The pyramids of Egypt, elevated at vast expense,
were the tombs of kings--their names now obliterated. But the monuments
of good last forever. After "Old Mortality" has worn out his chisel in
reviving the epitaphs on old tombstones, the names of those who have
helped others will be held in everlasting remembrance. The fires of the
Judgment Day will not crumble off one of the letters. The Sabbath-school
teacher builds her monument in the heavenly thrones of her converted
scholars. Geo. Mueller's monument is the orphan-houses of England.
Handel's monument was his "Hallelujah Chorus." Peabody's monument, the
library of his native village and the schools for educating the blacks
in the South. They who give or pray for a church have their monument in
all that sacred edifice ever accomplishes. John Jay had his monument in
free America. Wilberforce his monument in the piled up chains of a
demolished slave trade. Livingstone shall have his monument in
regenerated Africa. Peter Cooper has his monument in all the
philanthropies which for the last quarter of a century he encouraged by
his one great practical effort for the education of the common people.
That is a fame worth having. That is a style of immortality for which
any one without degradation may be ambitious. Fill all our cities with
such monuments till the last cripple has his limb straightened, and the
last inebriate learns the luxury of cold water, and the last outcast
comes home to his God, and the last abomination is extirpated, and
"Paradise Lost" has become "Paradise Regained.
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