MERRY
CHRISTMAS
HAPPY
NEW YEAR
Motto: “SAIL ON, SALEM”
Vol. IV.
Win.ston-Salem, N. C., December 15, 1923.
No. 14
MR. HENRY DWIRE LECTURES ON
CONSTITUTION AT HISTORY CLUB
Iiitere.stinj^ Account of Events Leading- Up to
Formation
On Wednesday evening, Decem
ber 12tli, Mr. Henry Dwire, Editor
of the Winston-Saiem “Sentinel,’
lectured to the members of the His
tory Club on the subject of “The
Constitution of the United States of
America.” Tlie address was divided
into four parts—first, a discussion
of events leading to the constitution
al convention, tlie actual formation
and ratification of the document;
second, its content; third, erroneous
ideas regarding it; and last, what the
attitude of United States is and
should be towards this great master
piece of governmental regulation.
As an introduction, Mr. Dwire
briefly expressed his interest in his
tory, not only as a science con
cerned with events in the past, but
also as an incentive to optimism re
garding national and world affairs
today. Sometimes it seems tliat
every project and scheme is des
tined to fall through, that the world
totters on the very brink of ruin,
but the person who has studied his
tory and knows in what lines the
currents of history run takes cour
age and believes that, just as in the
past, things will be righted, and
from the chaos apparent on every
hand will come order and peace, in
place of dreaded confusion and
dissolution. History, as a study, is
often neglected and the American
constitution, although the best of its
type in existence, is a subject con
cerning which Americans are sadly
ignorant.
■Tlie American Revolution was
fought to win freedom from a
country which seemed dead to all
ideas of individual liberty, a coun
try whose rulers were so filled with
arrogant stupidity and obstinacy
that tliey could little appreciate the
ideals of democracy which were
fast forming in tlie minds of their
countrymen across the waters. Free
dom won and recognition as a
nation among the nations of the
world secured, there fronted the
Continental Congress, established
during tlie war, the grave necessity
of providing some form of govern
ment wliich would bind together the
various parties combining to form
the new republic. It was a tre
mendous problem. Tlie Continental
Congress in itself was not strong
and found itself unable to held the
various parts together. In 1777,
the Articles of Confederation were
presented to tlie people and
years later, after long contention on
the part of Maryland, these Articles
"^6re adopted and became the offi
cial organ of government. The
nation then started out to do the
various things that a nation should
QOj but the government of the
Confederation was unable to cope
with the situation and meet the de
mands made upon it. It was in
effective in foreign affairs, as well
inefficient in solving domestic
problems. The union was loose;
Congress had too few definite
INTERESTING ADDRESS
AT Y. W. C. A. MEETING
combined to prevent the Articles
from becoming a governmental
force in a real way.
In 1780, a convention met at
Annapolis, which led to the desision
that there must be some better form
of government, and to the calling of
a constitutional convention in
Pliiladelphia the next year. The
remarkable document formed by
this body seems all the more re
markable when one takes into con
sideration the fact that means of
transportation were of the poorest,
and that even after the members
had, assembled, having braved the
innumerable discomforts and hard
ships of travel, there was a decided
lack of information regarding all
parts of the country. The delegates
included a distinguished body of
men with strong, statesmeplike
ideas—Davie, Spade, Williamson,
Blount, and Martin, from North
Carolina; Madison, Randolph, and
Mason, from Virginia; Pinckney,
from Soutli Carolina; .Morris and
Wilson, from Pennsylvania; and
many other men of tremendous .in
fluence and power, from New Eng
land and other sections.
Two ])lans were evolved by
wliich the nation might be governed:
One, designated as the Virginia
Plan, whicli provided for a central
ized form with a Senate and House
of Representatives; the other, sug
gested by New Jersey, the repre
sentative of the smaller states, in
sisting on a Confederacy of States,
a government of law makers who
received all tlieir authority from
the states. The Virginia Plan pre
vailed after many dissensions and
discouraging conditions. Gouver-
neur Morris and Benjamin Franklin,
two prominent Pennsylvanians,
helped to bring order out of con
fusion and wrangling, and in Sep
tember, the document was submitted
to tlic states for action. Finally,
ratification was secured from all
tliirteen states, Rhode Island sub
mitting only wlien she became con
vinced that otherwise she was to be
regarded and dealt witli as a foreign
country.
The Constitution is divided into
three parts—its preamble, the main
body, and the amendments which
liave been adopted since its ratifi
cation. The preamble is a wonderful
presentation of the aspirations of a
country. It constitutes a charter of
two I liberty and states as its purposes
and ideals: the promotion of unity
in government, the establishment of
justice, the furtherance of domestic
tranquillity, and the general wel
fare of Americans, and the securing
of the blessings of liberty for “our
selves and our posterity.”
Tlie main body prescribes the
machinery of government and pro
vides the restraint necessary among
all groups of civilized people. It
lias made two important contri
butions to political science. First of
all, it is a unified government.
The Old, Old Story
powers granted it; there was no strong and centralized, and at the
centralized authority; petty jeal- same time preserving state rights
ousies arising between states could and assigning to the states all
**ot be settled; finances were in bad powers not expressly delegated to
shape; and all these conditions | {Continued on page three)
Tlie regular Friday night meeting
of the Y. W. C. A. was perhaps one
of the most distinctive that has ever
been held at Salem. Tlie meeting
was opened by the singing of two
Christmas hymns after which the
choir rendered “Silent Night.” A
short scripture passage was read
from “Romans” and Mr. Heath led
in prayer. Miss Lois Crowell then
Sana: “Behold I Bring You Glad
Tidings.”
Following the singing of another
hymn. Miss Watkins introduced
Mr. Stephen, from Scarborough,
England, who with Miss Bentham,
is on a trip around the world, in the
interest of the Barnardo Homes, an
institution for htmieless boys and
girls in England. Although this is
a charity very familiar and dear to
English people, few of the girls had
ever heard of it and therefore wel
comed heartily an opportunity to
get the information from one so able
to tell the remarkable story.
Mr. Stephen began with a short
sketch of the life of Dr. Barnardo,
the founder of the Homes, who,
about sixty yeais ago, went to Lon
don to study medicine with the in
tention of becoming a medical mis
sionary. Wliile still a student,
realizing the unspeakable conditions
of the poor children, he managed to
save a few sixpence each week
and rented a little stable in a East-
end street where he founded a club
for the purpose of instructing these
children and teaching them a better
way in wliich to live. And so it was
one night, after all the rest had
left, there still remained one little
boy wlio seemed reluctant to stir
from his place by the side of the
fire. Wlien Dr. Barnardo suggested
that it was time to go home, that he
would have to lock up, and asked
him where he lived, he received the
•istonishing reply, “I don’t live no
where!” Tliis seemed incredible to
Dr. Barnardo at the outset but,
wlien he had lieard little Jim Jarvis’
story of his ill treatment at the
liand of Swearin’ Dick and his run
ning away, he was convinced of the
truth of the story and began to
wonder liow many other liomeless
and destitute boys there might be
such as the one whom Fate had led
to him. However, he did not have
to wonder long for late that same
night, Dr. Barnardo followed little
■fim Jarvis down a street known as
Petticoat Lane to a large dark
building on tlie roof of which lay
sleeping eleven other boys seem
ingly in the same plight as this one.
Standing there alone in silence of
the night, Dr. Barnardo felt that a
message had come to him and so he
resolved to devote his future life,
with God’s help, to the rescue and
training of boys like these. How it
was to be done and where the neces
sary funds were to be found, he had
faith enough to leave in the hands
of Him who cares for all.
So in a little house which could
only accommodate about twenty-five
boys. Dr. Barnardo began humbly
the work of the great Homes which
now bear his name and of which
there are one hundred and four at
the present time. Soon after their
founding the Homes were opened to
girls as well as boys and never,
since little “Carrots” had to be told
to wait a fortnight for admission
{Continued on page three)
While all tlie peaceful earth in quiet slept.
And countless stars were twinkling in the sky.
Out on a grassy hill three shepherds kept
An eager watch above their flocks close by.
And lo! they suddenly beheld a light
Wliich brighter shone than any other star,
As though it beckoned them into tlie night
To seek some unknown prodigy afar.
They counseled long o’er this strange sight.
And wondered at the stars magnetic rays.
Soon there appeared an angel robed in white
Which hovered near within a radiant haze.
It spoke and bade them leave their flock and go;
That strange bright star kept always just ahead,
Until it stood above a stable low
Wherein the cows and oxen oft were fed.
’Twas there upon a lowly bed of straw
The Son of Man lay in the shadows dim;
A baby wrapt in swaddling clothes they saw
And fell down on their knees and worshiped him.
—Mary Wilder, '27.
SECOND ADDRESS DELIVERED
BY BISHOP RONDTHALER
Tells Story of Wise Men’s Visit to the Infant
Christ
On Wednesday morning at the
expanded Chapel Service, Bishop
Rondthaler delivered the second of
his Advent season addresses. Last
week he explained what the birth of
Jesus meant to the humble shep
herds. This week, he gave a view of
its effect on the wealthy, splendidly
educated Magi. Thus, he clearly
showed that Jesus Christ came to
save all men.
In his inimitable way, Bishop
Rondthaler invited his audience to
join him in an imaginary trip to
the faraway country of Persia in
the time just preceding the birth of
Christ. One of the first places of
interest in tliis country is the site of
the magnificent palace of Shushan,
a large portion of which still re
mained at that time as a reminder of
the former splendor of the Persian
court. Here the visitor sees a num
ber of Persians. He is especially
interested in the religion of these
people who, although they are
Heathen and worship the sun,
especially love Aura-Mazda, their
God of Life, and hate Ahriman,
the God of evil. He is also im
pressed with a people whose chief
idea of education for their boys is
to teach them to ride well, to shoot
straight, and to tell the truth.
However, he suddenly finds that
while he has been thinking about
these things, he has unconsciously
watching a group of men who are
standing just across the court.
Tliese men are evidently strangers
to the court, but judging from their
dress, they must be wealthy. After
a sliort time, the visitor finds him
self very near them, and soon he
finds the means of opening a con
versation with them. He learns
that tliey are Magi or wise men
from the East. They spend their
time in watching the Heavens, and
use their knowledge to tell others
what events the stars are foretell
ing. During their conversation, they
say that the Bible speaks of a new
star which shall announce the com
ing of the savior of the world, and
althougli others have failed in their
predictions concerning it, they be
lieve that the time will soon come
when this star will appear.
Then suddenly a bright light
shines over the palace scene! Look
ing up, the men behold *a mira
culously wonderful star—a brilliant
comet meteor. The wise men an
nounce that His star has come.
Immediately, the wise men desire
to follow the star and to seek the
new-born babe. Without delay the
visitor joins them, and soon they
are enabled to join a caravan which
is traveling toward Jerusalem. Even
in their haste, they dare not travel
alone, for they are already familiar
with the many dangers which one
must face in traveling over the
sparsely settled country.
After several weary months, they
reach the great city of Jerusalem
where the wicked king Herod’s rule
is supreme. Herod too has heard the
prophecy concerning the birth of
Christ and calling his advisers to
him, he asks them concerning it.
They glibly read what Micah has
to say about it, but assure the king
that they think it will be a long
time before the Christ shall come.
However, after some time, the wise
men reach Herod. When they have
told their story the hypocritical
king bids them hasten to find the
child, and then to return with tid
ings for him in order that he may
also honor the new king.
Much disappointed with the
wickedness and lack of interest in
{Continued on page two)