The Truth Revealed
TimeWatch Editorial
March 03, 2017
In our February 15, 2017 Editorial, we looked at William George Jordan ’s “Power of Truth.” As we said then, he was born in New York City on March 6, 1864. He graduated from the City College of New York and began his literary career as editor of Book Chat in 1884. He joined Current Literature in 1888 and became its managing editor. In 1891 he left Current Literature and moved to Chicago where he started a lecture program on his system of Mental Training. William Jordan’s “Power of Truth” was published in the year 1902, but his treatment of the subject is truly applicable to the situations that we are confronted with today. We have always been confronted by the prospect of falsehood masquerading as fact, but it seems that this is no longer a private exercise, carried on by individuals in order to maintain their reputations; it is not even simply the basis of covert corporate or governmental manipulation. It has now become the reconstruction of history and the pollution of accuracy, openly and overtly practiced by those who demonstrate that they have no shame or remorse.
William Jordan makes the point, however, that truth ultimately emerges. Often too late and often as a source of embarrassment, but truth ultimately emerges. A careful study of history reveals that this kind of emergence has occurred over and over again, revealing facts that some have given their lives and reputations to conceal. Listen to how William Jordan puts it.
“Each generation is engaged in correcting the errors of its predecessors, and in supplying new blunders for its own posterity to set right. Each generation bequeaths to its successor its wisdom and its folly, its wealth of knowledge and its debts of error and failure. The things that come too late thus mean only the delayed payments on old debts. They mean that the world is growing wiser, and better, truer, nobler, and more just. It is emerging from the dark shadows of error into the sunshine of truth and justice. They prove that Time is weaving a beauteous fabric from the warp and woof of humanity, made up of shreds and tangles of error and truth.” William George Jordan , “The Power of Truth” Page 31
Mr. Jordan does however have a word of hope. He understands the inevitability of truth. Regardless of the length of time it takes for its manifestation, it does appear. Listen to this.
“The things that come too late are the fuller wisdom, the deferred honors, and the truer conception of the work of pioneers, the brave sturdy fighters who battled alone for truth and were misunderstood and unrecognized. It means the world's finer attitude toward life. If looked at superficially, the things that come too late make us feel helpless, hopeless, and pessimistic; if seen with the eye of deeper wisdom, they reveal to us the grand evolution march of humanity toward higher things. It is Nature's proclamation that, in the end, Right must triumph, Truth must conquer, and Justice must reign. For us, as individuals, it is a warning and an inspiration,—a warning against withholding love, charity, kindness, sympathy, justice, and helpfulness, till it is too late; an inspiration for us to live ever at our best, ever up to the maximum of effort, not worrying about results, but serenely confident that they must come.” William George Jordan , “The Power of Truth” Page 31
So I hear you say, where is it? Where is the truth that seems to linger so far away? Why do so many live a lie? The reality is, truth is there; Unseen, unheard, but there. We tend to respond only to only those things we see or hear, but much of what is there is seldom seen. Listen to following.
“It takes over thirty years for the light of some of the stars to reach the earth, some a hundred, some a thousand years. Those stars do not become visible till their light reaches and reacts on human vision. It takes an almost equal time for the light of some of the world's great geniuses to meet real, seeing eyes. Then we see these men as the brilliant stars in the world's gallery of immortal great ones. This is why contemporary reputation rarely indicates lasting fame. We are constantly mistaking fireflies of cleverness for stars of genius. But Time brings all things right. The fame, though, brings no joy, or encouragement, or inspiration to him who has passed beyond this world's lights and shadows; it has the sadness of the honors that come too late, a touch of the farcical mingled with its pathos. Tardy recognition is better than none at all, it is better, though late, than never; but it is so much truer and kinder and more valuable if never late. We are so inclined to send our condemnation and our snapshot criticisms by express, and our careful, honest condemnation by slow freight.” William George Jordan, “The Power of Truth” Page 31
The stars are there, the light is there. If we are patient, the light will reach our eyes. The truth is there, its impact is available. If we are patient, that truth will reach our hearts. William Jordan provided an amazing example of the inevitability of truth and right. In describing what had occurred with one of the early colonists, Roger Williams, he demonstrated the victory of truth and right.
“In October, 1635, Roger Williams, because of his inspiring pleas for individual liberty, was ordered by the General Court of Massachusetts to leave the colony forever. He went to Rhode Island, where he lived for nearly fifty years. But the official conscience grew a little restless, and a few years ago, in April, 1899, Massachusetts actually made atonement for its rash act. The original papers, yellow, faded, and crumbling, were taken from their pigeonhole tomb, and “by an ordinary motion, made, seconded, and adopted,” the order of banishment was solemnly “annulled and repealed, and made of no effect whatever.” The ban, under which Roger Williams had lain for over 260 years, was lifted. And there is no reason now, according to law, why Roger Williams cannot enter the State of Massachusetts and reside therein. The action was to the credit and honor of the State; it was right in its spirit, and Roger being in the spirit for more than two centuries, may have smiled gently and understood. But the reparation was really—over delayed.” William George Jordan, “The Power of Truth” Page 31
Roger Williams was ultimately legally re-admitted to Massachusetts. It was more than 200 years after he had been unfairly banished, but truth did conquer. All of what we not see, the diluting of truth, the purposeful twisting of facts, may take a while to be corrected, but lies will ultimately be revealed and truth will always be victorious.
Cameron A. Bowen
