Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-01
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Unknown Yet Known
By DIR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of the United States Senate

What a coiner Of flashing
phrases was Paul of Tarsus
the great apostle to the
Gentiles. Again and again
in his deathless epistles we
come across galaxies Of words
which flame like clusters Of
diamonds. His unknown yet
well known" is worthy to be
engraved on the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldiers. AS Amer
lea in 1858 keeps her festi-
val Of grateful memory, no
individual is singled out.
lifted above his fellows, to
have some bright ribbon or
snowy medal pinned upon
his breast. The symbol Of
the unpayable things To-
day owes to the Yesterdays
are the bodies of three I'M
known defenders of the
American dream. On the
latest Memorial Day, two
unknowns who died for free
dom take their place where.
for almost 81 years the Un-
known Soldier has kept his
lonely vigil in stored Airing
ton. OF this nameless trio.
no matter how different
their lives or their back
grounds. one thing links
them in the fraternity of
death and of Immortality
1T Was for Visions We Fell"
OF this trio, speaking forever
of the last full measure of
devotion of three wars, it
can be well said they are
unknown yet well known.
Their names are unknown
their cause is well known,
and the cruSades in which
they played their part lift
them into immortality.
Unknown yet we'll known
they lie in state at the altar
Of the Nation they died to
defend. No name blots the
white marble where in honor
lie these three. Place, ped-'
estal. rank. rewards are not
reckoned there. For all the
glittering things for which
men strive there is here a
mo TrespasSing" sign. AS a
Nation bows at this high
altar where no name is
carved in enduring marble.
there comes a wholesome
realization that much of the
hypocrisy which curses So
ciety-the affectation, de-
ception. duplicity. chicanery
and pretense stems from an
inordinate desire for ap-
plause, for recognition, for
distinction. For all that,
people of every generation
say things they do not mean,
express emotions they do not
feel, cultivate people they
inwardly disdain, praise when
they secretly condemn. All
that is the shabby price paid
that they may sit on some
throne of recognition and
exaltation in the presence Of
their fellows.
Some of the meanest ele-
ments that motivate ordinary
life are forbidden to stand at
the tomb of those unknown
yet well known. Here is a
holy place where a true pa
triot takes off the shoes of
selfish striving. Here is
scorned all the trappingS of
rank, all the protocol of
precedence. all the petty
pride of belonging" Here
now lie three unnamed cru
saders who gave up the years
that were to be for their land
and ours and who are known
only to God. Now the
thing to remember is that
that noble epitaph encom-
passes the vast majority of
those who accomplish the
work of the world. No roll
call contains their names.
their contributions escape the
calculations of the worlds
coarse thumb. They are
known only to the God of
all good workmen. They are
unknown yet well known.
Their service to their fellows
is as nameless as the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldiers.
James Russell Lowell caught
the very spirit of unknown
yet we'll known" when he
wrote about "the unknown
good that rests"
In Gods still memory folded
deep
The brduely dumb that did
their deed