Coquille High School - Laurel Yearbook (Coquille, OR)

Page 20 text:

very limited number of people were at all acquainted with literature because of the scarcity of books. The few books which were in existence were, of necessity, hand-written, and in great danger of being destroyed by barbarian invaders. Under these trying circumstances it seemed that literature would never be able to hold a place in the world, but at the darkest moment Guttenburg, the wonderful inventor, introduced his printing press and thus literature began to be circulated throughout the world. The religious world has likewise its heroes; one of the many was Martin Luther. At the time of Luther’s prominence the power of the Pope had become so great through the union of Church and State that it was oppressive to the people. The Catholic Church had gained the temporal power of the nation, and as a natural consequence of this power religion and government were being corrupted. The Bibles were all written in the Latin language and therefore out of the reach of the people. The Popes were interpreting the Scriptures to the people in ways which best suited their own interests, and the great mass of people were fast declining into an ignorant and superstitious race. Martin Luther by his courageous act of nailing his ninety-five theses on the Church door at Wittenberg, caused the temporal power of the Church to be destroyed, religious tolerance to be established, and the Bible to be translated into the language of the common people so that they could read it for themselves. At one time in the history of our own beloved homeland, thirteen small thinly settled colonies, were struggling und r the harsh and oppressive rule of England. They had many unjust taxations forced on them; they were oppressed by their rulers and allowed no voice whatever in the government. When conditions were at their worst and matters had reached a climax, George Washington, the great military leader, was raised up, seemingly by Divine Providence, to take charge of the American troops. And because he led them in triumph through the war his name will always be placed first on the pages of our history. Af er the war was finished and the Union established, many difficult problems, from time to time, of a social, financial, and political character arose which had to be met and settled. Sectional jealousies and struggles for political supremacy came, several times, nearly disrupting our nation. Disruption was prevented only by great strokes of diplomacy, but the cause was not emoved. The Union was never absolutely safe because of this sectional strife, and finally the crisis was reached when the south seceded from the Union. This secession was followed by four years of the fiercest and bloodiest war of modern times. Again the power that rules the destinies of nations raised up a man fortheocca-

Page 19 text:

THE MAN FOR THE CRISIS BY NAOMI KNOWLTON Man was endowed with mind and reasoning power by the All-Wise Creator and commanded to subdue the earth. The act of obeying the Divine command has cause i man in all ages to be confronted with important questions; questions which demanded such quick and determined action at one moment, generally on the part of one man, that they may be called crises. In every great movement recorded in history, one man, towering above his fellow-men in intellectuality and courage, has arisen equal to the situation; and his decision has usually led to the advancement and betterment of the wor’d. Biblical history tells us of Moses, when the Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptians and in themselves too weak to rise up against their oppressors, appearing as their commander and successfully leading them through their unequal contest. Then in the far country to which Moses led them they developed into the great nation which has given the Christian religion to the world. Athens, the great seat of learning and center of civilization, was sorely threatened destruction by the barbarian hordes of Persians. The small but brave army of the Athenians followed their fearless leader, Miltiades, to victory on the field of Marathon, where they met and defeated the Persian hosts in one of the greatest of the decisive battles of history. This battle placed the name of Miltiades high on the roll of fame and preserved the Grecian civilization with its literature and art for the benefit and use of future generations. At one time in the history of Rome the very existence of the government was threatened with political dishonesty. Judges on the bench, consuls and ambassadors, and even military leaders could be bribed with a very paltry sum. But because people have always respected and admired justice and fairness Marius succeeded Metellus in the consulship. Here was a man unaffected by the offer of bribes, a man who fought political corruption and a man who had the highest ambitions for the state. It was indeed fortunate for Rome that a man of such wise counsel and sound judgment held so high an office when the savage hordes from the wild mountainous regions of the North were pouring down through the passes of the Alps on the fertile plains of Italy and destroying all civilization as they went. Marius defeating the Teutons in the battle of Aquae Sextae and the Cimbri of Vercellae was hailed, “the saviour of his country.” There was a time in the world’s literary history when or.ly a

Page 21 text:

sion. Lincoln was made leader and he not only piloted the nation through this most terrible struggle and brought the war to a successful termination, but he also wiped from the fair page of history its da kest blot that of slavery; and obliterated sectional lines. Now our nation stands united. The Union is thoroughly sealed by the blood of the brave men who gave their lives in this fierce struggle. The result is, that ours, while the youngest nation, is the greatest in wealth and in influence. Her unbounded resources, her achievements in literature, arts and invention place her in the front rank of nations and have gained for her the respect and admiration of the world. “OPPORTUNITY” r r » They do me wrong who say I am no more When once I knock and fail to find you in For, every day I stand outside your door And bid you wake and rise to fight and win. Wail not for precious chances passed away Weep not for golden ages on the wane Each night I burn the seconds of the day At sunrise every soul is born again. Dost thou behold thy lost youth all aghast? Dost reel from righteous retributions blow? Then turn from the blotted archives of the past And find the future’s pages white as snow. Art thou a mourner? Rouse thee from thy spell! Art thou a sinner? Sins may be forgiven. Each morning gives thee wings from hell, Each night a star to guide thy feet to heaven. Laugh like a boy at splendor that has sped; To vanished joys be blind and deaf and dumb, My judgment seal the dead past with its dead, And never bind a moment yet to come. Tho deep in mire wring not your hands and weep, I lend my arm to all who say I can. No shamefaced outcast ever sank so deep But yet might rise and be again a man. —Selected.