The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-01-16

are now part; to blaze the way and
set the example of high and noble
service for the country; to guard the
frail republic from within and from
without, until strong'enQugh to COM
NIT it to less able hands; and having
done all, he retired to private life to
enjoy the reward of an approving
conscience. displaying the majesty
Of our institutions and living an
everlasting rebuke that Kings rule
by divine right. Everywhere and
from every tongue George Washing
ton is quoted as the Father of his
Country" and his statements were,
I have fought a good fight, l have
kept the faith, / have finished my
course, henceforth there is laid up
for me Grown of Righteousness
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
shall give me on that day." From
the terrible war of this rebellion
our country emerged with the bap-
tism Of blood behold4ng a higher
future aud noble destiny. 1t set
tied then and there and for all time
to come. that one flag (God bless IT'D
was to float over all this land of ours;
that liberty was the brightest jewel
in the crown of Columbia.
Thus the infant Republic waxed
strong and grew in favor with God
and man. But the tranquility en-
joyed for more than a half century
was to be convulsed; the sky which
shone so brightly Illuminating the
future, was to be darkened. See
those yonder clouds. They pretend
the coming of a storm. The clouds
at first were scarcely visible though
they grew larger and more menacing.
South Carolina seceeds from tn e
Union; Mississippi seceeds; following
closely Florida seceeds. The threat
ening clouds so long overhanging
our nation burst forth with all the
fierceness Of homicidal war. The
greatest crisis the Republic has ever
encountered was upon her. 1t hard
ly seemed possible that she could
survive this terrific strain. But, III
the darkest hour of this national
existance, God again reveals His
omnipotent care by calling forth
from the prairies of the west, as
when He called Moses from the
fields of Gilgal, tn e humble rail
splitter from illinois to lead the
country through the valley of the
shadow Of death, and orce more es-
tablish it beside the still waters.
!. Lincoln died that the Union might
live; ransom for four millions Of
slaves, martyr for national liberty.
Is it possible that any one doubts the
guiding hand ofthe Almighty in plac-
ing Abraham Lincoln at the head of
our nation to keep inviolate thee
stitution and inseperable the several
states?
From the dawn of our national
history to the present time, every
struggle that has been waged on our
soil has been conceived and actuated
by the highest motives /of liberty
and humanity. And, in all the evo-
lutions of our national growth we
may have veered from the parallel
line marked out by our statesman
but never one iota from the stream
Of light shed before our path by our
guiding star, the star of liberty. Its
beams have penetrated the uttermost
parts of the earth, giving h pc
where none existed; cheering hearts
that were weak and faint; reviving
courage where it was dropping. and
everywhere nourishing the seeds of
republican form of government un-
til the plant fostered by Washington
and consecrated by Lincoln towers
high enough to receive the acclama-
ton of the entire world.
1t must be remembered that our
origin is most glorious. Columbus
discovered this continent and dedi-
Gated it to the living God. Wash
ington laid the broad foundation of
tho Ra.uLlia and aonroaro tod Il 70