Putnam patriot., 1918-06-21
ESSAYS DELIVERED AT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION
 EXERCISES
(Continued from Page Three)


 moral degredation which caused tn,
 fall of Rome. 1t has been common
 sacrifice, namely their persecution
 and exile which. strong as band oi
 steel, has preserved the Jews even un.
 til today race undaunted
 During the years immediately pre-
 eeding this world war, the call for na-
 tional sacrifice was small; as a result we became lax, going on our path of development regarding minute, per sonal concessions of thoughtfulness as sacrifice. But we must not now judge sacrifice by our old standards, for sacrifice, like money, rises and de- precietes in value according to the pressure of the times. Thus, where as one year ago one dollar represent ed 100 per cent. it is now virtually worth but 65 per cent. Likewise what four years ago constituted 100 per cent sacrifice, now represents only a comparatively small per cent and will continue to depreciate until the end of hostilities
 But what constitutes sacrifice? :? Sacrifice means the development of the spirit of giving giving unselfish- ly not little, but all. A warning na- tion's sacrifice must constitute through the giving of its youth. the giving of it's happiness, it's fondest de- sires, dearest hopes, life's ambitions, courage, and endurance. When a na- tion has given that, the call by war for national sacrifice will have been fulfilled. Belgium has given all; France, Great Britain, Italy, three great powers, have sacrificed beyond our comprehension. And America. recently drafted into rank, will not fail; but-every individual must stand ready to bear unhinchingly ev- cry curtailment of personal activity and every personal burden.
 l But again what is to be the reward bestowed upon a nation which makes such sacrifice?
 Sacrifice alone can bring about a greater moral reformation .I-- 1 othar F~-- s.ian any
 -v.ce.
 1 In Coningby Dawson's Garry On" the author says: There is no doubt 1 that the call for sacrifice and perhaps the supreme sacrifice can transform men into nobility of which they l lHeIlSelNeS dEe uICOiiSClOuS. Hat 1 the most splendid thing of all, that they themselves are unaware of their | finess" And in a recent magazine article another remarked, Sacrifice 1 transfers men from one unselfish life | to life bit more unselish." So far that moral transformation, which in | time will spread to every part of the nations involved has been confined 1 chiefly to the trenches. The men who, | fully recognizing the danger to which they are exposing themselves, enter the machine of war because they realize the justice of the cause and the ultimate need of victory and realize that it is best that few men of today suffer and die that all poster l ity may benefit are, in the very fact 1 that they are willing to offer them selves, morally and spiritually super 1 for to those who hesitate. As such men as those fight that transforma- tion deepens; the magnifcence of i their soul unfolds, revealing the men believing in immortality, satisfied that they are dying for humanity's sake, risen above self-contempt and with greater love of God. Such are 1 the moral and spiritual rewards ths' the men in the trenches are receir . for their sacrifice. ing Already in America per- 4s 1 is even now no one Wb> iaps . ..te ficing something VI is ho. saei '- times, he consider 1ich, Ill .oil.el me ,, doing it gladly gu II. neeesSi'y ',S,n h anu ness. When iIi L ei,e moila lappi, tI a 1, ~ , z. he can say, For me the 1 at c., accepted sacrifice and raised my standard of life"
 By just this elevation of mora standard of the individual the whole moral plane of the nation will bt raised; for nation is but the sum o1 it's individuals and the moral value o1 sacrifice to the nation can only equa the sum of the value received by its units.
 And just as we are taught to enjo, the happier phases of life by experi encing the unhappy, thus only can W,
 hope to appreciate life itself by giVin,
 ourselves; perhaps not by making tn
 supreme sacrifice, for it is not grantee
 all to give that, but by making tha
 which ranks next-spiritual sacrifice
 And spiritual sacrifice, with the ex
 cepIlUH OI LHe supreme SdcTlHCe, III
 cludes all which is not material. o
 the three kinds of sacrifice it can no
 be denied that the actual suffering in
 cured by spiritual sacrifice is tn 7 worst. The mother who reluctantl : yet unflinchingly gives her son t / "war' realizing the anxiety and spin itual pain she must suffer, shows tn : greatest of all spiritual sacrifices courage and endurance.
 And if there be any to whom tha I does not extend, let them stand pre pared to give the next, personal sa, ' rifice. Frederick Palmer says, 'Pel { sonal sacrifice, whatever your pos ! tion, is wars portion, your individu; [ contribution to victory" The mo: [ prominent act of personal sacrifice S [ far presented to America has been D, z cuniary giving, that which alon z seems so meagre sacrifice to mak I when compared with the greatt | forms of which we have been speal : ing, but as has been remarked, "Aftt z all, human life is wasted if it be nc 4l.