivation
was only one of his lesser annovancesndeed the path Of
both Washington and Lincoln strewn with entanglng
obstacles Nor they themselves great BIRTH they
had to achieve it each in his they uni
formy great, they had their off days when they exhibited
characteristics far from prasewory when they gave
Encouragement rability. Never forget that your
he had to make his fight for character he had his
against odds he not perfect discourage m
ration the part of Others
But the distinctive element in the greatness Of both
coin and Washington their reliance greater
than they Much has been written their religious life
and authorities do entirely agree certain points, but
there ample evidence that both trusted and sought
o serve a higher power Washington was probably the
conventionally religious though ntoean He
remarked Presbyterian whose hand he
wished to take the communion Though member of the
Church of England have exclusive partiaitics. When
camp before Boston I775 he had morning
evening and regular i'll church attendance. During his
first President lie said to physician attending him
sickness, Il afraid die, whether on9
hence makes difference. know that am in the
hands OF a good Providence
And Lincoln while he church mem I
Der and while unfortunately the churches fifty years ago
maintained many of them rigid standard that
of Lncons spirit would be ruled he religious
the of the term and grew as the
weight OF responsibilities pressed hard him. Other
dent g. Schuman of Cornell University Il wish say
beraely. after reading lives of Lincoln and trying
understand the history of the civil that in opinion
the Union could have been restored without the unseen
but the less real power that the nation through
ncons belief in God and confidence His govern
n1ent of the world" 4
In this only Lincoln and WASHINGTON but the
greatest throughout all the centuries have been
gous One ought to become religious simply because
is likely thereby greatness but he considers
self rreeious. he ought ask how it about that
of the earth which helped make them what they were
should be consplcuously lacking in himself.
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