The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-04-28
encouragement to faraway nations lying IN

encouragement to faraway nations lying IN
darkness and distress.
When we come to speak of the new
American politics we invite the ridicule of
those who see in Am mlrican politics at its
best only crude "shirt-sleeve diplomacy" !"
and at it's worst contemplate system of
loot and graft And the self-satistied crit
les of our political lie ignore their own in
consistency in that they expect govern
ment which they take pains to tell US Is
"oniy an experiment to run with the
smoothness of an old governmental ma
chine. The man who is content to live IN
a primitive cabin. subject to the limitations
of a semi -barbaric life, may have tranquil
ity and peace of certain kind. but he
should be the last person to scott at the
man who is battling against heavy odds
for better and more adequate accommoda-
tions AS nation we are building the
better house. We nave found that it costs
labor and blood to secure the site for our
edifce. that our material, cut from the
forests of the Old World, is rough and 1n-
seasoned; that sometimes our workers fail
to enter unselfshly into the spirit of the
enterprise. We at times discover, too that
we have not followed correctly the plan of
the great architect, and then it becomes
necessary for us to humble ourselves by
tearing down part of the structure. But,
after all, the building grows. and its pro-
portions already begin to challenge the ad-
miration Of the world. The critic, as he
sits at the cabin door of monarchy or arls-
tocracy, begins with vague alarm to con,
tast the cracked and crumbllng walls and
the leaking thatch of his abode with the
rising mansion in the distance.
The nations social ideal makes lneXor-
.l1. i. ,,ooo ovorr oitiyep of the q.
public. The world of to-day marveis at
the matches benefactions of our men OF
wealth, and the nations are asking why 1T
is that this unprecedented philanthropy is
so peculiarly American. 1t is due to the
imperative claims of our social ideal. Pub
lie sentiment demands, and men OF wealth
recognize the demand as just, that private
wealth should be spent for the good OF the;
nation and for the good of the race. The
educator feels the same pressure. He hears
the voice of the people summoning him to
a free search for truth. The true labor
leader recognizes the same stern call to ser
vice; so he becomes mediator, an arb,
traitor between two great forces. The Old
story in the good Book tells us that
Babel a mighty calamity befell the race
that there the speech of mankind became
confused In this land of ours Babel Is re,
versed. The nations are here assem0led
to build the greater tower of truth, and
the confusion of the Babel tongues gives
place little by little to a new language, the
language of love, spoken by the toiliIng
millions, so that in sweeter, grander
sense than ever before it is to be true that
the whole earth shall be ''of one language
and of one speech"
Thales of old. with so shadowy a con-
ception of God that we know not whether
to classify him as atheist or as thelst, yet
strangely conceived of deity as creating
the great world temple and so possessing
it as to reveal in its every part the pres
ence of the Creator. The world OF our
time may seem strangely Indifferent to
that presence of God which the seerss Of
the race feel to be the most tremendous
fact of life. But the world will not remain
forever content with mere things. The
time is to come when the nations must feel
the Divine Presence. When that time
comes the cry of the peoples Will be,
"Wherewith shall we come before, the
Lord?' God grant that in that solemn
day of the worlds supreme need 1T may be
granted unto us as the teacher OF the ma
tions to shout the great reply: He hatn
showed You. o nations, what is good: and
what doth the Lord require of you but to
do; Justly, and to love mercy, and to Walk
hunbly with YOUR God"