The Southern farm gazette., 1908-07-11

And as | look back through the dim centpr,o. =.
where Peter the Hermit stands amid tho
strangely dressed men and women preaeh,r.
crusade for the rescue of the Holy Sepulrhre
know that my fathers and yours either as mali.
knights or rs hard-featured and hard-livi no..
ants. listened TO the orators fiery words and lo,,
home and loved ones TO ngh; the hated Tp,,
Through the nightmare OF the Dark Ages ,hron.I
the long years OF feudal authority. In the bloodv
and fruitless that followed wha. nar, AZ
these kinsmen and kinswomcn OF ours n.v,
There is tho great castle with Its towers and h.,
lemcnts--and alas, with It's dungeons too, ma
YOUR kinsfolk and mine know the SUMMER side ~
life In the days when knighthood was in aows,
or did they know only tho pcasants bitter to,,
and dirty horei-or perhaps torture and I'm.
prisoumcnt itselt7
On" thing at least n European trip and survev
nf European history should do for man. 4,
ought forever to cure him of pessi,nism about thu
progre## OF the race, The curtain rises upon
stag. OF barharism fierce that the old Norse
Warriors on their forays ara reported az finding
especial delight in tossing captive babies from
speara point To spears point Tho boas,ed gior,es
81 tho ago of chisalry" become bu, mockery
when wc recalls that In !,a damp dungeons the
limbs of innocen; prisoners often ro,,.d OF and
nat even tho knighuy VOW 10 honor women m.
tltei only tn those Of gentle birth W. hare to
look back but frw centuries TO III. time when
men thought they did God service BY burning 10
death all with whom they disagreed about r.
is!on- And even existence itscif was hard and
unloe.iy
~, crude the tools In usa and N In.
"6"eta"l the methods Of industry that even with
GOOD government the masses would hav. been IN
want such a@ no class of pcopl. In tho South
Knows to-day; n thirteenth century writer for
"xanp'" reporting that tho av.rag. harvest was
onlf ihrccfold tho seed, hut even this mcagcs
product was subject 10 grieyoua taxes 10 support
NOR" or lens worthless kings aud vicious counts
anttl just prior 10 the French Revolution II h
aid that "ne~haf OF all tho peasan, earned was
pa'a L" iho Government In direct taxes and that
after paying tho additional fcudai dues and church
u'hes. only onc-nfth of hia earnings vas left him
Tor Tho support OF himself and family.
The scroll OF European history nnroilcd before
n'n. on" looks back too. TO tho time when the
si'"s of men and women were AT tho unques,ioned
disposal OF lord or monarch. when Mt the nod Of
8"'h" on" In authority your ancestor or mine per-
nap" MAS hurried away Ia wear out his life with
cauS" nn'r"d In some tnathaome dungeon: and
when men thought 1t III. natural thing to die in
war" III which no one but tho king himself had
amy interest
Contracting this pic,ur. with that OF present
aaf American freedom. who can doub, the great
truth uttered by Bishop Fi,xgerald-that the
progress" OF humanity under the rule OF all.
wise. allgracious alllosing God, Is forward. not
backwards
IL IN these two or three thoughts that would
nave my readers keep In mind In connection with
III" ar,iclca that shall write
First tha, We are ourselves tho inheritors OF
IN" long years OF old European history no less
'han our kinhfolk who now live there-just as
me hon who moves away no less than the who
stays at home Ii tho heir OF all tho family tradt
lion" that preceded his departure
Second. that these English and German and
scotch and Dutch and French are our kinsfolk
lett nj the old home. and that so large a part OF
'he real history OF our race has been made with