THE MAN WAS DANGEROUS
Goldburg, Robert
The Man Was Dangerous by Robert Goldburg He was a meek man; there was no arrogance in him and he disliked calling attention to himself. When he spoke, he spoke softly—and he believed with a sure...
...The teacher, the Reverend Wil-lard Uphaus, was taken to the common jail for a year of his life...
...So they devised a way to entrap him...
...Not only this, he gathered together like-minded people...
...He is dead and threatens them not...
...For the crime of not turning over the names of the guests of the World Peace Fellowship in Conway, New Hampshire—the State exacted the penalty...
...When he spoke, he spoke softly—and he believed with a sure conviction that he spoke the will of his Father in heaven...
...There were a few who lifted up their voices, and some went quietly to the place where he was sentenced...
...He just said to them: "Come, and let us talk peace...
...He never asked who they were, what they believed, where they came from...
...He really had only one theme—but people misunderstood him...
...All of these things that I have related happened not in Judea of long ago, but on Monday, December 14, 1959 of the Christian era, in the State of New Hampshire in the United States of America...
...For in a violent age, the theme of peace if repeated enough makes a man suspect...
...Such a man was dangerous...
...But he said: "My conscience which is from God prevents me from doing such a thing as this," and although the punishment frightened him—for he was a meek man—he said: "I believe with a perfect faith that as God is my witness, you are committing an injustice, but I ask His forgiveness upon you...
...At least He is beyond their reach...
...We have reason to believe that they are guilty of treason and are a danger to our State's majesty...
...Yet this man was a danger, and an example must be made...
...He is about seventy years old...
...From a sermon prepared by Rabbi Goldburg of the Congregation Mishkan Israel, New Haven...
...They questioned him, but finding no malice in the man and no basis to judge him guilty of any crime, nor harboring any evil intent, they bethought themselves...
...Then they tried to persuade him, and offered him reward if he would say "Yea" and threatened him with punishment if he should say "Nay...
...They can sing hymns in His name, but woe to those in any generation that walk in His paths...
...Then the deed was done, sentence was pronounced, all in accordance with the law and all its formalities— and they led the teacher away...
...A man who says things like "turn the other cheek" and does so himself disturbs his fellow-man...
...The State can tolerate people of this kind only when it feels secure, but the State must look to its security, and a man like this must be made a lesson—lest others learn his ways...
...And it came to pass that all these things were brought to the ear of the State and the great authorities—and they commanded the teacher of peace to come before them...
...But the gentle teacher said: "This I cannot do for how can I turn over to you the names of those who came to me in trust and confidence, knowing that they would be brought before you and harassed and made afraid...
...They stood on the outside in silent prayer...
...A man who believes we should love our enemies is asking too much of any generation...
...Within a few days those who sentenced him attended their churches and celebrated with proper pomp and ceremony the birthday of their Savior, whom they call Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace...
...They said to the teacher, give us the names of your disciples, of those who come to hear you speak and those who talk peace with you...
Vol. 24 • March 1960 • No. 3
