The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-08-25

lew OF us, 4 would imagine.
4 "Yet, the Roanoke settlers came
- armed with little more than con-
Ifidence in themselves and an abid-
ling faith in their God. Each, UNI
doubtedly had his or her own rea-
sons for coming - to escape, per-
lhaps, to start anew, to win fame
| and fortune - these things we will
never know. But one thing is sure.
They were united in common
bond of courage. They came be-
cause they each possessed the one
|great human quality without which
civilization could never advance.
j They could not resist the tempta-
ltion of an exciting challenge. Is it
doubtful that many of the settlers
recognized this as their motive for
lembarking upon their Inflated
Journey, but that motive existed
nevertheless. They were driven to
pit themselves against the I'M
known, to wager their own lives
land the lives of their loved ones
on a promise of better way of
life.
"The fact that the wager was
lost detracts not one bit from their
contribution to history or their con-
Itribution to the development of this
state and nation. Men have been in
lspired from the beginning of time
lby deeds to discourage against ov-
erwhelming and, in many instances,
hopeless odds. We have learned
THAT there is compensation in fight
ling the good fight regardless of
the outcome.
"Plutarch, in the First Century
| A. D., observed that courage con-
sists not in hazarding without fear,
but being resolutely minded in a
lust cause" And we have learned
lalso that success, not infrequently,
i is built on failure. This was recog-
nized century or so ago by Henry
Ward Beecher, who wrote 'It is
defeat that turns bone to flint. and
lgristle to muscle, and makes men
invincible you are never so near
to victory as when defeated in a
, good cause"
"This, then, is the lesson we
must learn from, the Roanoke set
tiers - the lesson that the passage
; of time has been unable to erase.
I'VE can, believe, find inspiration
in the "Lost Colony" story to help
us face the tremendous challenges
J of the complex world in which we
, live today. Admittedly, things are
/ not as clear-cut for us today as
: they were in 1857. The issues upon
, which we must decide are crowded
, with doubts and fears and conse-
quences that would have been in
comprehensive to John White and
his colonists.
"Yet, basically, the challenge we
; face is not so different from the
: challenge confronting the settlers.
. Our opportunities, like theirs, APP
, Ipear linlitless. The tools with which
we can build a more abundant life
, flor ourselves and those who will
, come after us are readily available.
, The obstacles in our path, while
: VASTLY more complicated than those
of the settlers, cannot, in view of
our great resources, be reasonably
J considered more difficult to over
, come.
ut would seem that, if anything:
we have an advantage over the Ro-
anoke colonists. We have good
, conception of what we have to do to
insure an abundant future. They
faced many unknowns. We have the
advantage of, not only their exper-
: fence, but of the composite know
ledge of all the North Carolinians
that have dwelt on our land during
\ the past 375 years. We should
4 know what lies ahead of us, anc
! with this knowledge, we should BE-
liable to control our own destiny
The colonists had no precedent By
$ (which to chart their future.
"The point I would make is that
the North Carolinian of today is in
better position than any Of hi.
predecessors to meet the tremen,
dous challenge offered by this
states fabulous potential. All we
need is the courage to step out
boldly to meet that challenge. Tn.
like the colonists, we sail a vel
charted ocean aboard seaworthy
ship. The only question remaining
. is do we have the courage to take
advantage of our opportunities. Dc
we have what it takes to match
the confidence and determination Of
those first North Carolinians? Viii
this generation - our generation
= measure up to its heritage?
"These are questions that each q
Ius must answer for ourselves. But
they are questions than cannot gt
unanswered. Fate has handed u
! the responsibility of living in thi.
{ state at perhaps the most crucia
: time in its history. There are thing.
u n u.