Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
272 LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
which all men knew and delighted to look upon
was laid low.
To say that we miss him, that we are deeply,
profoundly saddened by the thought that we shall
no longer hear his voice, nor see his face in our
social and public gatherings,—that we shall no
longer have his great, strong arm to lean upon,
and his wise counsel to guide us in the hour of
darkness and doubt, in our efforts to solve the
perplexing problems which still confront us as a
race in this country, in the face of a cruel and
bitter race prejudice,—is but feebly to express
the sentiment that we all feel this morning. As
David felt over the death of Jonathan, so do we
feel. II. Sam. 1:17-27. "And David lamented
with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan
his son: * * * * Thy glory, O Israel,
is slain upon thy high places! How are the
mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it
hot in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters
of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the
uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew, nor rain upon you,
neither fields of offerings: for there the shield
of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of
Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood
of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of
Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul
returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were