The Aberdeen weekly., 1918-01-18
SENATOR JAMES K.
VARDAMkNS NEW
YEARS GREETING
70 the PEOPLE Of MISSISSIPPI

The shadows Of a worlds dfsastor
encOmpasseth us about az q binding
fog. They not only obscure the men
tai vision. but the moral perspective
is distorted as well. Hope is stifled
and we stand and gaze and wonder
what will happen next. Everything
seems abnormal out Of joint. and the
pernicious predominates.
A large part of the civilized world
have just celebrated the birth of One
whose mission to earth was to bring
peace to mankind-drivs from out the
heart the clouds of unhappiness.
sweep away the chilling apprehen-
sions Of pessimism, and in their stead
fill ii with hope, = great light OF joy,
and that peace which passeth all un-
cerstanding. He taught the nations
OF the earth the foolishness and fu-
tility OF war-the wisdom OF beating
their swords into plOwshares and
their spears into pruning hooks that
nations should not lift up sword
against nation. or learn the lessons
OF war any more. Two thousand years
OF planting and cultivating those di
vine precepts seems TO have affected
the modern mind as seed sown in the
sterile sands of Sahara. Instead Of
peace we have plunder; and brutal
ity and hate have taken the place OF
love and beneficent altruism. The
worlds lip service to the Christ is
irreconcilabl in conflict with pain
ful actualities. But they tell us tina.
II Is all for the best. God grant that
they may be true. hope that from
the rank weeds of hate that grow in
the biood-soaked soil of war the flow
ers Of love may blossom. | hope that
out Of the twilight of the shadowed
pest we n Ay move into diviner light.
But | do not know cannot tell
/ can only wait and hope
We are told that there are planets
20 remote from this earth that the
light has not reached it, although it
has been travelling since the dawn OF
creation. The fact that this world
disaster is for the good of humanity.
like the light of that distant planet.
may reach our understanding in years
to come 1t is prudent and provi-
dent always to hope for the best
Optimism is good investment-that
out OF all this murder and plumber
extravaganza, graft. personal ambi
tion. vanity for power. greed for gain.
blighted lives and blasted hopes. may
come at last the truth that it was all
for mans betterment
The whole world is afire with the
passion OF war and America has been
swept into the vortex. Blood lust
seems TO have temporarily dethroned
tie reason OF man and greed for gain
has poisoned the hearts OF our people.
The hove OF money is the root of many
evils which are perplexing the minds
OF statesmen today And I am afraid
II accounts for much of the sand
which clogs in the grooves OF com
merce. I believe there are men in
America today-patriots for peIf-
who would wrap their weIkfed car
casses in the American flag, and. with
the words Of patriotism upon their |
lying lips, scuttIe the Ship Of State or
insult the Goddess Of Liberty for Pc |
cuniary personal advantage.
Collective murder has become the |
order OF the hour, and he who sue
cceds in destroying the largest mum
her OF human beings is the interna-
tional hero OF the moment The ge-
MUS OF mankind is being tested to de- |
wise the most destructive weapons,
and deathless renown is promised to |
him who invents the instrument that |
sends the most men AltO eternity. |
Rivers Of wOmens tears run red with
the blood of murdered husbands,
sons, fathers and brothers: the cries
OF grief, the means of the broken
hearted fill the circumambient air
and drown the very music of the
spheres. while the accumulated hor-
rors OF war press down upon us like
troubled visions DER the breast OF
dreaming sorrows" 1t is a time for
and prayer. and to put
ones self in tune with the Infinite
and to live the spirit of the Golden |
Rule 10 vitality necessary at this mo-
ment. For two thousand years the
world has never needed Savior
quite % desperately and deplorably
as now. Never was there so great q
demand for brave mon. true men. pa
triOtic men, men with q vision as
we'll as . will-never SO much did we
need the great woman with her di-
zine intuition which in the darkness
POINTS unerringly the proper way
when reason fails to furnish the light,
- now. "
When wilt Thou save the People?
Oh, God OF Mercy, when.
Not kings and lords. but nations;
lot thrones and crOwRs-but men:
flowers OF Thy heart. o God! are
they
.st them not pass like weeds away!
uotF Q0TiC3SS u sunless Qdy. /,
God save the people!"
The old landmarks are torn down
nd thrown into the waste heap. ALI
low order OF things is at hand New
Octrines in government are being
auEht. The constitution of the I
Inited States has been well-nigh sus- I
world has discarded the {
ermon on the Mount-the Golden I
Iule has seemingly been forgotten, {
nd the Decalogue has become but {
hahn OF high-sounding phrases. 1t
I have thought all these matters 1
yer In the anxious moments OF the Z
lidnight-I have gone to the Source u
all wisdom for light and guidance .
Il have endeavored to hope for the .
est. while the cruel, stern facts d
,oked me squarely in the face with q
leer OF pessfmism in the slanting q
ye. But in the midst OF it all--in the d
cry vortex OF this disaster. cOnfu- | :
ION and doubt. sorrow and suffering. &
lsincerity and hypocrisy. greed for a
ain, lust for power. l have reached d
IFS conclusion: The only hope for | {,
merica's future lies in the savtng / i