Fraternity-Testvériség, 1944 (22. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1944-10-01 / 10. szám

14

TESTVÉRISÉG

SHINING SHADOWS

WANTED: INTEREST

The real losses of our local branches is not the death of old members or the moving away of some to other cities. The real tragedy of our work in the local branches is indifference. This problem was one of the most vital discussions on the convention floor at Ligonier. “What shall we do to vitalize the program of the branches?” Our gracious executive secretary stated that the problem varies from branch to branch. He undoubtedly meant that the degree of indifference varies in the separate organizations. Christianity won a place for itself in the Roman Empire, not primarily because it was a belief (as indeed it was!), but because it was a more self-conscious fellowship. Three or four really devoted Federation members who are not in the least apologetic and who are willing to make the spread of the Federation- gospel their first interest would affect mightily any local branch in this country, no matter how great the initial indifference may be. The future of the Federation would be enhanced if the average local branch had a few vitalized Federationists in place of the many indifferent members now listed.

DEFINITION

Konrad Heiden in “Der Fuehrer” (Houghton Mifflin Co. at $3.00) gives an excellent definition of the word “propaganda”. I believe this word to be one of the most misused in these war-days of ours. Heiden’s definition is well

worth remembering. “....propaganda....is the art

of receiving an opinion from the masses. The true aim of political propaganda is not to influence, but to study, the masses. The speaker is in constant communication with the masses; he hears an echo, and senses the inner vibration

....When a resonance issues from the depths

of the substance, the masses have given him the pitch; he knows in what terms he must finally address them. — Rather than a means of directing the mass mind, propaganda is a technique for riding with the masses. It is not a machine to make wind, but a sail to catch the wind.”

WHO SAID SO??

Last June I had the pleasure of driving through Gettysburg, Pa. The Lincoln Highway cuts across the historic battleground and while driving there I naturally recalled the famous words of Abraham Lincoln uttered there on November 19th, 1863: “That the government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” My curiosity led me to seek the possible background of that marvelous utterance. In my search I found that in 1798, in England, Charles James Fox offered a toast: “Our sovereign, the people” — for which his name was erased from the Privy Council.

On January 26, 1830, Daniel Webster, in the United States Senate, said: “The people’s government, made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people.”

In February of 1852, Louis Kossuth, the Magyar Champion of world freedom, addressed the political leaders and the people of Columbus, Ohio, on the grounds of the State Capitol (The Capitol itself was burned the previous day and an outdoor rostrum was hurriedly built during the night. Kossuth, who was registered at the Neil House, complained that the nocturnal hammering had disturbed his night’s rest!) and among many fine statements we find the following: “Everything for the people by the people, nothing of the people without the people.”

Theodore Parker in his book, “The American Idea”, wrote: ”A democracy, — that is a government of all the people, by all the people,

for all the people....” The Rev. Mr. Parker

used the same phrase in a speech delivered in Boston (May 31, 1854) and in an eloquent sermon delivered in Music Hall of the same city on July 4th, 1858. William H. Herndon, Lincoln’s law partner, visited Boston and on his return to Springfield, 111., took with him some of Rev. Parker’s sermons and addresses. Herndon, in his book, “Abraham Lincoln” (Vol.

II., page 65) states that Lincoln pencil-marked a portion of the Music Hall address: “Democracy is direct self-government, over all the people, by all the people, for all the people.”