The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-04-05

THE HERALDS

Paper Read Before the Chautauqua Circle.
AS in nature the glacier tends to
destruction by its own bulk and weight,
so in human affairs, the one feature
of size may be an element of weakness
and danger. AS history repeats itself
not only once, but many times, may we
not then attempt to forecast the future
by reviewing the past?
Back in the dawn of history stands
Egypt with a civilization grand in its
ancient magnifcence. From the CO.
lossal monuments it has left us we can
but surmise its extent, but we marvel
at the attainments of it's art, science
and architecture. Egypt ruled the
world and the world paid tribute. It
enslaved whole peoples, black and
white, and all whom it conquered it
taught. The impetus to civilization
remains, but the nation is gone. The
Egyptian is extinct. His country is
traded back and forth as forfeit be-
tween warning monarchs.
Out of ancient Egypt, their muscles
hardened by slavery and their minds
af1ame with a dream of empire, fled
the Jews, across the Red Sea into the
wilderness, they began their forty
years pilgrimage, glad to escape with
their lives. They closed it as the
chosen people of God and the bearers
of the Covenant and the Law, which to
this day forms the basis of all human
attempts at justice; law by which
society usurps the right of punishment
for sin, and at the same time, by some
mysterious process escapes all compen-
sating obligation, either original or con-
sequent; and this in spite of the later
teachings of Christ.
Moses was statesman dealing with
the expedients of an infant empire.
Christ was a philanthropist and pro-
found philosopher whose teachings
were not theories to be experimental
with in laws, but statements of un-
alterable facts for all time. His doc
trines are not true for the reason that
He enunciated them, but He pro-
claimed them because they are the
truth. After nearly two thousand
years of diligent study the first faint
dawn of their meaning seems to be
breaking over the darkened intellect of
mankind, and only the watchers from
the highest peaks are catching the
glory of the first rays.
The Jews killed or conquered all
who opposed them, appropriated the
land that seemed fairest to possess,
and civilized the heathen with the aid
of the javelin. Today the Jew sur
wives, a nation without country or
government, his land owned by
pagan.
The seat of empire next moved west
ward along the three Mediterranean
peninsulars. Greece gave us high
models of art, literature and philoso-
ply, until her defeated armies perished
in vain endeavor to hold alien terri
tory. Her latest attempt at war ex-
cited but the pity of the world.
In magni6cence and magnitude the
Roman empire exceeded all of those
gone before. 1t conquered the known
world and carried civilization broad
cast at the point of the sword. Today
the defeated army of Italy has been
driven out of Africa by negro saw
age, King Menelik.
Spain discovered and conquered a
new empire far greater and richer than
that of Rome; plundered it of untold
treasure; searched its fartherst bounds
for gold and for perpetual youth, with
the sword in one hand and the cross in
the other, exterminating entire peo-
pies; and today, despised, the last rem
nants of its possessions dropping from
its impotent grasp, faces with horror
the prospect of destruction by anarchy
bred of its owI greed.