Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1912-03-01
Democracy
Vision and Standardization


iure with. We had only to utter it, and
the whole world was cheering. 1t held |
all Mesopotamia in it. Everybody was
ready to claim it for their own. We
are all democratic; so we cried. Tory |
ism is as democratic as the rest; and
rather more So. life rose to the sound.
1t had magical virtues. The gilt was
on our gingerbread.
Now, we have all passed through
something of discipline. We have
begun to see what Democracy comes to,
as a working fact. We have actualized
enough of it to understand what it will
mean. And 10 it is, when once in ac-
ton, rather drab, and dull and vulgar.
1t does not lend itself any longer to
thrills, 1t has its own slow and clumsy
ways of laundering. 1t makes heaps OF
mistakes. 1t is very commonplace and
unromantc 1t exhibits itself badly,
stupidity, brainlessv. 1t takes a dread
full lot of time doing anything. So
many people have to be consulted.
Such a long process of voting has to be
gone through. We had never
though that it would be quite as dull as
this
Well, but if it is only dull because
everything real is duller than the ideal,
then we are betraying our Cause, if we
yield to this reaction. Democracy has
become dul and commonplace, because
it has actually come to pass. We must
not desert it, because it has ceased to he
q dream in the clouds. This dull thing
is what we dreamed of. We must be
content to let the gilt go and to work
away with the real thing. The real
thing is good sound gingerbread still,
none the more for losing its gilt. Eat
it'll Dig your teeth into it You will
find it very good.
This is what we have to do, frankly
and boldly, with this beclouded Democ-
racy. The real thing has arrived.
Therefore, it is bound to be ugly and
repellent. We must not be in the least
surprised at this. The great thing is
that it is here. And we must stick to it
just as Loyalty as when it giittered in
the Vision?
Why did we cherish this Vision ?
Why did we pronounce it very good
Let us recall our first love for it; and
renew its primal spell. We believed in
Democracy, because it asserted the vital
truth that man can only be saved from
within. He must save himself. No
one else can do it for him. His own
self must come into play. His own will
must act. There is no other method
by which he can be raised. Others may
sacrifice themselves for him others may
give themselves away in order to evoke
and release and create and sustain his
effort. But finally, the end of all sacri-
fee must be the creation of new self
that can act on its own behalf, in the
place of a self that is powerless and
dead. The man himself must be
brought into play. No outside help
can avail, unless, through its vicarious
efforts, it can enter inside and, from
within, witty the central side of the
redeemed. This is the Christian law
of life. This is the secret of the Incarn.
alton. God becomes Man, in order that
Man, by the divine strength, may be
evoked to save himself.
And this deep law of the soul seemed
to us to reappear in the form of Democ
racy; for Democracy declared that you
cannot govern man for his own good
from outside. You cannot raise him in
spite of himself. No beneficence, nc
controlling wisdom, no kindly authority
can do for him, what is needed, for his
true welfare. He himself must be i'm.
plicated his own choice must come into
it; his own reason must decide his
own desire must be put out So alone
does he win real way. So alone does he
acquire worth. And, by man, we near
man in his corporate capacity-man az
social creature-man as one with hi,
felow-men man as realized in Com
munity, as member of living Body
The Community must find in itself the
power to grow and advance, Civiliza
ton is eslzation.-Canon Scot