The true Democrat., 1856-12-09
Patriotism of the Bible.

The following article from the Louisville cod SchooD Presbyterian paper reflects vividly the principles of a Christian patriot:
 l The Christian who does for his country all that the Bible requires him to do, will be the very highest style of patriot. His religion re- quires him to love all men, even including his enemies, and to do good to all men as he has opportunity. He is commanded to love his country, but he is not permitted to hate other countries, and to tear them down that he may build his up. He should love his whole country, and not simply the particular portion of It Tn which he resides.
 | Ihe patriotism of the Bible is wholly op- posed to sectionallsm or the feeling which see ks to aggrandize one particular section of the country at the expense of the other It was remarked of nations that their interests never clash with each other, though there may. at times, appear to be conflict. The same re- mark may be made touching the interests of different sections of one great country like ours. There may, at times seem to be conflict be- tween the interests of the north and the south. and the east and the west, but it is really not so. If one member of the body polite suffers. all the members will, sooner or later. feel the effects of it. That interest of any section which Is promoted by the injury of another section IS only a temporary one. The prospe- rlty promoted in such way will eventually be seen to be not lasting prosperity, just as no man can be permanently prospered by the ruin of his neishbors. He may appear, for season, to prosper but, in the end, their injury will be reflected back upon himself
 ltis impossible, therefore, in the very nature nt the case, that Christian patriotism can be sectional. It seeks te promote the interests of the whole country, because by so doing 1t best promotes the welfare of every part of it. It seeks no advantage for its section at the expense of others Mason and Dixon's line is not the boundary of its affections. If it breathes in the bosom Ot man south of that line it makes nm reJolce In the prosperity of those of his elow-ctizens whose lots are cast north of it as much as does the prosperity of his own sec- tion II ltls found Ill a northern bosom it is equally as expansive. It embraces the south as well as the north in the arms of it's love. he Christian patriot ought to ask himself the question "how would 1 regard the measure of policy which now advocate were 1 in the place ot my tellow-cltzens in another section W hat influence will my favorite measures or men have upon the whole country, and not simply upon the part of it in which Iresde?" He should expand his mind and take enlarged views of the subject.
 There IS nothing narrow or contracted about Christianity. Those professors of it who have contracted views or feelings, have them in spite of their religion, and not in virtue of it. If the enlarged patriotism nculcated in the Bible could only become thoroughly predominant once more in the hearts of Christian men in the north and south, if they could be brought to
 lay aside all reference to their particular sec- tions, and would all look at the greatest good ei the whole country, the strife, which is now raging with such violence, would soon cease.- If the north would do to the south and the south to the north just what they would each have the other to do 10 them, were their cir cumstances reversed, all contention would cease. and peace and harmony would soon prevail agan. This is precisely the kind of patriotism which the Bible inculcates. Without this, no country as large as ours can hold together and prosper. With it, it may flourish and grow stronger to the end of time.