Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-12-26

ago, the three great religions of the
sOorzd are inertricably knit into the
fortunes of war. Todays story is
from Lessing's celebrated drama,
Nathan the WISE"
After Sultan Saladin occupied Jeru-
salem, he heard of a rich man who was
much beloved in the city. He was a
Jew, and all men called him Nathan
the Wise.
"Send him here!" commanded the
| Moslem ruler. When Nathan appeared,
he said: Nathan, since thou art so
wise, tell me: What belief, what law,
appeals to thee as the best?"
"Sultan," replied Nathan cautiously,
II am a Jew"
"And I Moslem," responded Sala-
din. 1.-THE Christian is midway be-
tween us. Of these three religions,
| only one can be the true one. Speak,
then! Let me hear the reasons for
holding to thine own faith!''
"Saladin," said Nathan, permit that
tell thee a tale. In time so long
ago that it is gray, there lived a man in
the East who owned ring of priceless
worth. The stone was opal, playing in
hundred lovely tints; and the jewel
had the secret power Of making it's
wearer beloved of God and men.
''When the owners last day arrived,
he gave the sacred ring to his best be-
loved son and decreed that thus 1t
should be handed down through the
generations always to the best be-
loved, who was to be the ruler Of the
house.
$50 this ring passed at last to man
who had three sons. He loved them so
well that his heart could not distin-
guiSh between them. Each was as
dear as the other. It was impossible
for him to select one as the best be-
loved. At last he sent for a gold
smith and commanded him to make
two other rings exactly like the orig
inal. The goldsmith succeeded. When
the father held the three rings in his
hand, he himself could not decide
which was genuine.
Gle waited until he knew that his
race was run. Then he called each
son to him privately, and privately
gave him one of the rings" Nathan
the Wise stopped and said no more.
els this the end?' asked Saladin at
last.
'"That which follows was inevitable"
answered Nathan. Hardly had the
father passed, before each son pre-
sented his ring and demanded lordship
of the house. They compared, they
pondered, they disputed. It was in
vain. They could not demonstrate
which was the true ring. 1t was vain
-" he paused again and gazed at the
sultan serenely-"almost as vain, oh
Saladin, as to demonstrate the true be-
lief"
"What!" exclaimed Saladin. "Dost
thou offer that as an answer to my
question:"
"Nay, nay!" replied Nathan. "The
tale shall but win pardon for me If
venture not to distinguish between the
rings which the father had made with
the intention that they should not be
distinguishable."
''The rings!" Saladin frowned. "Play
not thou with me! The religions are
readily distinguishable!
"Outwardly," answered Nathan, "but
not as to their authority. Are they not
all based on history that has been
handed down to us? And must we not
accept all history on faith? Whose
good faith shall we trust? Surely the
good faith of those who have given us
proofs Of daily love-! Can I believe
my fathers less than yours2 Can
demand Of thee that thou SHALT dis
credit thine own fathers so that mine
shall not stand contradicted? And is
it not even so with the Christians?"
''The man is right I" muttered Sala-
din.
"Let us return to the three rings
again." continued Nathan. 1.-THE sons
appealed to learned judge. Each
swore that he had received the ring
straight from his fathers hand, and
each swore that rather than believe
that such loving father could have
deceived him, he must accuse his
brothers of falsehood.
"'Hold! cried the judge. You tes-
tify that the true ring has the power
of making it's wearer beloved of God
and men! Therein, then, lies the root
of our decision! Which one of you is
loved the best by the other two?
Speak?
"The brothers," continued Nathan,
''could not reply. Then each Of you
loves himself the best! said the Judge.
If so, not one of your rings is genuine.
Perhaps the true ring was lost and
your father had three rings made to
replace the one'"
"Good! Good - said Saladin.
Nathan proceeded. 1.-THE Judge said:
IF you will take counsel from me in
stead Of a verdict, it is this: Co. and |
LET each believe his ring to he genuine.