Wit, Rhetoric and Wisdom of

Wit, Rhetoric and Wisdom of

By Jose Sison Luzadas

ALBERT EINSTEIN

An article on Evangelist Billy Graham noted that after many times of politely refusing an invitation from the city leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina wanting to honor him as its famous citizen, the widely traveled man of God finally consented to show up despite afflicted by Parkinson’ disease and at 90 years old. He donned a new suit.

After nice words were said, the reverend went to the rostrum not only thanking for the invitation but also to share the wisdom of getting old.

It was not evangelical talk as some were expecting but instead Billy Graham talked about Dr. Einstein and his sharp honest wit. The famous scientist who was then connected with the Princeton University was traveling on train. He was seen twice or more times checking the pocket of his vest and his suit searching for the ticket and still could not find it. The conductor caught up with him ready for punching his ticket and waited. So polite and understanding the conductor did not want to bother him any longer said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.’ Then he went to the next passenger.

Einstein graciously nodded in appreciation. When Einstein was still searching for his ticket, the conductor could not help but go back to the old man begging a last appeal, “Don’t worry about the ticket Dr. Einstein. I know who you are. No problem. Just forget the ticket as you don’t need it. I believed you bought one.”

The noted physicist, known for his “Theory of Relativity” gave a quick glance and a message to the conductor: “Young man, I always knew who I am. But what I don’t know is where I’m going!”

BILLY GRAHAM

After a good laugh from the audience, Billy Graham called his listeners to look at the new suit he was wearing.

‘Have a good look at this suit I’m wearing?” Billy intoned his listeners “It’s a brand new suit. You see my children, and my grandchildren thought that just because I am getting old that I am getting careless with the way I look. As I don’t want to disappoint them I went out and bought this new suit intended for this special gathering today and looking forward to use it again for one more occasion.”

“By now”, Graham continued, “you should know what that occasion is? This is the suit I will be wearing when they bury me. And when the news reached you that I am dead, I don’t want you to remember NOT just this new suit, but what I want you remember, that I know who I am and I know where I’m going!”

Well, Douglas Mac Arthur, other than a genius in military tactics and strategy is also remembered by the sound bites and rhetoric he is notoriously famous for. His “I SHALL RETURN” is good as Julius Caesar’s VENI VIDI VICI” that author William Manchester likes to portray him a modern-day American Caesar.

DOUGLAS MAC ARTHUR

In his FAREWELL ADDRESS to the cadets at West Point in 1962 the general began with humor to tickle his audience: “As I was leaving the hotel this morning, a doorman asked me, “Where are you bound for, General?” And when I replied, “West Point,” he remarked, “Beautiful place, have you ever been there before?”

As a recap of his military career using the US Military Academy as the site, where he started his brilliant army life, Mac Arthur came up with a memorable ending: “In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country”.

“Today marks my final roll call with you. But I want you to know that when I cross the river, my last conscious thoughts will be of the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps.

“I bid you farewell.”
For four years stint at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, Douglas Mac Arthur’s mother lived in a hotel overlooking the Academy, just to be close to her son, starting from the time Douglas entered as a plebe until he graduated finishing as valedictorian!