The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-09-04
whole o. the stirring story.
plselpllned BIZ MorId

SIS much At home In
the White House an he was here.
DO you share with me the feeling.
| wonder. that he gas permanently
at home nowhere
1T seems 20 me that Ia the case
OF man would rather say of
spirlt--.like Lincoln, the question
where he was Ia % little slgnifE.
canoe that II IL always what L.
was that really arrests our thought
and takes hold Of our Imagination
II Is the spirit always that is sover
eiEn Lincoln. like the rest 81 us.
was put thru the discipline of the
world a very rough and sxacting
discipline for him. and iadispensa.
BILE discipline for every man who
would know what be IL about In the
midst 81 the worlds affairs. bun his
spirit got only It's schooling there.
II did not derive its character or its
vision from the experiences which
brought II 10 it's full revelation.
THE test Of every American
must always be, not where he
w. b1h Nt 0fSLf
10 the essence Of democracy.
and is the moral Of which this
place 10 most Grsveiy espres
sive.
Not "Typleai"
We would like 90 think Of men
like Lincoln aud Washington az
typical Americans. but no man can
be typical who IL 80 unusual az
these great men were. II was typ
teal OF American life that II should
produce such men with supreme In.
as TO the manner -.
which IL produced them. and
readily here in this hut as ark
the little circle OF cultivated ~
tiemen 10 whom Virginia owed 70
much In leadership and example.
And Lincoln and Washington were
typical Americans In the use they
made OF their genius
But there wiil be few such meg
at best. and we viii not look into
the mystery Of how and why they
come. We will only keep the door
open for them always. and a hearty
welcome-after We have recognized
them.
Il have read many biographies Of
Lincoln: have sought out with the
greatest interest the many intimate
stories that are told OF him. the mar.
rauyes OF nearby friends. the
sketches at close quarters. In which
those who had the privilege Of be-
ing associated with him have tried
10 depict for us the very man him.
self. In bis habit as he lived. but
] have ncv-here found real init
mate OF Lincoln's.
Il nowhere get the impression ir
any narrative or "reminiscences tt
the writer had. In fact. penetrate
TO the heart OF his mystery, or that
any man could penetrate 10 the
heart OF IL. That brooding spirit
had no real famiiiars. get the i'm.
preston that IL never spoke out in
self.revelation, and that
Il could not reveal itself complete
~ to anyone.
He O~elt Apart
III was very lonely spirit that
looked out from underneath those
shaggy brows and comprehended
men without fully coInmuning with
them. as II. in spite OF all its genial
efforts At comradeship. IL dvelt
apart. saw its visions OF duty where
no man looked on. There is a very
holy and very terrible isolation for
the conscience OF every man who
seeks TO read the destiny In affair."
for others as well as for himself.
for nation as well as for individ-
uals. That privacy no man can in
trude upon. That lonely search Of
The spirit for the right perhaps no
man can assist. This strange child
81 the cabin kept company with In
visible things. was born into no In
timacy but that OF its own silently
assembling and deploying thoughts
No Need OF Eulogy
have come here today. not I
utter a eulogs on Lincoln: he stand
In need OF none: but to endeayor(
TO interpre, the meaning of this gift
TO the nation of the place OF his
birth and origin. Is not this al
altar upon which we may forever
keep alive the vestal fire of democ-
racy as upon shrine at which
some Of the deepest and most sa-
cred hopes OF mankind may from
age 10 age be rekindlede For these
hopes must constantly be rekindled.
and oaly those who live can re-
sindle them. The only stuff that
IAN retain the life.giving heat is the
stuff of living hearts. And the
hopes of mankind cannot be kept
alive by words merely. by constitu.
lions and doctrines OF right and
codes of liberty.
The object OF democracy 10
to transmute these into the life
and action Of society. the self
denial and sef.sacrifice OF
heroic men and women willing
to make their lives an embodI-
ment Of right and service and
enlightened purpose. The com.
mands Of democracy are as i'm
perative as its privileges and
opportunities are wide and gen.
erous. Its eompulsion is upon
US. II will be great and lift a
great light for the guidance Of
our own feet. We are not
worthy TO stand here unless we
ourselves be in deed and In
truth real democrats and ser.
wants Of mankind, ready TO give
our lives for the freedom and
Justice and spiritual exaitation
OF the great nation which shell.
tiers and nurtures u.s."