OUR PAST We do not, it seems to me, always appreciate or show proper respect for values out of our past in setting forth our present-day accomplishments.
The fine Conde Nast publication titled “Wired” is certainly one of the finest publications setting forth attributes of that which is new, exciting and emotionally moving in our advancing civilization. They keep us informed of physical products new to the markets. In
addition they deal with potential, with the theories and discernment that may urge us onward in the future.
If you saw the NBX-TV Tom Brocaw special recently dealing with America's newest large, larger and largest religious groups - active congregations of thirty-thousand or more filling areas seating fifteen thousand or so for each service – you, no doubt, noticed the enthusisam with which the devotees dealt so handily when they sang their favorite old hymns. They gave forth with joyous abandon and sang with all the dedicated fervor and sincerity – at one with the music and word “by heart.” It was a sweeping, leaping, joyful sound!
Few off the participants realized that more than one of the songs they sang so splendidly were the very same melodies or old drinking songs of the past.
So it is with much of what we call progress. It is, so often, founded on some which has proved to be of value in our past. Just as some of the old drinking songs of the past have been re-used as hymns of praise for the Deity, so it might well be that many concepts we hold in trust from our past may be due - or even overdue for some dramatic changes which will make them useful in our – or someone's future.
Any of our special days in church history are found to have been established on the very same date or days of ancient pagan worship
rituals and ceremonies so adherents to the new faith had something
to hold the attention of those new worshipers in a more modern religion. The present use of any invention we now consider to be common among us will , without doubt, mutated beyond recognition
but the concept is still there.
And, it is there for you.
Another faulty idea we have about innovations is that it is intend ed that other men and women should accomplish it for us. I think of you as other people and there are thousands of other people who think of you as the ones who will fashion our future.
Think about it. Make a choice for change.
A.L.M. October 29, 2005 [c-438wds]
