BEECHER ON GLADSTONE AND DISRAELI.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2574, 21 June 1881, Page 2

BEECHER ON GLADSTONE AND DISRAELI.

SECOND EDITION

During a recent discourse in Plymouth Church Mr Beecher bad occasion to illustrate a portion of his argument by a reference to the career? of illustrious men. He e?peci dly drew attention to the late Lord Bc-aconsne'd and the Prime Minister of England, pointing a lesson which was much to the disadvantage to the dead statesman. “No generous heart." he said " loves to speak of faults, but when 1 look at the moving ideas of Beacons field's life—the lino of his literature, the line of his statemanship, the line of his inspiration—l ask myself : What new truth lias he discovered ? What old truth has he left burning brighter that it was ? What more heroic ideal has he attained in human life ? What advance in human society? What single good quality has he made more resplendent, noble, and desirable by the whole human race ? He is one of those names that, like a pyrotechnic display burns brilliantly for the admiration of the crowd. When the wheel ceases to revolve it goes out —it is forgotten. His life is ended, his power is ended and he leaves nothing behind him but the name —the name ! But when he who stands high to day in the administration of the Empire of Great Britain shall die, he will have left many a work behind liim in the line of scholarship and elegant literature, and he will have left an example of courage for that which is right, of ambition for advance in the quality of manhoood. Ho will have left the example of a Christian statesman seeking the best things by the highest and purest ways ; and if God spares his life, he will have scattered, I think, from his country those groat clouds which threaten so much,but which betoken the rise of a better day, of a purer nationality and a nobler morality. God bless our mother-land ! I have a reflection of her glory, and I both honor and bless that noble man who, as a Christian statesman, stands pre-eminent in the councils of the world, for I know of no other. Not him of Germany! And in my own land where is the man? Of politicians we have enough ; of nascent statesmen we have enough ; but where is the man that embodies in himself the royal idea of divine love ; that learning, wisdom, and skill in affairs ? Thera is room for such a man, and may God send him speedily ! ”