The Prison Mirror

DEMOSTHENES
Henry J. Nitzsche

A little land, which today is politically unimportant, Greece, was formerly the foremost of political entities, and so much so that from it radiated a brilliant, intellectual light whose rays have not altogether vanished. Athens, Sparta, Corinth and others made themselves felt in a civilization, while thoroughly pagan, was nonetheless a high ranking culture.

Where was the source of this remarkable phenomenon? In its natural wealth; in its commerce; in its martial spirit? No. Its greatness had its origin in the MINDS of outstanding men and women.

No people are great merely because they are rich, but because their spirit is in harmony with truth. Proud empires have crashed and fallen because the canker-worm of materialism and immorality had eaten out the heart of their sustenance.

Material things pass away: it is only the things of the spirit that survive the corroding influence of time. We see, today, the ruins of an Acropolis (the Upper City), and here and there the scattered remains of what was a magnificent temple. Yet, the thoughts which went forth from the minds of the Hellenic Immortals laid the foundations whereon the superstructure of our culture has been built, modified, of course, by the influence of Christianity.

So much for that. What I want to draw your attention to is, at this moment, a great personality, Demosthenes, who, if you do not know it, is still the greatest public speaker the world has ever produced. Such a man must naturally be an individual of untarnished character, being in this respect an example for others to follow, if they so choose: for I presume that it is self-evident that we ought only to accept as models those whose character is in harmony with the universal law of morality.

This Athenian of almost twenty-three centuries ago, in his attitude toward public affairs, as revealed in his orations, is adapted to our own times, indeed, to the conduct of our individual lives--if, only, we had the vision so to do, or the will, or the inspiration.

Only great characters are worthy of emulation: the base lead us astray and to ruin if our judgement is unsound. Only that which is good, and grand, and noble is able to lift us up even out of the deepest depths. And that is why I take the liberty of presenting to you, very briefly indeed, this personality of the long-gone past.

What was the secret of his power as a speaker with so critical an audience as he regularly met with in the agora (Market Place)? It was three-fold: his morality, his intelligence, and the fascinating influence of his mode of expression in a language supremely fitted to give body to an inspired utterance. He made men think, but beforehand, made them understand. When men THINK, they become positive factors. And when they think rightly, they radiate a magical influence upon those who hear them and have come to realize that those who are speaking are also sincere. So too, ought we to be.

The gain, for us, must be great. --London Prison Farmer.