The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-12-12

| the address of President Coolidge:
Perhaps, too, there is lesson in con-
tentment in the life of this devout man.
| He never had any of the luxuries of
| this life. Even it's conveniences did
not reach him, and of its absolute nee
| essaries he had q scanty share With
| out ever having the enjoyment of a
real home, constantly on the move,
| poorly clad. often wretchedly sheltered,
much of the time insufficiently nour-
ished, yet his great spirit pressed on
! to the end, always toward the mark
| of his high caliber. His recompense
| was not in the things of the earth.
Yet who can doubt. as he beheId his
handiwork, as he saw his accomplish
ments grow, there came to him glor-
| ious- satisfaction and a divine peace.
No doubt he valued the material things
of this life, and certainly they ought
to be valued greatly, but he regarded
1 it as his work to put a greater en-
| phasis on the things of the spirit He
sought to prepare men for the sure
maintenance and the proper enjoyment
of liberty, and for the more certain
production and the better use of
| wealth, by inspiring them with a rever-
/ ence for the moral values of life.
What a wonderful experience he
must have had. this prophet of the
| wilderness! Who shall say where his
1 influence, written upon the immortal
| souls of men, shall end? How many
homes he must have hallowedi What
a multitude of frontier mothers must
have brought their children to him to
receive his blessing!
1t is more than probable that Nancy
Hanks, the mother of Lincoln, had
| heard him IN her youth. Adams and
jefferson must have known him, and
jackson must have seen in him a fam
ing spirit as uncomfortable as his own.
/ How many temples of worship dot our
Landscape! How many institutions of
learning, some of them rejoicing in
the name of Wesleyan, all trace the
| Inspiration of their existence to the
sacrifice and service of this lone Cir
cult Rider! He is entitled to rank as
one of the builders of our nation.
On the foundation of religious civ
| ilization which he sought to build our
country has enjoyed greater blessings
of liberty and prosperity than was ever
before the lot of man. These cannot
continue If neglect the work which
he did. We cannot depend on govern
ment to do the work of religion. We
cannot escape a personal responsibility
| for our own conduct We cannot re-
gard those as wise or safe counselors
| in public affairs who deny these prin-
i ciples and seek to support the theory
that society can succeed when the in
| dividua1 fails.
I do not see how any one could re-
count the story of this early bishop
without feeling a renewed faith in our
country. He met a multitude of storms.
Many of them caused him sore trials.
| But he never wavered He saw wars
and heard rumors of war, but what
ever may have been the surface an
pearance. underneath it all our country
! manifested then, and has continued to
manifest a high courage, a remarkable
strength of spirit. an unusual ability
| in crisis to choose the right course.
Something has continued to guide
| the people. No tumuIt has been loud
| enough to prevent their hearing the
still small voice. No storm has been
violent enough to divert inspired men
from constantly carrying the Word Of
1 Truth. The contests of the day have
but been preparations for victories on
the morrow.
Through it all our country has ac-
| quired an underlying power of judg-
ment and stability of action which has
never failed 1t. 1t furnishes its own
answer to those who would defame :,
1t can afford to be obIivious to those
who would detract from ii. America
continues its own way unehallenged
and unafraid. Above all attacks and
all vfcissitudes it has arisen calm and
triumphant; not perfect but marching
on, guided in its great decisions by the
same spirit which guided Francis
Asbury.