From the Wall Street Journal, lead editorial, published the day before Thanksgiving for 50+ years. I believe these were written by the late, great writer, Vermont Royster.
The Desolate Wilderness
Here beginneth the chronicle of those memorable circumstances of the year 1620, as recorded by Nathaniel Morton, keeper of the records of Plymouth Colony, based on the account of William Bradford, sometime governor thereof:
So they left that goodly and pleasant city of Leyden, which had been their resting-place for above eleven years, but they knew that they were pilgrims and strangers here below, and looked not much on these things, but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, their dearest country, where God hath prepared for them a city (Heb. XI, 16), and therein quieted their spirits.
When they came to Delfs-Haven they found the ship and all things ready, and such of their friends as could not come with them followed after them, and sundry came from Amsterdam to see them shipt, and to take their leaves of them. One night was spent with little sleep with the most, but with friendly entertainment and Christian discourse, and other real expressions of true Christian love.
The next day they went on board, and their friends with them, where truly doleful was the sight of that sad and mournful parting, to hear what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound amongst them; what tears did gush from every eye, and pithy speeches pierced each other's heart, that sundry of the Dutch strangers that stood on the Key as spectators could not refrain from tears. But the tide (which stays for no man) calling them away, that were thus loath to depart, their Reverend Pastor, falling down on his knees, and they all with him, with watery cheeks commended them with the most fervent prayers unto the Lord and His blessing; and then with mutual embraces and many tears they took their leaves one of another, which proved to be the last leave to many of them.
Being now passed the vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before them in expectations, they had now no friends to welcome them, no inns to entertain or refresh them, no houses, or much less towns, to repair unto to seek for succour; and for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of the country know them to be sharp and violent, subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to travel to known places, much more to search unknown coasts.
Besides, what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wilde beasts and wilde men? and what multitudes of them there were, they then knew not: for which way soever they turned their eyes (save upward to Heaven) they could have but little solace or content in respect of any outward object; for summer being ended, all things stand in appearance with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hew.
If they looked behind them, there was a mighty ocean which they had passed, and was now as a main bar or gulph to separate them from all the civil parts of the world.
This editorial has appeared annually since 1961.
And the Fair Land
Any one whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.
This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.
And a traveler cannot but be struck on his journey by the thought that this country, one day, can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world; what it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped.
So the visitor returns thankful for much of what he has seen, and, in spite of everything, an optimist about what his country might be. Yet the visitor, if he is to make an honest report, must also note the air of unease that hangs everywhere.
For the traveler, as travelers have been always, is as much questioned as questioning. And for all the abundance he sees, he finds the questions put to him ask where men may repair for succor from the troubles that beset them.
His countrymen cannot forget the savage face of war. Too often they have been asked to fight in strange and distant places, for no clear purpose they could see and for no accomplishment they can measure. Their spirits are not quieted by the thought that the good and pleasant bounty that surrounds them can be destroyed in an instant by a single bomb. Yet they find no escape, for their survival and comfort now depend on unpredictable strangers in far-off corners of the globe.
How can they turn from melancholy when at home they see young arrayed against old, black against white, neighbor against neighbor, so that they stand in peril of social discord. Or not despair when they see that the cities and countryside are in need of repair, yet find themselves threatened by scarcities of the resources that sustain their way of life. Or when, in the face of these challenges, they turn for leadership to men in high places -- only to find those men as frail as any others.
So sometimes the traveler is asked whence will come their succor. What is to preserve their abundance, or even their civility? How can they pass on to their children a nation as strong and free as the one they inherited from their forefathers? How is their country to endure these cruel storms that beset it from without and from within?
Of course the stranger cannot quiet their spirits. For it is true that everywhere men turn their eyes today much of the world has a truly wild and savage hue. No man, if he be truthful, can say that the specter of war is banished. Nor can he say that when men or communities are put upon their own resources they are sure of solace; nor be sure that men of diverse kinds and diverse views can live peaceably together in a time of troubles.
But we can all remind ourselves that the richness of this country was not born in the resources of the earth, though they be plentiful, but in the men that took its measure. For that reminder is everywhere -- in the cities, towns, farms, roads, factories, homes, hospitals, schools that spread everywhere over that wilderness.
We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators. Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world, for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth.
And we might remind ourselves also, that if those men setting out from Delftshaven had been daunted by the troubles they saw around them, then we could not this autumn be thankful for a fair land.
This editorial has appeared annually since 1961.
Word of the Day
"Concision" - noun [$10]
Concision means the state or quality of being concise; conciseness.
Sentence: The bunker booklet contained a five part solution to America' big problems, described with much concision on 15 half size pages. The booklet was mailed to every member of Congress, the Senate and the President, as well as a number of well-known personages in the media and investment community. All they have to do is read it and do it. Will they fail? Do they care about any ideas from outside the Dark City and their media co-conspirators? Time will tell.
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Washington's Birthday
Today IS the birthday of George Washington, born 279 years ago.
Tolstoy and Marxist philosophers believed that classes and masses of people determine the path of changes of a society, not people. George Washington is a counterexample.
Without this singular man, the American colonies would likely have lost their War of Independence.
Without this singular man, the independent American States would likely have split into a cacophonous mess after winning the war.
Without this singular man, the new American republic would likely have failed in its first decade of existence.
After the end of the war, even his "opposing number", King George III of England, recognized his greatness.
George Washington changed history. Without his existence, the world would be very different now. Would the United States even exist? Without the United States, would Europe be a German Empire? A Nazi Empire? A Communist Empire? Likely something of that sort would indeed exist.
The unwavering moral compass that George Washington possessed guided him. Perhaps it was connected to his dignitas - his drive to be a good, respected person. The man himself, however, gave full credit to "Providence" and / or the "Creator" and / or "Almighty God" in many letter and speeches and words in both his private and public life. His faith both motivated him, helped him endure adversity and hardship and kept him from the clutches of hubris.
Let's celebrate this great man, not by worshipping or adulating him, but by learning about him. That's how we can honor him, by learning about his values and virtues and beliefs, to use them as a model in conduct of our lives.
One wishes that the current nest of knaves in the Dark City in the Swamp (aka DC) would do this. But I suppose they will not even recognize this day for what is actually is. We need new leaders who measure up to George Washington to lead this nation into the 21st century. Just a few, maybe one, will do.
Books
Washington's God, by Michael and Jana Novak, researches many original sources to examine the nature of Washington's God. To quote a review, "This important book brings to light sorely neglected dimensions of George Washington's life and thought. Readers will better understand our country by understanding the deepest convictions of its founding father." I'll second that.
The answer: George Washington was not a deist. He was a practicing Anglican (aka Episcopalian) in the common 18th century latitudinarian manner, without any particular doctrine or needs for the surface practices of any sect beyond belief, prayer and faith. Washington's God was the God of the Hebrew, Christian and Muslim faiths. He saw the hand of Providence actively as guiding and helping him, his men in the army and the nation to become what it has become. He prayed often to Almighty God.
But read the book and form your own opinion. The book contains the facts from letters, speeches, and from his stepgrandchildren who knew him from family life.
Actions
This morning's action will definitely cause Krypto to give stronger sell signal for gold and silver. I'll sell some (about 10% of holdings) at the open, via GLD and SLV to re-balance the Krypto Fund. Proceeds to cash for now.
Word of the Day
"Intercalcate" - verb, intransitive [$10] and "intercalcating" - participle.
Intercalcate means 1. insert (an intercalary day or month); 2. interpose (something out of the ordinary course); 3. (as 'intercalcated' adjective) (of strata, etc.) interposed.
Sentence: On the day that George Washington was born, the date was February 11, 1732, but since 11 days were intercalcated in 1752 (see below), the date in our modern calendar is February 22, 1732.
From the Internet [ http://www.polysyllabic.com/?q=calhistory/gregorian ]: "Although Queen Elizabeth I initially expressed some interest in changing the calendar in 1582, the Church of England effectively tabled the idea, which was not taken up again for nearly 170 years. By that time, passions had sufficiently cooled that when the idea was introduced as an act of Parliament in 1752, it passed with hardly a murmur. The English colonies in America changed at the same time. By that time, 11 days now had to be added, which the English did by skipping from September 2 to September 14, 1752."
Tolstoy and Marxist philosophers believed that classes and masses of people determine the path of changes of a society, not people. George Washington is a counterexample.
Without this singular man, the American colonies would likely have lost their War of Independence.
Without this singular man, the independent American States would likely have split into a cacophonous mess after winning the war.
Without this singular man, the new American republic would likely have failed in its first decade of existence.
After the end of the war, even his "opposing number", King George III of England, recognized his greatness.
George Washington changed history. Without his existence, the world would be very different now. Would the United States even exist? Without the United States, would Europe be a German Empire? A Nazi Empire? A Communist Empire? Likely something of that sort would indeed exist.
The unwavering moral compass that George Washington possessed guided him. Perhaps it was connected to his dignitas - his drive to be a good, respected person. The man himself, however, gave full credit to "Providence" and / or the "Creator" and / or "Almighty God" in many letter and speeches and words in both his private and public life. His faith both motivated him, helped him endure adversity and hardship and kept him from the clutches of hubris.
Let's celebrate this great man, not by worshipping or adulating him, but by learning about him. That's how we can honor him, by learning about his values and virtues and beliefs, to use them as a model in conduct of our lives.
One wishes that the current nest of knaves in the Dark City in the Swamp (aka DC) would do this. But I suppose they will not even recognize this day for what is actually is. We need new leaders who measure up to George Washington to lead this nation into the 21st century. Just a few, maybe one, will do.
Books
Washington's God, by Michael and Jana Novak, researches many original sources to examine the nature of Washington's God. To quote a review, "This important book brings to light sorely neglected dimensions of George Washington's life and thought. Readers will better understand our country by understanding the deepest convictions of its founding father." I'll second that.
The answer: George Washington was not a deist. He was a practicing Anglican (aka Episcopalian) in the common 18th century latitudinarian manner, without any particular doctrine or needs for the surface practices of any sect beyond belief, prayer and faith. Washington's God was the God of the Hebrew, Christian and Muslim faiths. He saw the hand of Providence actively as guiding and helping him, his men in the army and the nation to become what it has become. He prayed often to Almighty God.
But read the book and form your own opinion. The book contains the facts from letters, speeches, and from his stepgrandchildren who knew him from family life.
Actions
This morning's action will definitely cause Krypto to give stronger sell signal for gold and silver. I'll sell some (about 10% of holdings) at the open, via GLD and SLV to re-balance the Krypto Fund. Proceeds to cash for now.
Word of the Day
"Intercalcate" - verb, intransitive [$10] and "intercalcating" - participle.
Intercalcate means 1. insert (an intercalary day or month); 2. interpose (something out of the ordinary course); 3. (as 'intercalcated' adjective) (of strata, etc.) interposed.
Sentence: On the day that George Washington was born, the date was February 11, 1732, but since 11 days were intercalcated in 1752 (see below), the date in our modern calendar is February 22, 1732.
From the Internet [ http://www.polysyllabic.com/?q=calhistory/gregorian ]: "Although Queen Elizabeth I initially expressed some interest in changing the calendar in 1582, the Church of England effectively tabled the idea, which was not taken up again for nearly 170 years. By that time, passions had sufficiently cooled that when the idea was introduced as an act of Parliament in 1752, it passed with hardly a murmur. The English colonies in America changed at the same time. By that time, 11 days now had to be added, which the English did by skipping from September 2 to September 14, 1752."
Friday, December 31, 2010
A Holiday
Even though the stock market is open, it's a holiday for the common man, hence I will take off today: no post.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Remembering ...
Monday is Memorial Day - first called Decoration Day as it spontaneously began when many, many women went out in May 1866 to decorate the graves of the Civil war dead. The time was approximately one year after the parade of the Grand Army in Washington DC to celebrate the Union victory. This day now commemorates all US war dead - those who fell in preserving the nation and freedom. Lincoln's Gettysburg address captures the sentiment perfectly. He modeled parts of it after the Funeral Oration of Pericles, given about 2,300 years before. Here are the words of Abraham Lincoln - they are worth re-reading out loud.
The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
***end quote***
Think a bit about the meaning of this on Monday at that BBQ. And fly the flag.
Word of the Day
"Viand" - noun [$10] formal
Viand means 1. an article of food; 2. (in plural) provisions, victuals.
Sentence: As we verily savor our BBD'd viands on Memorial Day, let us remember those for whom the holiday was made to remember - the nation's war dead - whose sacrifices have preserved this nation and our freedom.
The Gettysburg Address
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
***end quote***
Think a bit about the meaning of this on Monday at that BBQ. And fly the flag.
Word of the Day
"Viand" - noun [$10] formal
Viand means 1. an article of food; 2. (in plural) provisions, victuals.
Sentence: As we verily savor our BBD'd viands on Memorial Day, let us remember those for whom the holiday was made to remember - the nation's war dead - whose sacrifices have preserved this nation and our freedom.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Celebrate Washington's Birthday !
Today is Washington's birthday and if any person in the United States deserves a celebratory day, it is George Washington. Without his devotion to the nation, his steadfast leadership and his vision, there can be no doubt but that the American Revolution would not have succeeded. And not only that, the Constitution of the United States would not have taken the form that it did, which created a republic that still stands over 200 years later. Not only was the United States the first modern constitutional republic, it still stands. Washington also set precedents as President that still stand. Imagine, when he was inaugurated as President, he alone comprised the executive branch of the nation.
He also showed his devotion to the core philosophy of the United States, "that are men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" arranging for the slaves of himself and his wife to be freed upon the demise of himself and his wife with proper support for their lives, education and retirements. [Legal reasons prevented earlier grants of freedom.]
Washington lived through extraordinary times and accomplished extraordinary things. In ancient times, no doubt he would have been elevated to god status by the Romans, like Julius Caesar. The Greeks would have talked of his godlike nature. We don't do that, but can we just celebrate this day qua his birthday ?
Book of the Week
On a prior post of Washington's Birthday I mentioned a magnificent pair of volumes on Washington's life, viz. All Cloudless Glory: The Life of George Washington by Harrison Clark. Those books are superb in using original sources of Washington's letters and writings as the basis of the book; one reads Washington's own words and sees his character ... and humor.
For this week, I select a classic book on him, The Life of George Washington, by John Marshall, the famous Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall knew Washington personally, having served on his staff during the war and later knew personally of the political strife that occurred in his terms as President.
The book is well-worth reading and is available from many sources, including a fine hardcover edition from Liberty Press, which I own.
Markets
Still holding my puts; I will add the last slug of this speculation at some point.
Word of the Day
"Evince" - verb, transitive[ $10] used often in Marshall's "The Life of George Washington".
Evince means 1. indicate, to make evident; 2. show that one has (a quality)
Sentence: Washington's refusal to be drawn into the growing partisan strife in the nation in the 1790s evinces his singular strength of honor and devotion to the entire nation. We surely could use someone with his principles today.
He also showed his devotion to the core philosophy of the United States, "that are men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" arranging for the slaves of himself and his wife to be freed upon the demise of himself and his wife with proper support for their lives, education and retirements. [Legal reasons prevented earlier grants of freedom.]
Washington lived through extraordinary times and accomplished extraordinary things. In ancient times, no doubt he would have been elevated to god status by the Romans, like Julius Caesar. The Greeks would have talked of his godlike nature. We don't do that, but can we just celebrate this day qua his birthday ?
Book of the Week
On a prior post of Washington's Birthday I mentioned a magnificent pair of volumes on Washington's life, viz. All Cloudless Glory: The Life of George Washington by Harrison Clark. Those books are superb in using original sources of Washington's letters and writings as the basis of the book; one reads Washington's own words and sees his character ... and humor.
For this week, I select a classic book on him, The Life of George Washington, by John Marshall, the famous Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Marshall knew Washington personally, having served on his staff during the war and later knew personally of the political strife that occurred in his terms as President.
The book is well-worth reading and is available from many sources, including a fine hardcover edition from Liberty Press, which I own.
Markets
Still holding my puts; I will add the last slug of this speculation at some point.
Word of the Day
"Evince" - verb, transitive[ $10] used often in Marshall's "The Life of George Washington".
Evince means 1. indicate, to make evident; 2. show that one has (a quality)
Sentence: Washington's refusal to be drawn into the growing partisan strife in the nation in the 1790s evinces his singular strength of honor and devotion to the entire nation. We surely could use someone with his principles today.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Gutes neues Jahr !
That means Happy New Year in German, literally Good New Year.
This evening I will do some powerful voodoo to help ensure a prosperous New Year. I'll make about four dozen golden spring rolls. Having spring rolls at New year's is a Chinese "good luck" charm - I learned this from the famous Chinese chef and restauranteur of the 1960-70s, Joyce Chen in cooking classes in the mid 1970s. The reasoning that spring rolls are good luck is that they are made to look like bars of gold. Thus having them for New year's is a good luck charm.
I suppose it's similar to my grandmother saying that having sauerkraut at New Year's was also good luck. Maybe it's for the same reason - sauerkraut can look like golden threads.
My spring rolls are baked, not deep fried - I get the gold color by spraying them with Pam, or brushing with olive oil. The filling is hamburger, bok choy, green cabbage, green peppers, onions, oyster sauce and various other Chinese spices. I'll make four dozen and have them for New Year's eve dinner with Mrs. B along with a fine Golden Kryptonite Martini.
Hey, that's a double voodoo spell !
Wait ... quintuple voodoo - I'm making some golden sauerkraut for New Year's day dinner, along with a pork roast & golden Bavarian potato pancakes. Maybe I'll have a bottle of fine German reisling wine, too. That would be quintuple voodoo as the wine is a golden color.
Doing my best for the common man ;)
Actions
I still have the S&P January puts. If the market doesn't drop during the first week, I'll roll them forward into a later expiration date.
Word of the Day
"Preterite" - adjective and noun [$10] Grammatical
Preterite means (adjective) expressing a past action or state; (noun) a preterite tense or form.
Sentence: As all events of 2009 will soon be described only in preterite tenses, we can hope that 2010 will bring good news for the common man in its soon applicable present tenses.
This evening I will do some powerful voodoo to help ensure a prosperous New Year. I'll make about four dozen golden spring rolls. Having spring rolls at New year's is a Chinese "good luck" charm - I learned this from the famous Chinese chef and restauranteur of the 1960-70s, Joyce Chen in cooking classes in the mid 1970s. The reasoning that spring rolls are good luck is that they are made to look like bars of gold. Thus having them for New year's is a good luck charm.
I suppose it's similar to my grandmother saying that having sauerkraut at New Year's was also good luck. Maybe it's for the same reason - sauerkraut can look like golden threads.
My spring rolls are baked, not deep fried - I get the gold color by spraying them with Pam, or brushing with olive oil. The filling is hamburger, bok choy, green cabbage, green peppers, onions, oyster sauce and various other Chinese spices. I'll make four dozen and have them for New Year's eve dinner with Mrs. B along with a fine Golden Kryptonite Martini.
Hey, that's a double voodoo spell !
Wait ... quintuple voodoo - I'm making some golden sauerkraut for New Year's day dinner, along with a pork roast & golden Bavarian potato pancakes. Maybe I'll have a bottle of fine German reisling wine, too. That would be quintuple voodoo as the wine is a golden color.
Doing my best for the common man ;)
Actions
I still have the S&P January puts. If the market doesn't drop during the first week, I'll roll them forward into a later expiration date.
Word of the Day
"Preterite" - adjective and noun [$10] Grammatical
Preterite means (adjective) expressing a past action or state; (noun) a preterite tense or form.
Sentence: As all events of 2009 will soon be described only in preterite tenses, we can hope that 2010 will bring good news for the common man in its soon applicable present tenses.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Thanksgiving
Here I reprint the annual Thanksgiving editorials from The Wall Street Journal, that every year seem to have meaning even though the same editorials have been printed annually since 1961.
See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122765706006858171.html
And http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122765723215458175.html
The Desolate Wilderness
Here beginneth the chronicle of those memorable circumstances of the year 1620, as recorded by Nathaniel Morton, keeper of the records of Plymouth Colony, based on the account of William Bradford, sometime governor thereof:
So they left that goodly and pleasant city of Leyden, which had been their resting-place for above eleven years, but they knew that they were pilgrims and strangers here below, and looked not much on these things, but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, their dearest country, where God hath prepared for them a city (Heb. XI, 16), and therein quieted their spirits.
When they came to Delfs-Haven they found the ship and all things ready, and such of their friends as could not come with them followed after them, and sundry came from Amsterdam to see them shipt, and to take their leaves of them. One night was spent with little sleep with the most, but with friendly entertainment and Christian discourse, and other real expressions of true Christian love.
The next day they went on board, and their friends with them, where truly doleful was the sight of that sad and mournful parting, to hear what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound amongst them; what tears did gush from every eye, and pithy speeches pierced each other's heart, that sundry of the Dutch strangers that stood on the Key as spectators could not refrain from tears. But the tide (which stays for no man) calling them away, that were thus loath to depart, their Reverend Pastor, falling down on his knees, and they all with him, with watery cheeks commended them with the most fervent prayers unto the Lord and His blessing; and then with mutual embraces and many tears they took their leaves one of another, which proved to be the last leave to many of them.
Being now passed the vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before them in expectations, they had now no friends to welcome them, no inns to entertain or refresh them, no houses, or much less towns, to repair unto to seek for succour; and for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of the country know them to be sharp and violent, subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to travel to known places, much more to search unknown coasts.
Besides, what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wilde beasts and wilde men? and what multitudes of them there were, they then knew not: for which way soever they turned their eyes (save upward to Heaven) they could have but little solace or content in respect of any outward object; for summer being ended, all things stand in appearance with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hew.
If they looked behind them, there was a mighty ocean which they had passed, and was now as a main bar or gulph to separate them from all the civil parts of the world.
This editorial has appeared annually since 1961.
And the Fair Land
Any one whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.
This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.
And a traveler cannot but be struck on his journey by the thought that this country, one day, can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world; what it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped.
So the visitor returns thankful for much of what he has seen, and, in spite of everything, an optimist about what his country might be. Yet the visitor, if he is to make an honest report, must also note the air of unease that hangs everywhere.
For the traveler, as travelers have been always, is as much questioned as questioning. And for all the abundance he sees, he finds the questions put to him ask where men may repair for succor from the troubles that beset them.
His countrymen cannot forget the savage face of war. Too often they have been asked to fight in strange and distant places, for no clear purpose they could see and for no accomplishment they can measure. Their spirits are not quieted by the thought that the good and pleasant bounty that surrounds them can be destroyed in an instant by a single bomb. Yet they find no escape, for their survival and comfort now depend on unpredictable strangers in far-off corners of the globe.
How can they turn from melancholy when at home they see young arrayed against old, black against white, neighbor against neighbor, so that they stand in peril of social discord. Or not despair when they see that the cities and countryside are in need of repair, yet find themselves threatened by scarcities of the resources that sustain their way of life. Or when, in the face of these challenges, they turn for leadership to men in high places -- only to find those men as frail as any others.
So sometimes the traveler is asked whence will come their succor. What is to preserve their abundance, or even their civility? How can they pass on to their children a nation as strong and free as the one they inherited from their forefathers? How is their country to endure these cruel storms that beset it from without and from within?
Of course the stranger cannot quiet their spirits. For it is true that everywhere men turn their eyes today much of the world has a truly wild and savage hue. No man, if he be truthful, can say that the specter of war is banished. Nor can he say that when men or communities are put upon their own resources they are sure of solace; nor be sure that men of diverse kinds and diverse views can live peaceably together in a time of troubles.
But we can all remind ourselves that the richness of this country was not born in the resources of the earth, though they be plentiful, but in the men that took its measure. For that reminder is everywhere -- in the cities, towns, farms, roads, factories, homes, hospitals, schools that spread everywhere over that wilderness.
We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators. Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world, for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth.
And we might remind ourselves also, that if those men setting out from Delftshaven had been daunted by the troubles they saw around them, then we could not this autumn be thankful for a fair land.
This editorial has appeared annually since 1961.
Word of The Day
"Sacerdotal" - noun [$10] and "Sacerdotion" - noun [$10]
Sacerdotal means 1. of the priests or the priestly office; priestly; 2. (of as doctrine) ascribing sacrificial functions and supernatural powers to ordained priests, claiming excessive authority for the priesthood. Sacerdotion means the institution of the church and priests; compare to the imperium - the Emperor - in the Byzantine state.
Sentence: Hearing this morning another technical trader talking about yet another "retest" of the lows, I thought that as a group they must be a kind of stock market sacerdotal institution - a sacerdotion - as for them the real economy does not matter at all. Of course, both perception and reality matter; but over a long term, only reality matters. That can be a long time, though, viz. over a year.
See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122765706006858171.html
And http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122765723215458175.html
The Desolate Wilderness
Here beginneth the chronicle of those memorable circumstances of the year 1620, as recorded by Nathaniel Morton, keeper of the records of Plymouth Colony, based on the account of William Bradford, sometime governor thereof:
So they left that goodly and pleasant city of Leyden, which had been their resting-place for above eleven years, but they knew that they were pilgrims and strangers here below, and looked not much on these things, but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, their dearest country, where God hath prepared for them a city (Heb. XI, 16), and therein quieted their spirits.
When they came to Delfs-Haven they found the ship and all things ready, and such of their friends as could not come with them followed after them, and sundry came from Amsterdam to see them shipt, and to take their leaves of them. One night was spent with little sleep with the most, but with friendly entertainment and Christian discourse, and other real expressions of true Christian love.
The next day they went on board, and their friends with them, where truly doleful was the sight of that sad and mournful parting, to hear what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound amongst them; what tears did gush from every eye, and pithy speeches pierced each other's heart, that sundry of the Dutch strangers that stood on the Key as spectators could not refrain from tears. But the tide (which stays for no man) calling them away, that were thus loath to depart, their Reverend Pastor, falling down on his knees, and they all with him, with watery cheeks commended them with the most fervent prayers unto the Lord and His blessing; and then with mutual embraces and many tears they took their leaves one of another, which proved to be the last leave to many of them.
Being now passed the vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before them in expectations, they had now no friends to welcome them, no inns to entertain or refresh them, no houses, or much less towns, to repair unto to seek for succour; and for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of the country know them to be sharp and violent, subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to travel to known places, much more to search unknown coasts.
Besides, what could they see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wilde beasts and wilde men? and what multitudes of them there were, they then knew not: for which way soever they turned their eyes (save upward to Heaven) they could have but little solace or content in respect of any outward object; for summer being ended, all things stand in appearance with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hew.
If they looked behind them, there was a mighty ocean which they had passed, and was now as a main bar or gulph to separate them from all the civil parts of the world.
This editorial has appeared annually since 1961.
And the Fair Land
Any one whose labors take him into the far reaches of the country, as ours lately have done, is bound to mark how the years have made the land grow fruitful.
This is indeed a big country, a rich country, in a way no array of figures can measure and so in a way past belief of those who have not seen it. Even those who journey through its Northeastern complex, into the Southern lands, across the central plains and to its Western slopes can only glimpse a measure of the bounty of America.
And a traveler cannot but be struck on his journey by the thought that this country, one day, can be even greater. America, though many know it not, is one of the great underdeveloped countries of the world; what it reaches for exceeds by far what it has grasped.
So the visitor returns thankful for much of what he has seen, and, in spite of everything, an optimist about what his country might be. Yet the visitor, if he is to make an honest report, must also note the air of unease that hangs everywhere.
For the traveler, as travelers have been always, is as much questioned as questioning. And for all the abundance he sees, he finds the questions put to him ask where men may repair for succor from the troubles that beset them.
His countrymen cannot forget the savage face of war. Too often they have been asked to fight in strange and distant places, for no clear purpose they could see and for no accomplishment they can measure. Their spirits are not quieted by the thought that the good and pleasant bounty that surrounds them can be destroyed in an instant by a single bomb. Yet they find no escape, for their survival and comfort now depend on unpredictable strangers in far-off corners of the globe.
How can they turn from melancholy when at home they see young arrayed against old, black against white, neighbor against neighbor, so that they stand in peril of social discord. Or not despair when they see that the cities and countryside are in need of repair, yet find themselves threatened by scarcities of the resources that sustain their way of life. Or when, in the face of these challenges, they turn for leadership to men in high places -- only to find those men as frail as any others.
So sometimes the traveler is asked whence will come their succor. What is to preserve their abundance, or even their civility? How can they pass on to their children a nation as strong and free as the one they inherited from their forefathers? How is their country to endure these cruel storms that beset it from without and from within?
Of course the stranger cannot quiet their spirits. For it is true that everywhere men turn their eyes today much of the world has a truly wild and savage hue. No man, if he be truthful, can say that the specter of war is banished. Nor can he say that when men or communities are put upon their own resources they are sure of solace; nor be sure that men of diverse kinds and diverse views can live peaceably together in a time of troubles.
But we can all remind ourselves that the richness of this country was not born in the resources of the earth, though they be plentiful, but in the men that took its measure. For that reminder is everywhere -- in the cities, towns, farms, roads, factories, homes, hospitals, schools that spread everywhere over that wilderness.
We can remind ourselves that for all our social discord we yet remain the longest enduring society of free men governing themselves without benefit of kings or dictators. Being so, we are the marvel and the mystery of the world, for that enduring liberty is no less a blessing than the abundance of the earth.
And we might remind ourselves also, that if those men setting out from Delftshaven had been daunted by the troubles they saw around them, then we could not this autumn be thankful for a fair land.
This editorial has appeared annually since 1961.
Word of The Day
"Sacerdotal" - noun [$10] and "Sacerdotion" - noun [$10]
Sacerdotal means 1. of the priests or the priestly office; priestly; 2. (of as doctrine) ascribing sacrificial functions and supernatural powers to ordained priests, claiming excessive authority for the priesthood. Sacerdotion means the institution of the church and priests; compare to the imperium - the Emperor - in the Byzantine state.
Sentence: Hearing this morning another technical trader talking about yet another "retest" of the lows, I thought that as a group they must be a kind of stock market sacerdotal institution - a sacerdotion - as for them the real economy does not matter at all. Of course, both perception and reality matter; but over a long term, only reality matters. That can be a long time, though, viz. over a year.
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