The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-11-14

In Irving BacNelIeT Uooh, line
Marryers," there is bit Of clever
satire on American title hunters, blood
worshipers and travel-crazzed wealth
in search of new thrills. Tie gush,
ing Mrs. Fraley has high frequency
enthusiasm over apcient European
6 astles. The philosophic Mr.. Socrates
p otter tells her that the ayrandest III.
ms in the world are to be found in
the United States, and proceeds to
show a few that are worthy Of hon
orable attention. "See America first"
Is good sense when it comes to the
wreck of venerable institutions.
As we behold the feeble and fast
waning remnant of the Grand Army
of the Republic it is a suitable time
to recall some Of the particular ru-
ms to be found hereabouts. When
Sheridan made his march to the sea,
so complete was the trail Of ruin that
it was said if a crow intended to fol-
low That route he must carry his pro-
visions with him. The gallant citi-
zenry Of this young nation has some
trails even more honorable than this.
We can point with pride to the ru-
ined trail of tyranny. In the clos
ing quarter of the eighteenth century
the forces generated by the heaven OF
Christianity did greater work than
men then living had ever dreamed.
In that heroic time traditions were
ground to powder, and their dust
scattered to the four winds. The
plowshare of revolution ripped up the
cold, fallow ground of society shad-
owed by "predestined privilege" and
into it's wintry discomfort flowed the
flood of sunlighted healing grace.
That might was right was the creed
of kings, and the baronial castle was
followed by the regal palace. The
palace was supported by the cathe-
dral, and host of props preserved
the ancient lofty structure that over
Swallowed the worth of the average
man. Pale and anaemic was his life
blossomless his branches, and scant
his fruits of happiness. But the old
order changed. A new manhood was
born out of the struggle of right
against might. Tyranny fell like Da.
gon from his throne, and in the
wreck the props toppled one after
another. The American revolution was
not merely the success of a colony
It was the triumph of a cause, and
the winning of a world. Europe to
this hour has no ruins that can com.
pare with the ruins of feudalism
tyranny and so-called divine rights
that are on exhibition from Bunker
Hill to Valley Forge.
A second trail of splendid ruins to
which we can point the newcomers
gaze is the ruin of slavery. It seems
strange that the good God should
have allowed this Infamous sum of vii.
lanies to exist so long. But the
mills of God grind slowly. The gris1
may be slow in arriving, but under
the power of Gods giant millstones
under which resistance is useless, the
flow is certain. Christ said not q
word about slavery, but having cut
without hands the little stone tina,
should grind the very mountains tc
dust, his invincible crusher has beer
doing business to this hour. On that
stone is engraven, aye shall know
the truth and the truth shall make
you free" The force of this princi.
pie has been increasing one and it is
pulverizing prejudice and supersti.
ton and every form of misappropri.
ated privilege, by which intrenchee
power gives men less than their God.
given rights.
Another ruin is left i'm the wake OF
1.-THE fighting men of seventeen" W.
are not yet able to determine whethe,
i'm the effort "to make the world safe
for democracy" the United States
failed to finish the job. Some ole
walls were left standing that are 4
menace to the progress of the races
And one of these is the outgrown ides
that hermit isolation is a proper at.
titude on the part Of any Christian
nation. When it is remembered that
this nation once forcibly presented
Japan with a brand new open-doo,
policy, and China with such helpful
suggestions in the same direction, il
is most unbecoming for Uncle Sam tt
wrap the mantle of Pharsaic selfish.
ness about him and give thanks tina,
he is not as other nations. With oper
doors and open hearts and fraterna
seeds holy aloofness is more thar
unmannerly. It is un-Christian ant
unwise.
There are few more ruins now IL
process of perfection which may bt
pointed out-the complete ruin Of thu
liquor traffic here and around the
world; the ruin of an organized white
slavery business which, in spite of the
abridgment of King Alcohol's priv.
leges, still flourishes; and the ruin Of
the modern vice of dope and narcotics
All these give opportunity for a new
crop of heroes.
There is greatly needed ruiz
awaiting an enlightened Christian
conscience-the ruin Of snobbery ant
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