In this digital age, most have the books they read, on some kind of electronic device. Call me old school, but I have always desired a library in my home. A room filled with books from multi-generations, where I can go and research or read; to see how life was, is, can be, or will be. As a writer, I find it fascinating how others think. How some can tell someone else’s story so eloquently, or how some have such a vivid imagination, they leave us all in awe.
Today’s topic came from a book I went to for inspiration. The book “Ask Me Another – The Question Book” was compiled by Justin Spafford and Lucien Esty, prefaced by Robert Benchley, and copyright in 1927 by The Viking Press, Inc. The books quiz topics are general, arts, literature, geography, science, mythology, American history, European history, current politics, the bible, and sports. It has two sections of questions and answers with each quiz having fifty questions. So how would I choose?
Believing in fate, I picked up the book and thought of a number between one and fifty. I randomly opened the book to a page and looked for the question assigned to that number. I opened to pages 276-277 and looked for question number 35 the first number that popped into my brain. Here is the question: “What, proverbially, is “the price of liberty”? Here is the answer: “Eternal vigilance”. I laugh, as I think that this is a question and answer really needed in today’s society, from a book published in 1927. Then I think, the Lord works in mysterious ways. So lets consider this question and answer.
I always think the best place to start is the definitions. So I looked up the definitions of Liberty “The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views”, Proverbially “referred to in a proverb or idiom”, Eternal “lasting or existing forever; without end or beginning”, and Vigilance “the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties”. This is what I took away from looking up these meanings; we are supposed to forever keep a careful watch for possible danger or difficulties in order to remain free. Have we done that? Are we doing that? Keeping a careful forever watch? Or did we become complacent and trusting? And are we or have we allowed the erasing of reminders of the dangers and difficulties?
Wendell Phillips, speaking to the members of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, on January 28, 1852 said the following: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty; power is ever stealing from the many to the few. The manna (spiritual nourishment; Eucharist) of popular liberty must be gathered each day or it is rotten. The living sap of today outgrows the dead rind of yesterday. The hand entrusted with power becomes, either from human depravity (evil quality) or esprit de corps (feeling of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty shared by members of a particular group), the necessary enemy of the people. Only by continued oversight can the democrat in office be prevented from hardening into a despot (person who holds absolute power); only by unintermitted agitation (continuous brisk stirring or disturbing) can a people be sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity.”
You will notice that Wendell speaks of the spiritual nourishment of popular liberty. The founders, as do I, believed that liberty was endowed on us by our creator. Why then, have we removed his existence from not only our governments, and nations, but also from our lives? Congregating to profess our belief in him does nothing if we choose to not follow his law. He asks us this “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” and “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. He even gives us examples on how to do this. For if we thought about our neighbor in our decision-making, then we would normally come from a better place, a more righteous and fair place. And then wouldn’t we all have a share in liberty?
I will include, that God’s laws are not the easiest to follow and God knows this, as sin, evil, and temptation exist and we humanly cannot resist at times. This is when he tells us to ask for his help. Even then we still will fail, and this is when we must ask for, learn, and give forgiveness, to not only ourselves, to all others as well. I currently find myself at this exact point, being tested, with a situation in my life, trying to ask for his help and trying to find a way to forgive and follow his laws. I am finding, that just like liberty, it also takes eternal vigilance to follow his laws.
As always, I ask that if you have something to add or say, please do. In the meantime, I am trying to realign myself with God and Liberty, and hope you will take the time to think about doing the same. Until next time, you are wished love, life, and liberty.
**words in red above are the definitions of the words or phrases that preceded them – obtained from dictionary**