The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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172 the Netherlands. I am not going to speak here of the wonderful bravery of those people, a bravery exemplified all through their history, a bravery of which we had a recent illustration, when a handful of them down in South Africa made such a heroic fight for their existence. While they failed there, they brought blessings to liberty-loving people everywhere, for they made a war of conquest so expensive that no nation in the near future will attempt to take independence from a republic, however small. QApplamse.D . I have been thinking of the progress made by the inhabitants of the Netherlands, how they have rescued their lands from the seas and won their victory over Neptune. I was interested in the quaint cities there, with their hundreds of canals and their leaning buildings. I was interested in all that I saw, but I was impressed most by the fact that the Netherlands is to furnish the site for the Temple of Peace soon to be erected, Qapplausel that, on that soil, reddened by the blood of an Eighty Years' War, will rise the permanent home of the Arbitration Court. At The Hague I re- called the long struggle for freedom of conscience, for freedom of speech, and for constitutional gov- ernment, and rejoiced that at last the fragrant flower of peace had appeared upon the thorny stalk of war. I am glad that an American citizen has contributed the money that makes it possible for this building to be erected in a place so well fitted for it. QApplcmse.J And as I thought of little Holland-little among the nations and yet great in contests where mind and heart control-I recalled the words of the Prophet of old, who foretold an era of peace so universal and so profound that to

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171, stand the Dutch better now than I did when I simply read about them. I I have enjoyed the speeches made, only I am a little embarrassed by the compliments paid bv my good friend, QMr. Beck,j and I think I undef. stand now why he apologized for what he was going to say. I-Ie knew he' was going to speak so well that he would have to apologize for it, or it would seem unfair to me. QLcmghte1'.j As I lis- tened to him, I could not help thinking of the excuse that a Chinese editor once gave for reject- ing a manuscript that some one sent in-it was probably from ' ' Pro Bono Publico, or-' ' Constant Reader, or Veritas, The editor sent it back, saying that he was unwillingito publish it because it was of so high an order of merit that it would set a standard of excellence that no one else' could approach, and that it would, therefore, cause a good deal of dissatisfaction in the country. QLcmgh- tem I am afraid that Mr. Beck has set such a high standard of oratory here that it will be very difficult for myself and for the speakers at future Holland Society dinners to rise to his standard. Another thing, I am embarrassed by the fact that both he and my friend Dr. Lorimer over here touched on politics. I do not like to have anyu- body touch on politics when I come last. Cflp- plausej I do not know how I am going to withstand the temptationto talk politics 11111635 I retaliate on Brother Lorimer, as he, a preachef, made a political speech, I, somewhat in p011'C1CS, may preach a sermon. CCries of B1'cwo! and applausej . I i My subject is Peace, and have been thinking about it, especially since the trip that I made T30

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173. emphasize it he pictured it as extending even to the animals, and said that the wolf would dweu with the lamb, that the leopard would 119 down with the kid, that the calf, the lion, and the fatling W0U1d keep Company 'GOgether, and that a little child should lead them. Are our eyes to Witness the fulfilment of this prophecy? In a forum where right prevails and where dis- putes are settled, not by armed force but by reason, a little nation like the Netherlands can enter into an honorable rivalry with her more populous neighbors. But this has not come all at once. It has been of gradual growth, as all things are that are strong and lasting. The trees that are able to withstand the storms mature slowly, and so do great movements, y ' Heaven is not gained by a single boundg We build the ladder by which we rise From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies, And mount to its summit round by round. V- ' So with reforms, it takes time to work them out. We need not expect that the nations will disband their armies at once, we need not ex- pect that all difficulties will be taken before the Court of Arbitration, but we have reason to be- lieve that the light of a better day is dawning, and that we are about to enter upon an era in which conscience will assert its supremacy Over brute force, and the crown of victory be awarded, not to the nation that has the largest army or the strong- est navy, but to the nation that sets the best ex- ample and contributes most to the welfare of the world. Cflpplausej