lay dying at Mount Vernon the patriot gave
his health, his wealth, his time, his life, a living sacrifice through
eight and forty years. Now every year the people, rising up early and
sitting up late, rehearse to their children the story of his life and
work. Having given himself, honor shall he receive through all the
ages.

To Abraham Lincoln also came the word: "Give and thou shall receive!"
Sitting in the White House the President proclaimed equal rights to
black and white. Then, with shouts of joy, three million slaves
entered the temple of liberty. But they bore the emancipator upon
their shoulders and enshrined him forever in the temple of fame, where
he who gave bountifully shall receive bountiful honor through all the
ages. There, too, in the far-off past stands an uplifted cross.
Flinging wide his arms this crowned sufferer sought to lift the world
back to his Father's side. In life he gave his testimony against
hypocrisy, Phariseeism and cruelty. For years he gave himself to the
publican, the sinner, the prodigal, the poor in mind or heart, and so
came at length to his pitiless execution. But, having given himself in
abandon of love, the world straightway gave itself in return. Every
one of his twelve disciples determined to achieve a violent death for
the Christ who gave himself for them. Paul was beheaded in Rome. John
was tortured in Patmos. Andrew and James were crucified in Asia. The
rest were mobbed, or stoned, or tortured to death. And as years sped
on man kept giving. Multitudes went forth, burning for him in the
tropics, freezing for him in the arctics; threading for him the forest
paths, braving for him the swamps, that they might serve his little
ones. He gave himself for the world, and the world, in a passion of
love, will yet give itself back to him.

Recently the officials of the commonwealth of Massachusetts and the
noblest citizens of Boston assembled for celebrating the one hundredth
anniversary of the birth of George Peabody. For a like purpose the
citizens of London came together in banquet hall. Now, the banker had
long been dead. Nor did he leave children to keep his name before the
public. How shall we account for two continents giving him such praise
and fame? George Peabody received from his fellows, because he first
gave to his fellows. To his genius for accumulation he added the
genius of distribution. His large gifts to Harvard and Yale, to Salem
and Peabody