The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-01-28
UNANSWERADLE FACTS.
Jan. 81. 'O9-(Acts 4:5-2O).

ment can be met WIN argument,
theory can be put over against the
ory, logic can combat logic. opinion
can attack opinion, but fact, solid,
substantial, apparent, is unanswera-
BILE. There Is no getting around
stubborn fact. Hate 1t you may, rage
against 1t you can; to denounce It
is your privilege, but there 1t stands.
serene, uncompromising, immovable.
Horns OF ~ Dilemma.
Such an experience came to the
Jewish leaders OF thought and the
great needless mob In Jerusalem
after the miracle at the Beautiful
Gate. The healing of the cripple by
Peter and John made sensation
that rocked the city like an earth
quake. The unanswerable fact was
that man born a cripple and who
had remained a cripple for 40 years.
had suddenly been made to walk
like other men, instantly. perfectly.
And the claim had been made that
the deed was done. not by the dis
ciples, but by one who had been
crucifled and buried in that very city
w udyo Dtloits lnt
Jewish leaders got their heads to-
gether-a lot of woodland came to
this ridiculous conclusion. The
man has been healed and we cannot
deny 1t, the only thing we can do is
to arrest the preachers, and frighten
them into silence Possibly they
remembered how easily Peter had
been upset before when challenged
in public. So these very wise men
arrest the disciples and throw them
into Jail. Having locked them up
the priests and police vainly imag-
ined that they had the cause of the
disturbance corralled.
Poor ignoramuses, AS II locking
up the thunder would stop any fur
ther lightning. AS If putting an at
tachment on the machinery would
turn off the power. AS If the es-
capped Geni could be put back in
the bottle. AS IL the contents of
Pandoras box could be recovered
AS If effects and causes could change
places. Beholding the man that was
made whole, they could say nothing
against 1t, but instead of accepting
the truth and acting accordingly
they fortified themselves in their
position, and rushed like maddened
animals upon those who had torn
the mask off their faces, and demon
strated their hypocrisy.
Prisons for Pioneers.
Every great forward movement
and revolution has to go over this
rough road. The pioneers of his
tory have always had stripes and i'm
prisonments awaiting them. The
world does not take kindly to re-
proof and correction. We profess
to long for progress and advance
ment, but when the pathfinder ap-
pears we drive him into the wilder
ness amid the locusts, or shut him
up in dungeon only to liberate him
when we bring forth his head IN a
charger. John the Baptist found II
so, Paul found 1t so. Socrates found
1t so. Calico found 1t so, Columbus
found IT so, Abraham Lincoln found
1t so. We complain of ruts. but we
stay in them. We inveigh against
stagnation. but we sleep on. Woe
unto him who attempts to remove
the ancient landmarks, even though
he can prove to us that an Injustice
was wrought on another mans terri
tory when those landmarks were
placed. In that case we believe in
standing pat" and letting well
enough alone" There seems to be
but one course open to men when
they have been proven to be in the
wrong. fly into a rage about It, and
assault the demonstrator.
Iron Bars No Cage.
Colonel Richard Lovelace a long
time ago sang:
Stone walls do not prison make.
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage.
III have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above
Enjoy such liberty.
So l imagine Peter and John felt |
that night That they slept in peace |
and awoke refreshed appears from |
their vigorous sermon the next day. |
Peter said, perhaps John, those |
people shall hear the gospel again |
tomorrow If they give us half a |
chance" And so it came to pass. |
lhey were threatened. they were |
oadgered, they were harassed; but |
they were liberated after they had |
put themselves on record as William |
Lloyd Garrison did. long afterward,
i an In earnest; l will not retreat
single inch: and l will be heard"
he who has truth on his side need |
not fear. what men may do to him.
truth cannot be crushed, or defeat.
ed. When 1t breaks upon a human
SOUL 1t Is like the swimming of a
new star into the field of telesc0pic
VISION. 1t must be accounted for.
me fact that men now see 1t for the
Hrst time only proves that their