The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-09-04

tho nations history. gaunt ahy, un-
| calmly, but dominant and majestic, a
| natural ruler OF men. himself inevit-
I ably the central figure 81 the great
plot No man can cNplain this. but
every man can see how N demon
strutes the yigoT OF democracy. whore
/ every door IL open. in every hamlet
| and countryside, In city and wilder
ness alike. for the ruler TO emerge
when he wilt and claim his leader
ship and vitality OF democracy.
Here. no less, hides the mystery OF
democracy. Who shall guess this
secret OF nature and providence and
free polity? Whatever the vigor
and vitality OF the stock from which
he sprang. It's mere vigor and sound
ness do not explain whore this man
got his great heart that seemed TO
comprehend all mankind in its catho-
lie and beniRnant sympathy. the mind
that sat enthroned behind those
brooding. melancholy eyes. whose
vision swept many an horizon which
those about him dreamed not Of
that mind that comprehended what
II had never seen, and understood the
language OF affairs with the ready
ease OF one TO the manner born--or
that nature which seemed IA ns
varied richness TO be the familiar Of
men or every way OF life. This Is
the sacred mystery OF democracy,
that It's richest fruits spring M out
or soils which no man has prepared
and in circumstance amidst which
they are the least expected. This Is
a place alike OF mystery and OF re-
assurance
II is.Iikely that In n society ordered
otsswe tn nan o3 himself owl or the patS
OF fame and power u20n winch ne
walked sereneiy Ia his death. In TINS
place IL IL right that We should re-
mind ourselves OF the solid and strik-
Ing facts upon which our faith in
democracy IL founded. Many another
man besides Lincoln has served the
nation In Its highest places or conn
sci and of action whose origins Were
"a humble as hts Though the great
est example Of the universal energy.
richness. stimulation, and force OF
democracy. he IL only one example
among many The peEmestins and
-pervasive virtue OF the freedom
which challenges us In America 10
make the most OF every gttt ana
power we possess every page OF onr
history serves 10 emphasize and IL
lustrate standing here in this place.
II seems almost the whole OF the
stirring story.
Here Lincoln had his beginnings
Here the end and contamination of
that great life seem remote and bit
b t4SriS'G anywh Hne between beginning
and end. no lack Of natural sequence
anywhere Nothing really incredible
happened Lincoln was unsnectedly
a. much At home In the White House
as h" was here. 10 YOU snare with
me the feeling. I wonder that he was
permanently at home nowhere? II
seems 10 me that in the case OF a
man would rather say ~ spirit
like Lincoln the question v here he
was Is OF little significance. that II Is
always what he was that really ar
rests our thought and takes hold or
our Imagination. II is the spirit al
ways that ia sovereign Lincoln, Ike
tho rost Of us. was put through the
discipline 90 the world. very rough
discipline for him, an indtspensab l .
discipline for every man who would
know what he is about In the mid ~
~ the worlds affairs; but his spirit
got only it's schooling there II did
not derive its character or It's vision
from the experiences which brought
II to its fun revelation. The test OF
every American must always be. not
where he is, but what he Is. That.
also. is OF the essence OF democracy.
and Is the moral Of which this place
~ most gravely expressive.
We would like to think OF men
/ like Lincoln and Washington as typi-
! cal Americans. but no man can ne
| typical who IL so unusual as these
/ great men were. II was typical OF
/ American life that II should produce
! such men with supreme indifference
as To the manner In which II pro-
/ duced them. and as readily here IN
J this hut as amidst the little circle OF
| cultivated gentlemen 10 whom Ntr-
! GINA owed so much IN leadership
! and example. And Lincoln and Wash
| ington were typical Americans in me
use they made OF their genius. But
/ there viii he few such men at best
/ and we viii not look into the ma -
! tory OF how and why they come. ~
/ viii only keep the door open for
| them always. and hearty welcome
| after We have recognized them.
| have read many Biographies OF
! Lincoln, | have sought out with the
greatest interest the MANY intimate
stories that are told ~ him the mar
ratives Of nearby friends, the sketches
at close quarters. DOB which those " ht
| had tho privilege - being associated
/ with him have tried 20 depict for Us
/ the very man himself In his habit
/ az he lived 90 but ! haV" nowhere
/ found real intimate Of Lincoln =
! nowhere Get the Impression in any
/ rarrRtiy" or rcmiDts"once that the
! writer h0d in fact penetrated TO th'
! heart Or his mystery. or that any
/ man could penetrate to tho heart ~
! II That broodiug spirit had no rea
+ famihars get the impression tina
( - never spoke out In complete sef
/ roNelstlon, and that IL could not re-
veal itself completely 10 anyone J.
was n very lonely spirit that locke
out from underneath those shaggl
brow i ard Comprehended men with
out fuzzy cotnmuning with them a
/ a. in spite ~ all it's genial efforts a
/ comradeship. II dwelt apart saw b.
/ visions OF duty where no man look %
! on There - very holy and vor,
| OF every man who seeks 20 read th
| destiny In affairs for others as wei
! as for N ifus self for "A nation as well a
/ for individuals. That privacy no mas
can iutrudr ron That lonely searcl
| ~ the spirit .,r the right perhaps M
man can assist. THIS strange chile
| of ~" cnihu kept company with I'm
/ visible things. was born into no In
I tintt,'.' huf that of It's own siirUtli
assembling and deploying thoughts
| have Some here today not To az
| ter a culogy on Lincoln he stands II
| need on none, but To eudeaVor To in
| terpret the meaning OF this gift {,
| theanRtion OF the place OF his birti
and origin. Is not this an altar upoi
| which We may forever keep alive TIT
| vestal IRE OF democracy "a upon
| shrine at which some OF the deepcs
| and most sacred hopes OF mRnkiu,
| may from age TO age he rekindlcd
! For these hopes must constantly bt
! rekindled. and only those who livt
! can rekindle them The only stun
| that can retain the life giving hca
ia the stun of living hearts. And th'
| hopes OF mankind cannot be kcp
! alive by words merely, by Constitu
! lions and doctrines or right and codes
! OF liberty The object OF dcmocracl
Is to transmute these Into the lie
| and action OF society. the self-dcnia
! and sclf-EaCritCc 81 heroic men and
| women willing TO make their lives
! an embodiment 81 right and service
and enlightened purpose. The com
! nands OF democracy are as lmpcra
| tive a. its privileges and oppurtuni'
| ties are wide and generous It's com
| pulsion Is upon US II VIII be greal
| and lift great light for IN" guild
| ancc OF tho nations only IL We are
.reat and carry that light high foI