The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-06-11

world for the sake of the right He
had in him the manhood and forces
which we're to break down at last
the Teutonic feudalism and ecclesi.
astical indignities OF his day and give
to the generations to come after him
the elements of a perfect civilization.
When summoned to appear before the
diet Of Worms his friends tried to
persuade him. But he replied, Il am
resolved TO enter Worms, although as
many devils pitch at me as there are
tiles upon the house tops" And
when asked II he would disavow his
books and retract what he had said,
he replied Unless / be convinced
by Scripture and reason, | neither can
nor dare retract anything, for my
conscience is captive of Gods
word. and It is neither safe nor right
to go against conscience. Here |
take my stand. can do no other
wise. so help me, God. Amen"
We move back through the mists
of thousand years and halt before
the throne of Alfred the Great and
there lift our hats to one who ruled
ha,t-savage people with such JUS
tice ana sTace that It is doubtful If
any modern ruler can be classed with
him. Near the close of his life he
gave expression to the chief ambition
Of his soul and expressed the secret
of his greatness He said: IL have
sought to live worthily the while I
lived and after my life to leave those
who come after me a remembrance of
me in good works" Because Alfred
the Great saturated himself with
these principles Of virtue and good
ness there stands on the other side
of the Atlantic monument that has
immortalized him. What is that mon
ument, you ask? England is that
monument England with her laws.
her institutions. her international in
fiuences
History is abundant with names Of
men and women whose lives were
moulded by principle and virtue And
these are the names that survive.
Upon foundations laid by them our
present day civilization is builded.
Because they proclaimed higher
ideal and a nobler. purer national
life. honor, fidelity and truth are es-
teemed by us as the highest attain
ments Of the soul
Such men, though dead, continue
to speak. They can never die.
The names of the heroes of a hun
dred battles may sink into oblivion
but the names of those who defy
the world in deiense of right will
outlive the downfall of nations; and
when centuries of change have eras.
ed every physical trace of their ex-
istence, still blazing with undiminish.
ed light, will shed their influence up.
on generations and live in the hearts
of the people forever.
And these men are not exceptions
to the race They are not the re.
suits of chance and fortune. Great
men are the result Of incessant toll
and indomitable perseverance. They
become great because they kept ever,
lastingly at 1t. And they serve as
examples, teaching us that the chief
instruments of human development
are lofty ideals and fixed principles
with the courage to measure up to
them
Let it sink into our hearts that not
many vile men have been crowned.
Society is stubbornly exacting in
blessing her sons. And If some son
of genius chances to force the ranks
and achieve distinction while his life
is corrupt, society stamps upon him
curse as indelible as the curse OF
Cain, Though some Byron may write
with the 5it and wisdom of all the
scholars, n every page are left the
finger prints of his vileness. Though
some Burns may speak with the elo
quence of an angel, society will moi
forget that Burns loved the bar room
moro than he loved men, Though
some Bacon may speak with the logic
OF all the philosophers, the ages tC
come will remember that Bacon fol
the sake Of gold became the friend O
the rich and the enemy of the indi
gent and helpless. Hear Shakes
peare:
81 held it ever,
Virtue and knowledge were endow
ments greater
Than nobleness and riches; careles
heirs
May the two latter darken and eN