The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-04-13

and pray that the little peoples OF
all the world will rise up and de-
mand justice and fair dealing for
victor and vanqulshed alike, I don't
believe that the common soldier,
the little people, the common peo-
pie will prove TO be very vindictive.
I believe that the common people
have n sufficient amount of the
spirit Of forgive and forget live and
let live, to serve Us the basis of q
workable, sensible peace. I do not
believe that the voice OF the people
Is the voice of God but do believe
that there Is vastly more wisdom
unSeltishneSS, discernment, more
willingness 10 sacrifice for the com.
mon good OF the common man
everywhere, than the men IN high
position are willing to concede.
LET me point out further In con-
nection with our text that q very
great deal seems to turn on the fact
that the Scripture reads great and
not greatest We might have ex-
pected that for the sake Of cmpha-
sis, II for nothing more, Jesus would
have said greatest We like to put
things In sharp contrast. We eX-
pect to find things stated that way.
The disciples had been discussing
who should be the greatest. An, but
Jesus says great II Jesus had said
He that Is least among you all, the
same shall be greatest he would
have completely reversed the COM
mon assumption but instead He
says the same shall be great The
first statement would still have
meant competition. the second, the
authentic statement, infers that all
me mare brothers and that 1t must
be cooperation. The words of Jesus
set aside all efforts to choose n few
men to be set apart. He says, II
misunderstood not. that the very
least can be numbered among the
great and that TO be great In the
kingdom of God is sufficient. A man
need not strive TO lift himself above
his fellows.
THE picture that Jesus paints Of
the kingdom of God is O fellowship
where all men rank as one, a fell
lowship where the weak and the
are given special con-
where the first concern
Is for inc rising generation. We can
never hope for much progress in
this world so long as the strong
prey on the weak, so long as the
rich and powerful nations deter
mine their national policies with
reference to their own immediate
selfish interests, and have little or
no concern for the fate Of other
peoples and nations, some Of which
may suffer severe economic hard
ship as a direct result. Narrow ma
tionalism isn't even enlightened
selfishneSs; 1t is most unenlight-
,ned in a world like ours.
This kingdom of brotherhood
seems a long way off most Of the
lime. Very often we feel like CIV
ng up the struggle. There are dark |
periods In human history and In
personal experience but We must |
rot give in to despair. Jesus never |
expected quick or an easy victory. |
He took long views. the longest pos
ible views. 1t may be that we have
much TO learn from the woman who |
estifled TO her faith In an English |
quaker meeting house and the |
auakers OF all people are tested and |
rled In their faith In the midst of |
his terrible war. This woman said, |
Often we feel that 1t would be 40
'asy TO give up the struggle; too
,ften we ask ourselves Is life worth /
While? But remember the unknown |
nan who was killed In a fall In the |
Alps. No one could identify him, |
,ut II was supposed that he was an |
The villagers buried
l!m and ON q simple tombstone |
hey carved the words Died
"And that. my friends. Is the
we must covet when our
work Is done. II Is all the reward
We can seem In good Christian con-
clence. We viii never be numbered
among the greatest. In fact we will
rot be called great. Never mind. we
lave In mind the ideal that Jesus
leld up IN the long ago. We can
Try and keep on trying. when our
work n ended someone may be able
o say, no matter where we are on
he slope Of life. he died climbing"