delivering man from the scourges which beset him. The first seeks
violent conquests, the other the relief of humanity. The latter places
one human life above any victory, while the former would sacrifice
hundreds and thousands of lives to the ambition of one. Which of these
two laws will ultimately prevail God only knows. We will have tried,
by obeying the laws of humanity, to extend the frontiers of Life." [2]

Lincoln faced the same issue in the midst of the war weariness of our
own great conflict with words which come back to the nation now with a
prophetic call:


"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it
can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather,
to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they
gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve
that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under
God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the
people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."


[1] Life and Writings of Mazzini, vol. v, pp. 269-271.

[2] Life of Pasteur, p. 271.