Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-11-01
GEMS FoR AL OF us

History for hlstory's sake2 No. history for
our oSn sake. History Is no museum Of an
uquities; it's storehOuse OF political wisdom
FOR ali who will take the trouble TO understand
! think mentioned. in a previous letter, that
a was refreshing my mind by reading history
There have been many interesting things that
I've read and wanted to talk over with Won
as read them. That was Impossible but as i
look over my mental storehOuse see some that
/ VIII write about. We Americans, English de-
scendants, have great way OF forgetting that
We, too, are descendants OF barbarians and
heathens- OF course, we never forget that about
other nations; but when the Romans first
visited Ensland, II Is now called they
found the country filled with barbarious peo-
pie, divided into tribes whose chief occupa-
ton was war and piilage. That was before
Christ and from then on Rome had a hand in
affairs over there and was the first one to in
troduce Christianity. though Il had to be intro
duoed again in the year 59T by Augustine.
We read OF the Ansio-Saxons and must re-
member that there were terrible struggles be-
fore that union. Egbert was the first Saxon
kins. but Il Is Of Alfred the Great whose
ieisn began In S5t and lasted thirty Years,
that most OF ms date our real knowledge from
His early years king were full OF wars ess
pecially with the Danes. Defeated many times
he let nothing dishearten him and at last, after
wandering all over their country as a minstrel
be learned some valuable lessons In warfare
and strategy. All Of us learned the story OF
his being set TO watch the cakes cook IN
matters on his mind, let them burn and the
reprOof;
There don't you see the cakes on fire?
Then wherefore turn them not
You are glad enough to eat them,
When they are piping hot
The great university Of Oxford. England. was
founded by Affed, so you see what monument
be left behind him.
There is much / could write about Richard
the LiOnhearted, but that would call for Ivan
hoe, and ! will let you have that pleasure these
hong winter evenings.
The Danish king Canute might teach our
people a lesson. Flatterers and sycOphants
tod him there had never been one like him,
that he was Lord Of sea and land and would
be obeyed by even the waves. Wishing to teach
them lesson he had his throne moved TO the
shore at Southampton and sat down upon
IT. telling the waves: Il am thy lord. do
and he called bis attendants attention to
the fact and babe them remember there Is
only one who can say to the deep, $50 far
shalt thou GO Ii
He afterwards hung up bis crown in
Westminster cathedral, over the altar, and
wore IL no more. We do not claim divinity
and yell ourselves hoarse at sight OF than,
but how few OF us can sit and listen TO the
story Of the cross and a loving Savior?
Queen Elizabeth's reign Is too thrilling for
me TO try 70 tell IL, but / must recall the
fact that she gave the Earl OF Essex a ring
with the promise TO assist him IL he ever
sent IL back TO her with a call for help. Under
sentence OF death be sent II to her by the
Countess OF Nottingham. 1t never reached the
queen. though she was expecting IL. Disap-
pointed and resentful because she thought
him too proud 10 ask her aid she signed his
death warrant. On the countess deathbed she
confessed to the queen and asked to be for
given. Elizabeth shook the dying woman and
said. God may forgive you, but / cannot"
4 Until the time OF King James the Bible was
in Latin and beyond the reach OF the common
people: there were a few copies translated
20 suit individuals, but In January 1904, King
James called convention OF Episcopal and
Puritan divines, men thoroughly versed In
Greek and Hebrew, and after much discussion
! new translation OF the Bible was accom-
Vlshed. History says King James plain
/ in person, awkward in manners and ntemper
I ate 20 drunkenness. But he had much
learning and he certainly honest in his
wishes 20 have proper translation Of the
l'Bihle he would have changed much Of it
that was In direct opposition TO his own life.
! From his time until Queen Victoria the
| pendulum swung from ultrapiOus to revolt
| ing sin, Cromwell's commonwealth and Charles
i the Seconds grossness Religion became a
1 by-word and morality a mOckery. The people
| turned in disgust and sighed for thy return