The glorious west front of the great cathedral in Lincoln, England, was found some years ago to be leaning out of plumb. It was tilting at the terrifying rate of one inch every sixteen days. More, two of the angelic trinity of bell-towers were discovered to be in danger of collapse. At risk of their lives, masons temporarily shored up the structure which Ruskin had called the most precious piece of architecture in the land. But $600,000 would be required for the permanent rescue job (by the delicate operation of grouting with fluid mortar).

That sum was raised, and more than half of it came from America, much of that from the Corn Belt (the so-called stronghold of isolationism), Lincoln, Nebraska, giving especially generously to Lincoln, England. The many donors were most of them not rich, nor coreligionists of the Church of England. Few had ever seen, or expected to see, Lincoln cathedral. They gave purely, without thought of thanks here below or reward in the hereafter. They gave because they would not suffer so noble a work to perish from the earth, lest earth see not its like again.

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