The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-10-02
COMMUNICATION
HOW OLD is THE WORLD?
(By H. E. Prall)

iOAf - AOoA
clined to toss milleniums about
like toothpicks. They talk in terms
of ages, eras, periods, etc., until
the man in the street" is utterly
bewildered. After reading the
story as recorded in the rocks, we
are inclined to agree that the
world is very old.
But all things which concern
men are not written in the rocks.
The world of the Stone age or of
the Glacial period may have been
very old indeed, but the world OF
1881 in new and the world of 1882
is not yet created and the world
of all the years which man has
not yet seen will be new How old
is the world which you know?
They say that history repeats
itself. We know that, with certain
notifications, this statement is
true. l revel in the reading of an
cient history because | know that
I am reading in varied form the
ultra-modern history of the human
race and, by the same token, l
know that, with slightly greater
changes, it is the history of the
same race which is yet to be
made.
A keenness of interest attaches
me to the preachings and writings
of the Apostle Paul because they
reveal to me the reaction of the
men of the first century to GER
tain ethics and they give me an
unerring insight into the reaction
Of the men of the twentieth cen
fury to the same ethics.
| drink in with impetuous thirst
the philosophy of Socrates because
a closer intimacy with the neigh
bors of that bold thinker of the
~ancients brings me into a better
understanding of my W neigh
bors.
But, with all the similarity of re-
curing history, no man of other
centuries has eve known the
world which you know.
How old is the world? The
world is very new.
The world of today is so new
that the wisest of men can scarce
ly understand it. We stand aghast
at the changes of the present cen
fury, of the present decade. Who
can say how great are the undis-
severed continents of life? Who
can measure the UNEMPLOYED areas
of human possibility? The world of
today is so new that the people
have scarcely had time to
take stock of their surroundings.
But with all the uncertainties
OF this modern world there is one
condition of affairs which insis-
tently presents itself to our at
tention. 1t stands forth to rob the
slothful one of his alibi and to
steal from the pessimist his justi-
fication. 1t is this: by no combi-
OF modern events is ambi-
ton rendered futile. Opportunity
is not a thing of y~esteryear. The
who vociferously condoles the
opportunities which he has missed
probably miss those which
Are vet tO roma
No man has ever reached the
Ultimate Height. From the Hottest
pinnacle which man has ever at
lev and greater heights
ire visible which some other man
and will climb. The man who
'oasts of his successes and shouts
0 the skies of his achievements
nay do SO as well from the top
t a molehill as from the sky
craping summit of Mt. Everest.
How old is the world?
The world Of today is so new
hat We have not got it working
Tell yet. The opportunities for eff
ective service are knocking with
nusual persistence upon the doors
f that generation which is just
ow coming into power. Never in
lie history of man has there been
more crying need for level-head-
|, clear-thinking men and women,
men and women who have the
of their convictions, who |
lnnot be swerved from their
'urse by ridicule or criticism. OPP
'rtunities are not scarce but Z
are so big that but few are d
g enough to grasp them.
Young man, young woman, cast u
It covetous eyes back along the y
es Of time. The trophies of the L
ture are as desirable as any II
llch man has ever been able to .
on the shelves of human
perience.
young man once said to Wen
Il Phillips, the great abolition
IF | had lived in your day, l, !.
}, might have been a hero" The u
man rose to his full height q
i replied: Young man., you are ai
ing in my day and in Gods day. g
man could have been a hero ",
N who is not a hero now" 10
there is no chronology Of OPP ~
'tunities nor geography of the =.
IS thereof. Great deeds attract =.