The World's Great Sermons, Volume 02: Hooker to South
Religion
The World's Great Sermons, Volume 02: Hooker to South
Sermons
It was a grand spectacle to see during the same period, and in the
same campaigns, these two men, who in the common opinion of all Europe
could be favorably compared to the greatest captains of past ages,
sometimes at the head of different bodies of troops; sometimes united
more indeed by the concord of their thoughts than by the orders which
the subaltern received from his superior; sometimes at the head of
opposing forces, and each redoubling his customary activity and
vigilance, as tho God, who, according to the Scriptures, often in His
wisdom makes a sport of the universe, had desired to show mortals the
wonders in all their forms that He could work with men. Behold the
encampments, the splendid marches, the audacity, the precautions, the
perils, the resources of these brave men! Has there ever been beheld
in two men virtues such as these in characters so different, not to
say diametrically opposite? The one appears to be guided by deep
reflection, the other by sudden illumination; the latter as a
consequence, tho more impetuous, yet never acting with undue
precipitation; the former, colder of manner, tho never slow, is bolder
of action than of speech, and even while having the outward appearance
of embarrassment, inwardly determined and resolved. The one, from the
moment he appears in the army, conveys an exalted idea of his
worth and makes one expect of him something out of the ordinary;
nevertheless, he advanced in regular order, and performed, as it
were, by degrees, the prodigious deeds which marked the course of his
career. The other, like a man inspired from the date of his first
battle, showed himself the equal of the most consummate masters of the
art of warfare. The one by his prompt and continued efforts commanded
the admiration of the human race and silenced the voice of envy; the
other shone so resplendently from the very beginning that none dared
attack him. The one, in a word, by the depth of his genius and the
incredible resources of his courage, rose superior to the greatest
perils and even knew how to profit by every kind of fickleness of
fortune; the other, by reason of the advantages derived from high
birth, by his great conceptions derived from Heaven, and by a kind of
admirable instinct, the secret of which is not given to ordinary
men, seemed born to mold fortune to conform to his designs and bring
destiny to his feet. And that the great tho diverse characters of
these two men might be clearly discerned, it should be borne in mind
that the one, his career cut short by an unexpected blow, died for his
country like another Judas Maccabeus, mourned by the army as for a
father, while the court and all the people, lamented his fate. His
piety as well as his courage were universally lauded, and his memory
will never fade from the minds of men. The other, raised to the very
summit of glory by force of arms like another David, dies like him in
his bed, sounding the praises of God and leaving his dying behests to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account