Evening star., 1959-11-15
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Say Can You See?
BY DR. FREDERICK BROWN HARRIS
Chaplain Of United States

Say can you see? In kim
ding lines Francis Scott Key
asked that question, which
was destined to have upon 1t
the breath Of immortality.
What he saw was q physical
symbol Of a young nation
which his anxious eyes dis
cerned still there" In the
dawn's early light. When
ever we gaze upon that flag,
wherever 1t flies. II we really
see Its true glory we are see
ing all that America means
to the baffied world.
One who has stood at the
forefront Of the Nations in
dustrial life, and also for six
distinguished years in the
Senate Of the United States,
Albert H. Hawkes., was an
swering the query OF the ma
tional anthem. Say can you
see?"' when recently address,
ing an important gathering
he said, II salute our beauti-
full American nag, symbol Of
liberty, justice and human
dignity. In this hour Of his
tory, when the ungodly brute
forces In man are seeking to
impose their evil designs on
people Of good will, thereby
destroying life. liberty. the
pursuit Of happiness and
equality under q rule Of law,
its stars and stripes shine
out more beautifully than
ever. Whenever we see it
our nag speaks as 1t waves
aloft, saying to each citizen,
I represent you all in
honesty, justice, and the
spirit Of the golden rule, I
can be no more than you by
your deeds make me. Re-
member the nations which
have assembled to leadership
and have ultimately failed
because they put the mad
race for money, place, pleas
ure and power in first place,
and relegated character,
morals, adherence to princi-
Piles, and their trust in God
in second place " The Sen
ator was seeing that which
was invisible to those who,
with violent hands and hate
filled eyes, recently tore
down the Stars and Stripes in
Panama.
Seeing the invisible is the
chief business of life. The
oculiSt with his chart con-
tanning big letters and then
smaller and smaller ones con-,
fronts us with the question
which is vital to any selection
Of remedial lenses, "say can
you see?" But the essential
things escape even 20/20 vi
sion.
This is being called the
atomic age, but nobody has
ever seen an atom. A scientist
will tell you that there are
many kinds Of atoms, and
that some Of them are very
complex, but he cannot show
you one. But in these infln-
itesimal structures there is
stored a power which, If
released, may bring fearful
havoc which. can be seen If
there are eyes left to see it.
The fact is that a large part
Of the physical world is alb
solutely invisible to any eye,
save the eye Of the mind.
And when we step into the
world Of ideas end ideals
which mold and express
character, the question Say
can you see?" has to do with
those inner eyes of the soul,
There is. for instance, the
realm of truth, and honor,
and love-most vital but in
visible. Take what we call
honor. You cannot see that,
but to realize how real it is
look at David Livingstone.
When he was carried by black
men to the western coast of
Africa he gave his word of
honor that he would take
them back to their homes in
the interior. He had seen
neither his wife nor children
for more than two years. He
lay for weeks desperately i'll.
When his strength was re-
turning the captain of an
English ship which was about
to sail offered him a passage
home. He had to decide be-
tween England and home and
comfort and reunion with