The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-10-30
"BenedictiOn of Our
Spiritual Heritage
Continued f~cm Pare !

plenty, we are nursed at the
breasts Of fortune. So noble and
h~erculean have been the deeds of
our ancestors that when we pause
to consider them we are either in
toXicated by their achievements OF
aroused to activity from our couch
OF lethargy Other men have lab
ored and we are entered into their
labors.
$50 to be we'll born means also
that our fathers and mothers were
not only physically we'll but also
that there is a social, scientific and
religious inheritance left to US
whose value we may never hope
to fully appreciate. This capital
is Of q sum so enormous that it is
difficult to properly use it.. From
the complaccncy in which we have
INDUCED ourselves because of these
riches, we are rushed on by more
mature thot into a mood of chal-
lenge.
"There is one modern note
struck today more often by think
ing men than any Other, it is this:
Are We of the present great
enough to master and control the
vast machinery of civilization or
shall we be mastered and crushed
by it? No one IAN even superb
cially glance at the surveys of
the past and the endowments of
the present without having his
spirit stabbed wide awake.
"To read any such books as the
following: "Out lines of Science"
J. Arthur Thomson "Mind in the
Making" by Robinson, "The New
Social Order" by Prof. Ward. as
America Safe for Democracy"
McDougall. "The Rising Tide Of
Color" and "The Revolt Against
Civilization, by Stoddard. "The
Great Revolt, by lie Bon, is to
be faced with a staggering realiza-
ton that no Inheritance however
great has relieved US Of the neces-
sity for rieidly applying ourselves
to inevitable problems. / would
like to quote a sentence or two
from Just one book,-that Of Prof.
McDougall, from the forewood of
his book just mentioned.
"When | watch the American
speeding gaily, with irwin
optimism, down the road to
destruction, | seem to be contemp-
the greatest tragedy in
the history of mankind. Other
nations have declined and passed
away; and their places have been
filled, the torch Of civilization has
been caught up and carried for
ward by new nations emerging
the shadow-lands or barbar-
ism. But, if the American nation
should 90 down, whence may we
expect a new birth of progress?
Where shall we look for a virile
stock fit to take up the tasks of
world-leadership?
"Now if 40 per cent of what
these students of our time are
even granted that they
are more than tinged with pessi-
there is enough truth in
them 50 that we cannot lie supine-
down to idle contemplation.
"Niewing the facts of the pres
ent as they are we may recall to
ourselves one or two of them TO"
our immediate consideration.
81. Every child born in Amer
ca has received an inheritance Of
privilege for which he can never
make adequate compensation.
'Thots that great hearts once
broke for we breathe cheaply in
the common air" 1t is no wonder
that Emerson while reveling in the
.hot of his inherited possessions
should say:
Il am owner of the Sphere,
Of the seven stars and solar year,
Of Caesars hand, and Plato's
brain,
Of Lord Christ'S heart, and
Shakespeare strain"
"And then to have been born