Evening star., 1924-04-06

been disappointed and disillusioned
as he saw their gradual but certain
decline from strong ideals. as they
came to feel the impact and influence
or practical politics. Beginning with
a lofty vision of duty and obligation,
they had at length succumbed and
yielded to the cold and calculating
methods of party caucus. To this
acute observer nothing was more
tragic than this tendency to abandon
| ideals for the immediate advantages
of party power and prestige. Only
infrequently does some one disclose
sufficient independence and stability
of character to stand for policies and
principles that have in the visions of
the future the well-being and happi
ness of the whole nation.
After all, in this, as in other spheres
or human action, 1t is the deep, re-
ligious conviction that really counts.
one can hardly expect vision in the
man who sees life only as a game of
chance and who believes that always
and ever ito the victors belong the
spoils." Nor, again, can one expect
vision in the man, no matter in what
pIaee place ne serves, when he Is uncon-
trolled by any high and holy motive.
1T takes courage, rare courage, to
hold to ones ideals, to stand, if need
be, against public opinion for great
principle. 1t is only now and again
that some Luther spirited man arises
"to contend, despising party rage"
| and to say with proud affirmation.
Here l stand; L can do no other, so
help me God" When such a man does
arise ne may suffer proud isolation"
| but he comes at length to be the ac-
credited benefactor of people.
Are Needed Everywhere.
Just now we are peculiarly in need
of such men. We need them every
wherein the state, in commerce, in
| the church. We have grown a bit
| heroic out of our natures. This is to
/ be expected when everything is meas
| ured by material standards. We need
| to be sternly reminded today of that
old dictum, Where there is no vision
| a vision of things as they ought to be
| is unpopular? Every trailmaker,
! every advance agent of the race, has
! experienced this, but he has not fall
tered: he has held to his vision;
he may have suffered temporary de-
| feat, but he has left behind him a
new and better way for others who
were to follow after.
Jesus was brutally treated, men
scored Him as an innovator, as
disturber of old customs and conven-
! tions. Ultimately they undertook to
! make an end of Him, and when at
| length they cruclhed Him they oaoe
Him work a miracle and descend
from the cross. A wise Roman soldier
as he beheld Him die, said: Truly,
/ this was the Son of God" and all
, succeeding ages have confirmed his
| statement.
! Today a distracted worlds vision.
| blurred as it may be, is focused on
! this same Christ. and at length men
! of every name and race are beginning
! to say: Never man spake like this
man" 1t marks the triumph of n
| great vision. What are we here for
| if not to project ourselves into the
\ future-this is the way of i'm
mortality. This very practical age
must come more and more to respect
| the man of vision. The world must
| progress else it stagnates. 1t must
! grow better else it's boasted civiliZa-
| ton must perish. 1t must follow its
I adventures who dare to look ahead.
yes, who dare to think ahead and
| who beekon it on to nobler truer,
more wholesome ways of living, and
! the greatest of all these adventures
J is the Man of Nazareth.
Copyright. 1924D