Evening star., 1924-10-05
GUARDING OUR INHERITANCE.

One generation shall declare thy
works unto another"
II~ obs providence is mine in
heritance." this is the
7 legend inscribed on one
~ of the Old timbered
buildings in Chester. Eng
land. 1t is very suggestive of that
which all unConsciouSly We receive
from the past. Il am a part of all
that have met" say some one.
Better might he have said, Il am a
part of all that l have never met"
We of America, perhaps more than
the peoples of the older countries of
Europe. think much of the present
and the future and little of the past
This is one of the characteristics of
youth. Recently l preached in d
'hurch that was built nearly a hun
dred years before this Nation was
born. 1t gave one a quickened sense
OF that period. of chivalry. priva ton
and heroism that ushered in the
birth of nation. 1t compelled re-
hection and provoked a spirit of deep
reverence for the loyalty and de-
votion of those simple, consecrat ed
men. in whose hearts and minds the
republic was born
Traditions. Despite Youth.
We are young. 9 nations go. but
We are not so young to he lacking
in richness of experience or the
cumulative strength of splendid
and glowing tradition. of which we
may be justly proud. The chief value
OF retrospect is that ii disCloses the
processes of our growth and develop
ment. 1t makes clear the logic of
events, the place aud Importance of
character in the fashioning of a ma
tion's ideals and greatest of all in
its Significance. the evidence of
divine leading through crises that
were fraught with perils and dis
aSterS.
Gods providence is our inherit
ance,' this is writ large in the COM
paratlvely brief story of this Nation.
In an age that is smercury-footed, that
Is ever hastenin" on to some new
venture. that thirsts for something Z
fresh and varied, that ceases to be
amazed at inventions and discoveries
mat border on the miraculous. il is
well that we take counsel of the pa 81
as we hurry on TO the future Says
a modern prophet, there is something
after all in lineage. in ancestry. in
inheritance. All the past belongs to
US, and what We are we owe in no
small measure to it,.
A distinguished modern student OF
history wrote Il Drllllant BOOK. en-
titled Foundations of the Nineteen h
Century, and in il he traced the de-
Nelopment of our present civilization
to certain outstanding incidents,
movements and personalities through
something over 1000 years or more
Of time. True, he diScloSeS the many
changes that have taken place, but
as he traces consistently the develop
mcnt of the race he discovers the
well defined causes that effected it
Just now ii is well to understa nd
clearly the mighty part the life and
teachings of Jesus have played in this
development. 1mperfectly realized.
misunderstood and practiced as his
life and teachings may have been.
POOR and inadequate as the express
sion of these may be in our life to-
dav. nevertheless there they are.
woven into the very warp and woof
Of our history as people. Whether
We WILL or not. reckon with the Man
"f Galilce, We must. AS DR. Fosdick
strikinEly says, once our civilization
turned the corner and ran into Jesus
OF Nazareth. 1t has never been the
same world since" Our creeds may
1nddequately express what we believe
concerning Him. our social and in
GuStrIdl systems may miSera bly, cX
crIplify His way of life. but there
n" stands, the most titanic figure
Upon the horizons Of history. and no
reading of history. no contemplation
OF present needs. no forecast of future
possibilities can leave Him out of the
reckoning. The influence He has ex-