Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-04-21
By f. e. DAWSON.


outward seeming by any of the events
that thrill and agitate other minds.
They seem to think it a bad sign to
take a deep interest in any subject
under the sun. They pride them
selves on the calm, judicial attitude
they occupy toward every subject
which interests the rest of the world
Such people would have been
strangely out of place in the city
of Jerusalem when Jesus of Nazareth
made his triumphal entry. The city
of David had seen many crowds and
professions during its long history,
but never had such an uprising of the
populace taken place as was seen that
day For the first and last time the
Messiah had assumed his hngly rights
and as the Son of David accepted the
homage of the multitude. For days
and weeks the mighty tide Of popular
enthusiasm had been gathering. 1t
had been rolling up from every quar-
ter of the land, and had been held
in check only by the Masters steady
hand
But now, at last, the ancient Feast
of Tabernacles had come and the
long expected king presented himself
to the Jews as their Messiah. Three
million people looked upon that scene
and Joined in that triumphal entry.
Two vast streams met and mingled
Of 81 vb
"Hosanna to the Son of David" rent
the air So frantic with JOY were the
spectators that as the king passed
in regal state upon the royal beast
of burden, they tore the branches from
the trees and strewed them in the
way that he might not be contaminat-
ed with common clay. And in the
transport of their JOY they tore their
garments from their shoulders and
made a glorious carpet for His ad-
vancing feet.
There were children in that crowd
as in all professions who ran before,
and followed after. making the well
kin ring with their happy voices dane
ing and laughing and scattering flow
eTS before tll1ll WHOM Jnty Hdu ltdl IL
ed to love as the children's friend.
But even there the dull, cold, sheer
Ing faces of the DIRECTORS appeared
and their harsh criticisms Of the pro-
cession, and the shouts and the whole
transaction, sounded like the croakiug
of ravens amid a whole heaven-full
Of larks They could see nothing to
get excited about. This was a tempo
rary ebullition of popular emotion that
would soon die out. AS for them. they
preferred the solemn and stately wor-
ship of the fathers than this running
after new things.
These cold-blooded people have left
a numerous progeny. Stolid, matter
of fact. impossible of arousement, they
are the despair of preacher and teach
err. and all those who have to do
with them Who wants a wooden
Christianity or a logical Christianity
only? It loses its power when 1t loses
its pathOs Every religion goes do n
ward when it loses the power Of ex-
citing the highest. most intelligent
and most courageous enthusiasm
Not one man in ten thousand needs
to be cautioned against decOrum. It
is no credit to any person to be al
ways standing, shivering. gnawing the
dry stones of logic. never having seen,
and never caring to see the blossom,
the fruit, the ecstacy of Unutterablo
emotion. Tho soul is a winged crea-
ture and should have its moments of
| transport and ccstacY.
This is true in all the matters Of
/ life, The musician is not always
pounding ont the scale. His soul
catches its divine flame he is set on
fire with the frenzy of music, and the
great orators leap and dance and
thunder over the heads of wondering
thousands SO of art. so of oratOry,
so of invention. There is not a great
masterpiece in the world today that
is not the result of the enthusiasm of
some great soul. When your founda-
ton is strong and enduring it matters
little how high you carry the walls
of your superstructure.
1t is a great thing to be capable
of taking fire to say and do things to
make cold critics frown. The enthu
siast is the pathfinder, the builder the
engineer of the ages. He points out
the path of progress, his flag floats
on the highest pinnacles. He has
visions and realizes them. He dreams
dreams and brings them to pass. II
is his spade which digs the canals
his pick which moves the mountains
his powder which blasts the obstruc
tions, his drills which bore tunnels
and his name which is recorded high
est on the scroll of fame.
Such men are entitled to triumpha,
professions when they come to theil
own They are no more upset by ap
plause than was Jesus of Nazareth
No great man ever is. Popular adri
ration may be to some men a snare
but II is not TO one who is really 8