The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-03
THE VALUE OF HISTORY.
Every Occurrence Has Direct Bearing
ON Later Events.

The tendency in literary circles to give
additional prominence to the study OF his
tory Is gratifying indication. Educational
institutions over the country are strength
ening this department of research by ex-
acting more work and requiring a greater
degree Of proficiency Club workers, in ar
ranging the annual programme, outline a
course Of reading that will necessitate much
thoughtful preparation in this particular
branch OF knowledge. 1t has been said that
90 per cent. Of the American people are ig-
norant of the essential or fundamental facts
OF history. This, II true, is state of things
very much to be regretted. Without some
knowledge of the past the human race must
grope about in doubt ard darkness, and are
excluded from the best inheritance of man.
kind.
The records Of the worlds events have
served throughout all time as beacon light
in guiding the councils of men and in shap-
ing the destinies of nations. Without these
records-and this Is only another word for
hlstory-the civilization of the Greeks and of
the Romans would be unknown to us, and
we would not now be practicing by their ex-
ample. Were IL not for these ancient his
torians. the enlightened people of the past
upon the daily life of Americans that is OBJ
servable all about us I'm these closing years
of the nineteenth century.
to-day as he fired the spirit and stirred the
ssnergies OF the t ms more than three
Epaminondas. the Theban general. who
lived I'm the fourth century before Christ,
used many of the same tactics I'm his cam
paisns that brought success TO the standard
OF the Duke of Wellington at the battle of
Waterloo Applles and Phidias, artist and
sculptor, lived more than twenty-five GEN.
turtles ago. To-day their work finds express
sion In the great canvases and statuary of
this country and of Europe. Plato and
Aristotle furnished the basis of all philoso-
ply. though they. lived more than three
hundred years before the birth of Christ.
while Herodotus, father OF history. did his
work at Thurii more than four centuries
before the Christian era.
BY means of accurate accounts of the
achievements of these great men in CEN
turtles gone by, the people OF to-day are
better enabled to go forward in all the
various departments of human life and hui
man effort. II has been asserted that by
reason of the intellectual development
which the ancients directed and stimulated,
the doctrines OF Jesus Christ are better I'M
dsrstood today than they were by the
see what has been accomplished In the
world by thought. by hard study. and by
painstaking investigation. the fruit of
this labor has been preserved to us by
means Of history.
The preservation of the laws of Lycurgus
and Scion make just and equitable laws
possible to-day. and in our country, and
the researches of Hippocrates come down to
US through the centuries TO aid in the
Aeschylus made Shakespeare and his
dramas a possibility. while Socrates.
edge. made the occupation OF the teacher
one of prime necessity. though the great
Athenian taught his school more than
twenty-three hundred years ago. These
facts we get in history. They are brought to
notice with the hope of showing how the
records Of the past exert a potential nfiu-
ence upon the affairs of the present time.
II Is the lesson we are taught by the fact
rather than the fact itself, which is i'm
portant The fact. and the lesson. when con-
events from cause to effect This dw according
TO specialists. Is the proper way to study
history.
In the year B. g. ~ Julius Caesar was
made imperator OF Rome. A short time
after he had been elevated to this exalted
caesar reused the crown NTH aim the femarR
II am no king. but Caesar" This incident,
rsc Is the o. ae e ths s but when
his administration Caesar inaugurated
measures OF reform. IL gives US an insight
and consider When we recall the fact that
ne favored and recommended judicious leg
islation for the relief OF the debtor class
ard the uplifting of the poorer and hum
eier class OF people, and when by his influ-
ence the rights of citizens were made equal
and the oppressive burden of taxation was
diminished. then II Is that we see i'm Caesar
firm friend OF democracy and loyal sup
porter St the republican rather than the
monarcnicSl form OF government. Caesar
refusal OF the dladem, In connection with
his professions OF reform shows conclusive
~ that he was a man of strong convictions
and honest Purposes, which he conscien-
uously carried cut under all circumstances.
ana In spite of all alluring temptations TO
divert therefror1.
The lesson OF this occurrence lies i'm the
fact that though he was tempted by prom
ises OF great power and emolument TO desert
the imperial republic and turned the govern
nIent into an oligarcny Caesar remained true
10 his convictions. TO his people and TO his
country. His refusal of the diadem prob
ably emphasized his thought under the cir
cumstances more than anything else could
have done.
Charles Martel. with his Frankish and
German warriors. defeated Abdalrahm an
snd his Arabs at Poitiers I'm 1872 of the
Christian era. This fact Is important when
We are reminded that in checking the adj
vance OF the hosts OF Mohammed this
bloody conflict fixed the religious status of
Europe and made possible the present state
OF Christian civilization In America. Had
tie Mohaumedans succeeded I'm establishing
Us IL able TO conjecture with any degree OF
certainty the disastrous results such a sys-
tenn would be working upon us II
thrust upon this country?
This Is the lesson get out OF the ter
rfble carnage and the bloody work I'm the
valley around Tours.
Again. IL Is the iesson-the morai-that
than the fact OF itself. which is important
for US 20 consider. There Is not fact In
history. in all time. which is not related TO
some other fact. and which does not have
its bearing upon some movement In the de-
velopment or retrogresston of civilization.
EDGAR BALDWIN.
Fairmount. Ind. July ].