Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-25
WASHINGTON AND
LINCOLN COMPARED
Rev. A. H. Thompson Tells OF
Greatness of Each and Their
Value to Their Country.

In a patriotic address at st. Paul's
NJ. r. Church yesterday morning Rev.
\. III. Thompson, the pastor, addressing
the L. q. :. A., who attended In body,
gave vivid contrast and appreciation
Of Washington and Lincoln. He said:
Green. the English historian, says that
Washington WAS the nobiest figure that
ever stood in the forefront OF nation S
life. Carlyle sneeringly remarked that nc
was sOliver-mcaning Cromwell-with the
juice squeezed out. But this opinion was
certainly not shared by Bryce, who puts
him above Cromwell because he loved
Liberty and Cromwell did not. Bryce also
paws tribute TO his craftsmanship, saying
that he alone of the men of his day seemed
to realize that this was 10 become great
country. He illustrates this by Washing
tons insistence that the National Capital
be ten miles square. Mckinley says he
seemed To forcSee every national peril.
Washington WAS "A constructive states
man lie early saw the necessity of con-
Meeting the east with the west, and he
helped To construct the Potomac canal.
In his farewell address he seemed to fore
see all the perils that faced the nation,
and he laid stress on the need of unity of
educational institutions. of peace, and of
public credit. He laid strong emphasis on
religion He said: "Of all the dispositions
that lead TO political prosperity, religion
and morality are the indispensable sup
ports And let us with caution indulge
the Supposition that morality can be
maintained without religion
y a soldier Washington has had few
peers IN the worlds history He was one
of the greatest military experts of his own
or any time. He showed himself master
Of strategy in that brilliant campaign
about Trenton and Princeton, when he
repeatedly surprised his enemy. inflicted
losses and escaped from seemingly hope
less positions with his ragged army. But
for the meagcrness of this army he would
have been recognized as one OF the
greatest generals of all time. He made a
mob into an army, saved his cause from
the treachcry OF his fellow countrymcn.
controlled dIsloyal Congress, and IN SIN
years time ended a war in victory.
4 little boy was once taken 10 sec n
parade IN which President Washington
was 10 ride. As the procession passed the
father held his little boy up 10 see him.
There he goes, sand the father. Where, /.
SAID the child. II don sec him" Why,
there he Is, that man on the white horse
oh said the child, rs George Wash
ington man
And 81 II has been. There are three
" Nashingtons-thc mythical Washington.
the ststueSquc Washington, and the real
Washington The real Washington was
an elemental man, with All the passions
of a man. His temper was tremendous,
but seldom got out of hand. At the battle
of Monmouth il Is charged that he sworc
like an archangel, but that is untrue.
What occurred was this, when the army
WAS placed In jeopardy by the apparent
treachery of General Charles Lee, Wash
lngton thundcred up to him and cried:
In the name Of God, Genefal Ice, what
does this mean2" When General st. Clair
deliberately led his men into ambush,
against which Washington had partICu-
larry warned him, he fell into towering
rage. hut quickly controlled himself, say
ing, Il will be just, and made thorough
investigation. Never, says FIske, was
bis sclf-control more evident than when
he refused TO fight after the battle of Sara
toga By sheer force of character he held
army and country together during the
greatest crisis In our early history.
IL has been the habit of many 10 COM
pare Washington with Lincoln. Such COM
parison is impossible Each man is unique
in his sphere Each was the product of
his time, and would have been an
anachronism out Of IL. Lincoln would
have been as impossible In '76 as Wash
inrion would have been IN 81. II were
better 10 recognize each as a gift OF God,
raised up for the time IN which he lived.
Washington and Lincoln were as unlike
a. two men could be temperamcntally and
sociallv Ono was born 10 the purple: the
other 10 poverty. One WAS reserved TO the
point 81 austcrity; the other was SO
friendly that everybody knew him. and
iamiharlv called HIM Abe-later when his
character was better known. Honest Abe.
one was a military commander and states
man. who thought much and talked little;
the other was a politician IN the better
sense who thought much. and talked
much, but by his talking nodded public
opinion 10 his own view. Lincoln was not
the rival of Washington, but his compli-
lneni Early IN life Neems Life of Wash
ington fell into his hands, and ever after
AZ he idcsllzed and idolized Washing
ton. Washington 5 influence Is seen IN the
80 DER u the army respecting the Sabbath,
ware the identical language of Washing
ton IL used. in the Springfield address,
AID N Llncoln's devotion TO the Declara-
eon OF Independence, which early became
hr rllgion.
Differing as they did they were alike in
essential greatness, each being a tower OF
strength TO his country in It's time of need.
They were alike in their opinion and
avowed dependence on a higher power.
Zach was a man of prayer, who prayed for
himself and country, and who sought the
prayers Of Others They were alike in their
passion Tor the rights OF man. Each stood
for the principle Of self-government, the
one IL It's application TO the Colonies, and
he other in its application TO the despised
'lave Both were alike in the full measure