Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-04-27
(By Ellisin NJ. Smith. }

We are living in an epOch-mak-
ing and wonderful age. We are
standing at the apex of hundreds OF
years of civilization A new dawn is
breaking upon us and is being uSh-
cred in with all the Splendor that
accompanies the usherng in Of a
new day. The past has unfolded it's
annals to us, and through them we
have seen empires rise to dizzy
heights Of civilization and, for years,
tower above the smaller nations us
the mighty eagle, which, with pin
ions outspread. scars high above
the smaller birds. Yet we have seen
these powerful nations crumble be-
meath the weight Of problems that
rested upon them. and fall like mctc-
livion. only TO be replaced by Il yet
stronger and more ambitious people.
We have seen cities whose mag
niticcnt structures lifted their grace
full forms high into the air. whose
streets served as the thorough fares
for busy feet for centuries, and in
whose tribunals were annually de-
batcd the problems that confronted
their people. But with the lapse Of
a few centuries we find these bcauti-
full cities Smouldering in ruin, while
still more beautiful cities have
sprung out of their ashes.
The same is true of man. We have
seen men rise to eminence. make
their contributions to civilization,
and pass out Of existence, only to be
followed by greater men
Thus it would seem that the whole
OF history has been a struggle Of
individual against individual and ma
tion against nation for supremacy.
Each nation has entered upon the
arena Of civilization, has played it's
role, and has passed off the stage,
only to be followed by another whose
ambition was to play greater role
than the preceding one. until at last
a 8up"r-nUtiNH mas actually aspireh
70 q place IN the SIM.
Aa We study This continual gtruR~
sic Of nations and individuals for
supremacy we ask ourselves this
question, What is it that. through
all the long years of history, has
prompted men TO action? What has
been the cause OF this struggle OF
nation against nation and man
against man for prc-eminencc and
power?
In prehistoric days :his was a CON
tiict Of tribe against tribe for self
preservation. Men fought for per-
sonal aggrandiZement for selfish
aims, for the loot OF war, for the
love OF battle. 1t was deadly dual
in which might vanquished right, in
which the strong domincered over
the weak. The desired man was the
fighting man, with a brawny arm
and war-like spirit But through
the evolution Of the ages men ceased
10 &" 10 war merely because of the
love i"r fighting. for personal inter-
eSts and pecuniary advantages. Out
or the ferment Of the past men have
heard greater call than that for
mere warriors. This call has been
Is to-day. and forever will be--the
call for MEN. for real men, for un-
crowned men, who are able to solve
the problems that daily confront ma
tlons; men who can fight battles of
peace as well as those Of war; men
who will stand firmly for the right
amid tauntS and jeers: men who fear
God and who fear doing wrong, but
who fear nothing else, who arc will
ing TO lay aside personal ambition
and selfish aims and work for hu-
manity. work to leave the world in
better and happier state than tina,
in which they found it: men who are
able to look beyond the unrest and
ignOble strife Of class against class,
and catch vision OF better world
and struggle to make that vision
real.
This is THE CALL OF THE AGES
and we find it exemplifcd in the his.
tory Of every nation. ii was this cal
that inspired men of the great Ro
man Empire to become Romans, tc
make Rome the Eternal City. Typi
cal OF them was Marcus Aurclius
who al youthful age heard Romc's
call for MEN. We sec this great sol
dier and statesman 20 forth into
fray and return with his victorious
legions along the Appian Way. Yc
all his victories and the everlasting
presence OF war about him never
tempted him to sink into mere