The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-06-06

mote past, commit either folly? VIII!
should we not profit by the accumula
ted wisdom of all ages, and judge of life
truly and wisely? Why should we no
act with the wisdom of those who know
the truth and are able to balance oul
interests accordingly?
The staff of the pilgrim ought to fine
a larger place than it does in the sym
bolism of the present day. II ought te
suggest to the life of our time that the
scenes which surround us to-day are not
the same as those Of yesterday. One
might walk for many hours or even
days and always have Mount Washing
ton and the Presidential range in sight
but hour by hour the scene changes by
the shifting of those objects which are
near and therefore more conspicuous
than the far off landmark. Familiar
figures are missed from the landscape
of every one each year. People and
structures and institutions are chang
ing as constantly as the landscape on
the horizon of the traveller 1t takes
but little while for even the noun
tain landmark to disappear,
Even we ourselves partake to a large
| extent of this transient character. We
look at the portraits of a few years ago
as curiosities, and wonder at the
changes which have taken place in us
and in our friends. And the changes in
| our faces and figures are but slight
compared with the transformations that
are going on In mind and heart and
character.
What inference shall we draw from
this transient character of human life?
Shall we say that because everything is
, passing from stage to stage, and moth
ing Is abiding, therefore we can find
nothing that is worth doing-no perma-
nent impression which we can make for
good or for bad? Shall we say all is
vanity and change; let us eat, drink
and be merry for tomorrow we die?
Before we draw any such rash in
ference let us note that all the worlds
life and work is made possible by this
very fact of constant change What
would business men do if it were not for
this onward movement? Its wear and
tear make new goods necessary; the de-
mands for more supplies is constant.
In this fact lies the hunger of man and
Of society for things, and that hunger
nerves them to strive after them. True
we are only pilgrims passing this way
but once; but we are not peculiar in
this. 1t is so with everything. The
world is constituted on that plan. A
world not constructed on that plan
would be dead world, and who would
wish to be a part of dead orld? Who
would wish even to walk upon it If he
were not part of it? No, it is the pill
grim character of this world, and of this
life which we are living, that gives it
its interest for u.s. as well as its posi-
biities.
2. Instead of concluding that life is a
mere chimera of changing vanities, we
should lay down as our second main
proposition the statement that this
plan of transient life In the world is
the rbest suited for the promotion of
true good 1t was the glory of ancient |
to come to the assistance of |
the weak and the defenceless, to rem !
der noble service to a stranger whom /
they CHANGED to meet in their errantry. |
The case was especially suitable If there |
was no possibility of recompense; and /
it was the very flower of chivalry If the |
knight could escape without leaving [
any sign of identification or recognition
The pilgrim to holy shrine expected !
to receive hospitality. Because he was
engaged in holy calling. While
chiefly he was the recipient of favor he |
expected also to offer assistance to any
whom he might find in distress. In the
awless days of chivalry there We're
plenty of opportunities for this. Rob
oers and brigands We're plentiful, and
their victims still more so. Any pill
grim might be a good Samaritan to his
hearts content, If he so desired, The
glory of that kind Of services soon be-
gan to appeal to certain minds, and
these began to shift the en-
1hasis from the shrine at the end Of the
and place 1t upon the SER
ice which they might render by the
way
Men of rank and leisure and military
raining found it such a fruitful field
or glory that they wandered about on
purpose to come upon opportunities for
UGH noble deeds That is the meaning
# errantry-roving or wandering ,
bout; and as the knights We're in eve !
Y way best fitted for this service it be- {
anne Ine cHl9l OcCupdt1tl1 VI Might
God; but once he had received the ac- s
Glade of the king, he was devoted {
enceforth to a life of loyalty and gene
Gus service He ceased to be merely a Y
ilsrim seeking hospitality, and be- {
anne himself a hospitaler or one who y
AIRED for the wounded, the sick and the t
He made service his pro- t
assion. He was under VOWS of layalty, t
hastily and poverty If he belonged to
ne of the Jerusalem orders; and at all Y
vents courtesy and munificence were q
re rules of his life. Service to indi- L
idual knights was the rule, except a
hen some occasion of more than ordi
airy import brought armies together, v
nd then the knight was he leader of as t
lany retainers as he could secure to /
,llow him and obey his command. o
Knighthood has always been Christ Il
n in it's profession, and, though like L
lie churchit has often grievously mis- S
terpreted the spirit and principles of s.
hrist, it has done much to give every s
ling that bore the name of Christian
place of honor in the worlds esteem. [,
hen the Christian world was shocked n
I'd stirred with wrath and indigna- n
IN as it has never been before nor b
nee, at he end of the eleventh century fl