Our Debt to Rome, Greece, and Judea 207
into joyousness. A religious man’s face should be typical
of divine joyousness.
We, however, stand upon safer grounds when we com-
pare the characteristics of the three languages, Latin, Greek,
and Hebrew : the Latin, terse, intense, vigorous ; the Greek
euphonious, picturesque, sensuous ; the Hebrew, grand,
rugged, sublime; and the respective characteristics of the
three languages admirably sum up the qualities of the three
races. Likewise we learn from the evangelist John that the
inscription over the cross was written in three different
languages, representing the most cosmopolitan nationali-
ties of the time, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Perhaps we
in the United States represent the most cosmopolitan nation-
ality of the present day, made up as we are of practically
every nationality upon the globe. What we have to do is to
make an effort to assimilate the virtues of the different
nations and eradicate their vices. But this is only to be done
by forming friendships—friendships irrespective of race or
creed. In order to prepare ourselves for this noble work
we have forthwith to try and raise ourselves mentally,
morally, and spiritually. I have pointed out to you the
sources from which we may draw. Says Hillis: “Wake
up a man’s ideas of freedom and he fashions new laws,
wake up taste in a man and he beautifies his home, wake up
conscience and he drives iniquity out of his heart”.
Rome, Greece, Judea—loyalty, culture, faith. Gradu-
ates, let us clothe ourselves in these virtues. Let us blend
them into one glorious harmonious unity. Let us Hellenize
our religion by looking well to the beauty and adornment
of God’s house and of God’s acre. Let us Hebraize our
tastes by consecrating God’s beauties upon God’s altars.
Let us Romanize our taste and our faith by loyalty to our
constitution, our beautiful traditions, and our God. Let us