Tárogató, 1939-1940 (2. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1939-09-01 / 3. szám
TÁROGATÓ IS Middle Ages, side by side with the banners of chivalry. One of these often became the cherished emblem of a people, as did the famous oriflamme of St. Denis, last carried by the French at the battle of Agincourt. By the thirteenth century, the cross of St. George was the characteristic emblem of England, just as the cross of St. Andrew was emblematic of the Scots. Today we see them, together with Ireland’s cross of St. Patrick, united in the British Union Jack. But whether derived from military or from religious banners, until the latter part of the eighteenth century national flags were constructed according to heraldic principles, and in most instances were derived from insignia originating in the distant past. With the flags of the more recently established nations, as the South American republics, the case is often different. Republics are inclined to discard heraldry entirely, as savouring of monarchy, and to adopt such colours and designs as appeal to the people at the same time. Oldest among the national flags of the present day is the flag of Denmark, to which legend assigns the date of 1219, and which, aside from legend, is known to have been flown by the Danes ever since the thirteenth century. Almost as ancient is the flag of Switzerland, which certainly dates from the fourteenth century, if not earlier, and which has given the pattern and colours to the flag of the Red Cross. Another ancient and honourable flag is that of the Netherlands, which in its present form has flown the seas since 1650, but which, with an orange stripe in place of the red, is of much greater age. The Dutch flag, carried to America by Hendrik Hudson in 1608, bore the orange stripe and not the red; and the flag which Columbus planted in the soil of the New orld was not the present flag of Spain (Loyalist Spain) but the older Spanish banner, bearing a quartering of the arms of Castile and Leon. THE LOVE OF BEAUTY FINDS EXPRESSION When only a tiny “bambino,” Lorenzo Ghiberti was carried by his mother into the lovely Florentine Church of San Giovanni; as a growing boy he often went with his father there. The bronze doors attracted him—exquisitely wrought figures at which he never tired looking. He, too, wished to learn to create beauty. Day by day as he worked in the bottega, or shop with Bartolo his father, he modeled figures, and sketched designs. Realizing that his boy had talent, old Bartolo encouraged and helped him all he could. Many works of great sculptors were to be found in Florence, but to Lorenzo the bronze doors were the most wonderful of all. When he was but twenty, the Guild of Merchants decided that more doors were needed and held a contest to determine who would be most capable of producing additional doors. Seven artists were chosen from many, and each worked ceaselessly for a year on the sample doors they would submit in the contest. Casting in bronze is very difficult; many layers of materials have to be put together, and the whole must be baked until hard. Lorenzo worked feverishly—and when the time came to remove the outer layers and reveal his doors, his heart beat wildly. But he had no reason to fear! Because he had filled his heart with beauty, and because he had worked patiently and with loving care, his door was selected by the judges and he was given the task of producing the new doors for the Baptistry. Twenty-eight panels were made by Ghiberti, and his work took twenty-one years, or the major part of his life. Only his best was worthy to be used in the place of worship and in the service of God. NON-ANGLO-SAXON YOUTH SET AN EXAMPLE! “Some thirty Non-Anglo-Saxon boys and girls teach in the schools of our New Canadian Missions in the Niagara Peninsula, and do exceptionally fine work,” says the Superintendent. “We have a waiting list of prospective teachers, which shows that this privilege is highly valued. Many of these teachers attend for the entire year without missing one Sunday.” THE WORLD YOUTH CONFERENCE By Ivan M. Gould Director of Young People’s Work in the International Council of Religious Education Three years ago I met a most interesting young man in Switzerland. I remember him vividly to this day because of his unique appearance and his sincere attempts to follow a Christlike way of life. We were in the Jura Mountains, which are in the western part of Switzerland and would be called hills in comparison to the mighty Alps. We were meeting at a Christian youth conference tha
