The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-13
LINCOLN THE SYMBOL
OF THE HIGHER LIFE
President John Grier Hibben of Prince
ton Declared in Address at Mar
tyred Presidents Old Home
in Springfield, Ill.

Abraham Lincoln, the name OF the mar
tyred president is being revered in Eng
land and France as never before, and in
the midst of the great European war his
words are being used to mould public
opinion and to stimulate the spirit of
volunteer service; and his life is even be-
ing followed as pattern of British and
French craftsmanship, said Pres. John
Grier Hibben OF Princeton university in
an address before the Lincoln Centennial
association here yesterday.
'He has become indeed the type, the
symbol and the incarnation to other peo-
pies the world over of that which they
prize above even life itself" said DR..
IIibben. "This is illustrated in the strik-
ing attitude towards Lincoln of France
and Great Britain to-day. Yearning for
some ideal to steady and inspire them,
some great memory, some vision of a
spirit standing within the shadow of this
terrible war, they find their longing real
lied in the noble nature and oracular
words of Lincoln.
'In letter which | received from one
who was in Great Britain during tka first
months of the war, it is stated that after
the first shock of the war the most Sc
rious. minded of the English again and
again gave expression to their thought in
the words We need Lincoln Times
like these call for an Abraham Lincoln
In, SIT ma Nnha
Lincoln have doneY
at is a most significant fact that the
people of Great Britain in the time of
greatest national peril have turned in
stinctively to Lincoln for inspiration,
and the reason of this, | take it, is be-
cause they find in him the embodiment
of those principles which in their minds
form the justification of all their en-
deavor. Not only do they look to him in
general way for inspiration, but they
have repeatedly referred to his words in
order to mould public opinion and to JUS
tify governmental action. 1t is TO the |
words of Lincoln that they have turned |
in order to stimulate the spirit of volun- |
teer service The references to Lincoln
on the subject of CONSUMPTION are used |
not merely as the opinion OF witness in !
the case, but are stated confidently as |
being the conclusion of the whole mat
ter.
"What can be said Of Great Britain can |
be said even more foreibly OF France.
The French people have always loved |
Lincoln and they claim him as one of
their own heroes. His great personality |
has taken possession of the imagination
Of the French people and there is no
French hero who is more highly reyered |
among the common people Of France than
Abraham Lincoln.
"Since his death we have grown big
and rich and prosperous while the whole
world has been made tributary to our
comfort and well being. The very inn
poverishment of the warning nations
abroad has been the occasion OF the
imassing of fabulous fortunes, and the
alarming increase of luxury and luxu-
'ious living throughout our land 1t can
,nly be a matter of conjecture as to how
lincoln might have led his people
through a period of prosperity, because
he was never put actually to this test.
from the poverty of his youth to the
tragedy of his death there was for him
me long protracted struggle against
eavy odds, while the sole CLEAN of light ]
o guide him was that which shone from .
is own unconquerable hope and faith. $
am convinced. however, that were he
o return TO this marvellous life OF ours z
o-day, his unerring insight would dis ,
over the dangers TO which we as people
re exposed by reason of that very pros
Gritty which we are wont to regard as I
n unquestionable blessing. :
"Those spiritual qualities which Kin c
DIN emphasized as necessary to meet the II
tress and strain of war, he would doubt t
sss urge Nhon our consideration to-day II
5 being the qualities of manly vigor t
hich alone can prepare the spirit of a Il
eople to Withstand the subtle tempta-
on of an overwhelming prosperity. g
here are perils of peace as well as those e
war. and we find ourselves confront Il
by the grave danger at the present il
nat our American people may become n
risoners in their own treasure house. p
Lincoln fought and overcame the 4
,rces which were determined upon et
ctional division. No such danger pre-. k
nts itself now. We fear no conflict be- @,
veen North and South, nor East and a,
est There is a real danger, however, ri
at in the bewildering complexity of h,
IT modern life small groups of self Il
ntered interests may become so sufii
emit unto themselves that they will lose O,
concern for the common welfare. n,
18th men OF many races and many OF
ngues. can we stimulate and maintain n,
e unity of national spirit7 Can we is
ansform newly made citizens, ignorant k,
our institutions and traditions into OK
val patriotsg Our whole tendency is
wards the development of an exagger- al
ed individualsm which we must en- nj
avor by every means of education and m
ample to overcome. No
''To this end the plan of universal mill in
nv service now SO generally under dis do
ssion will be of insignificant aid. II is 40
{ merely that such measure natural g.,
provides an adequate national de-
use; more than that. it tends in a larg-
measure to preserve the spirit of our
tional unity. 1t is only by bringing II,
ycther the heterogeneous elements Of
r country in some universal democrat
training. many of whom are foreign
m. some OF whom have only half pr
lrted allegiance to our national ideas, an
At thew can be made to realize the 10,
npelling power Of a common obligation ON
Z a common cause. ov
" we