July 16th, 2001
I am still haunted by many lines from the James Russell Lowell poem, "The Present Crisis." Here are some more that challenge our thinking and understanding and give us ideas to meet the issues of our day.
We see dimly in the Present what is small and what is great,
Slow of faith how weak an arm may turn the iron helm of fate,
But the soul is still oracular; amid the market’s din,
List the ominous stern whisper from the Delphic cave within,--
"They enslave their children’s children who make compromise with sin."
Then to side with Truth is noble when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit and ‘tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses, while the coward stands aside,
Doubting in his abject spirit, till his Lord is crucified,
And the multitude makes virtue of the faith they had denied.
Count me o’er earth’s chosen heroes,--they were souls that stood alone,
While the men they agonized for hurled the contumelious stone,
Stood serene, and down the future saw the golden beam incline
To the side of perfect justice, mastered by their faith divine,
By one man’s plain truth to manhood and to God’s supreme design.
New occasions teach new duties; Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth:
Lo, before us gleam the camp-fires! We ourselves must Pilgrims be,
Launch our Mayflower, and steer boldly through the desperate winter sea,
Nor attempt the Future’s portal with the Past’s blood-rusted key.
Our goal at First Baptist is to always keep abreast of Truth. Come help us make it apply to the issues that confront you and understand what are the blood-rusted keys.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
201 Oak St.
Mauston, WI 53948-1333 608-8474555
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