“But all conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution.” – G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, 1908

In other words, as Jesse Sumpter explains: “The world is always changing. People grow old and things fall apart. True conservatives must be vigilant and active because there is a standard which we are aiming for and we cannot reach that standard trying to maintain the status quo.”

True conservatism is radically active. It knows that liberty can be lost in a generation. True conservatism does hail back to the “good old days” but it keeps them dusted off, repainted, and repaired. It is constantly vigilant. And where a line of defense goes awry, it is quick to re-form the line.

Candlemas, Christmastide, G. K. Chesterton, Poetry

CANDLEMAS!

Candlemas was an especially important day to G. K. Chesterton. He marked it by writing an entire volume of poems titled The Queen of the Seven Swords. In it he makes specific reference to the day in his poem, The Paradox Continue reading CANDLEMAS!

G. K. Chesterton, Poetry

He smiles, but not as Sultans smile…

And the Pope has cast his arms abroad for agony and loss,
And called the kings of Christendom for swords about the Cross Continue reading He smiles, but not as Sultans smile…

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