Gilpin observer., 1918-01-10
Vast Opportunities Offered to
Those With Foresight to
Grasp Them.
GREATEST HOURS IN HISTORY
Thrilling Moments Of History Nothing
Compared With Epoeh-Maklns
Events That Arc Taking
Place Today.
BY FRANCIS rREvELYAN MILLER,
IL. D.

Il. ..
What a day Of triumph this is for
young menl
What vast opportunities are offer
ing themselves to young men who have
the foresight to grasp theml
What an opportunity this very mo-
ment to be something, to be somebody,
to make your life known and heard
throughout the world. A year ago We
were unimportant even in our own lit
tie towns; today the whole world is
calling us.
We, who are living today, are living
history. Never before in the annals Of
mankind has the world been thrown
wide open for every young man to test
his valor and prove his worth.
As a youth, I longed for the days
when great events were in the making.
I wanted to live when new civiliza-
tions were being born; when soul-stir-
ring heroes were treading the earth |;
when men were gods.
Dream Has Come True.
And here we are-in just such an
age. The dream has come true. Ro-
nance and chivalry have returned from
the past ages. Today we are all knights
setting forth on the grandest crusade
in the whole noble adventures Of the
human race.
What would you not give to have
been a soldier under Alexander the
Great in his conquest to destroy Thebes
at twenty-one, to conquer Babylon at
twenty-five, and to die master Of the
world at thirty-three years Of age?
Or of Hannibal on his march across
the Alps with his 10000 foot-soldiers,
1900 horsemen, and 40 elephants.
Or to have ridden with the helmeted
hosts Of William the Conqu6or into
the battle Of Hastings when King Har-
old lost his life and his kingdom-and
England was born?
What would you not give to have fol-
lowed the heroic Joan of Arc into the
battle Of Orleans-to save France?
Or with the duke of Marlborough
in the cavalry charges on the battle
ground at Blenheim?
Or with Washington and his victo-
rious army at Yorktown when Corn
wallis surrendered-and the American
nation was born-what q glorious mo-
ment?
Or with the duke of Wellington at
Waterloo-to have been one Of the
soldiers who conquered the mighty Ma
poleon; to have stood at attention as
he passed down the lines into exile and
death at st. Helena?
What thrilling moments are these
and yet they are nothing compared
with the epoch-making events that are
taking place today. And to think that
you are a part of themi That you
are an important factor In their out
comet That you can march to victory
with the mightiest armies in all human
history!
Yesterday, you were unknown and
Insignificant; there was no opportunity
for you to assert yourself; you were
destined to live and die an ordinary,
inconseQuential life. Today-the world
Is calling you.
The Trumpet Call.
I can hear the beat Of the drum.
And the call Of the bugle. Thirty mil
lion men are on the battle grounds.
Over their heads fly the blood-stained
standards of the nations Of the earth.
What glorious vision-the strong
men of the earth in battle array to
storm the citadels of autocracy; to
free tie human race from despotism
to carry the flag of liberty and democ-
racy to all the peoples Of the globe.
can hear the trumpet call. It is
calling-mel
can hear the cries of women and
children trodden down by the brute
heel Of the invaders. I can hear the
kings blaspheme as their thrones totter
and fall.
I can hear the voice of humanity
calling-calling to-mei
Who speaks7 Who tells me to turn
a deaf ear7 Who tells me I am
coward and fool7 Think you have
no manhood within me2 Think you I
am weakling or knavei Think you
I have neither human heart or soul
nor even glimmer Of reason within
met
Mother Of men. I hear you calling
mel
Women and children Of Belgium
Starving babes Of Siberiai Suffering
Polandi Weary Russiai Heroic
Francei Chivalrous Italyi Noble
Britannial Bruised Roumaniai My
heart Is bleeding for you. see your
uplifted faces and your outstretched
arms.
Men Of the earth, hear the tramp
of your marching feetl And am COM
ing-coming to stand beside you, shoul-
der to shoulder; coming, to be with
you the greatest moment In the worlds
history; coming. to write my name
with yours on the pages Of immortal
ity, coming, to save civilization; to
make democracy safe for the peoples