News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-12-01
BY FIRESIDE AND WAYSIDE
John Elliott Bowman
On Reading Newspaper Headline
Concluded from last week.

Martin Lutber's name was perhaps ut
terly unknown to Magellan; if it had
ever been heard by him it would have
been as that of rebellious parish priest.
Yet in the year when the fleet under the
command of the Portuguese navigator
was slowly making it's path around the
globe, the man who had already become
known to all Europe for his fearlessness
was burning at the gates of Wittemberg
the papal DEGREES, symbols of the highest
and most sacred authority of the church,
The navigator was sailing under the per-
mission and with the blessing of the
was scorning the first and renouncing the
second. Each was perhaps utterly ig-
noranG of the others. Nevertheless both
were doing an immense work, the one in
the mental and spiritual as the other in
the physical realm, and it is difficult for
us, as we look back, to see what the
work of either could have been without
that of the other. The work of the eX-
plorer by opening new world quickened
thought and brought multitudes of new
adherents to the reformed doctrines. The
reformation by making many men exiles
for the sake of religious freedom was
one of the mighty forces that had to do
with the conquest and settlement of the
western wilderness.
We change our point of view and con-
slider an important period in the story of
our own country, and its connection with
the life of Europe. There was moment
when the European continent was as
much upon the verge of war as it was in
Augusta year ago-but with this differ
ence, that men were conscious of an i'm
pending calamity. Across the seas there
was young Virginian colonel of militia,
engaged in the service of his native COL
ony. His duty led him into the wilder
ness with detachment of men to carry
message to the French, whom the Eng
llsh colonirs regarded as intruders. His
band of militia encountered a similar
body of the enemy, Thots were ex-
changed. The name of George Washing
ton, the Virginia militia colonel, was ut
terly unknown in Europe, but the act for
performance of his duty was the spark in
the powder-magazine of Europe. He and
the men of the Old World were unknown
to each other then. Their works were
blended.
Now what is true of people far apart
is true also of those who may be near
together. Men, companions may be lab
oring side by side purposing to accom-
plish results and yet be utterly uncon-
scious of conditions in the mental lite, /
Inherent to each, as are people far apart |
one from the other. st. John aud st. |
Peter may be doing similar work, but !
there are parts of the mental life of each |
which are as utterly unknown to the
other as the condition of Europe has been |
known during the past year to Stephan
sons exiled crew. as Magellan and Luther
were to each other, as George Washington
was to the Statesmen of Europe in 1755.
We are taught modesty concerning our !
own work, we are warned against conceit
as we perceive that the great results in
life cannot be produced without the
blending of our life work with that of
men whom we know nothing. But we
are taught also that the result of the
worlds work, if it is to be perfect. neces-
state our part in fashioning the fabric.
Then must come a deeper faith. We
shall realize what we had but vaguely
felt before, that there could not be the
interplay Of these diverse forces the
blending of these different lives bringing
about such wondrous results were there
not in and behind and about them all,
he omniscient mind the all-embracing
thought of God.