I.

WASHINGTON AND THE FATHERS OF OUR

REPUBLIC.

[ADDRESS TO SUNDAY CONGREGATION.]

"There hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses."

TH

HE religions of antiquity were the religions of patriotism. Polytheism had at least this merit, that it identified the worship of the gods with the love of country. Prayer in the old temples was wont to be a people's cry for victory or deliverance. The old-time prophets were statesmen, and the priests, warriors. No one would teach that patriotic devotion to a tribal deity can for a moment be compared to an exalted worship of the Universal Father, a worship tending to unite all races in one great brotherhood; but

(B)

let us be just to the old altars, as well we may, if before them men learned to prize above private gain the general good of tribe or clan.

It does not surprise us that the world needed not to await the advent of Christianity before great and noble men should appear, for next to the inspiration of the love that gathers within its all-inclusive tenderness a world of men, must be that love which holds as dear its own of blood and kin. Under the influence of so beneficent a sentiment it was given to the great nations of the old world to produce, not only groups of incisive men, but to each nation to count among her sons some one man illustrious above all others for wisdom and virtue. Generations after the death of the great Hebrew lawgiver, the historian of Israel's earlier day justly writes, "There hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses," Moses, the incomparable man of the Jewish theocracy.

Many noblemen, rare types of human excellence, walked the streets of Athens.

One among them was known as Socrates -one alone. Of all the Romans, one only was warrior, and statesman, and jurist, and orator,-Cæsar, first in field and forum. France has had but one Charlemagne, and England but one Cromwell. We are young as a nation, but we also have our incomparable man; one who seems to illustrate something of private worth and public service no other may rightly claim.

I know that it is quite the custom to cite the splendid services of Lincoln as equal or superior to those of Washington. Between these men no comparison can be made diminishing the glory of either; to each was given his own work, and well and loyally was that work accomplished. But it must be within the province of candid judgment to affirm that the overthrow of a rebellion instituted by some seven millions of Southern people against a rich and populous North-eighteen millions strong-cannot permanently rank a successful revolt on the part of three millions of scattered colonists against

the greatest military and naval power of Europe; that the establishing of our gov ernment upon principles then everywhere condemned as disastrous to society thus far remains the greatest achievement in American history. Three millions of colonists proclaiming independ ence; defying armies and navies; winning the confidence and support of a great nation; conquering, after seven years war, a lasting peace; meeting succeeding dangers with almost unerring wisdom, and finally adopting a constitution and founding a republic based upon the suffrages of a free people—all this, well and bravely done, entitles the Fath. ers to a gratitude due them alone. And in this is the true greatness of Washington seen that he was the master spirit of the most remarkable body of men God ever gave any country in a single age. In saying this, I do not forget that England could once point to Pitt in her cabinet, and to Burke, Sheridan, and

Grattan in her parliament, nor that thirty years ago Lincoln and Chase, Sew