Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-08-15
MISCELLANY.
A Discourse.

fWe epFOute w 20 III, oW faTeytHseHt, tcHo
was shot By rebel guerrilla near NeW Or
leans, June 22d.
BY Rev. II. FLETCHER, OF Tewnshc.d.
Paslm 1877: l.5. 6. By the rivers of
Babylon there we sat down, yea. we wept
when we remembered Zion. 8. If forget
thee, o Jerusalem, let my right hand forget
her cunning. 6. II / do hot remember thee
let my tongue cleave to the roof of my
mouth; if i prefer not Jerusalem above my
chief joy.
There is nothing in Grecian or Roman
story that presents such beautiful outgush-
ings Of patriotism, as we find in the history
Of the ancient Israelites. During the whole
of their long captivity, their hearts seemed
left behind them in the beloved city of their
fathers, and Of their former spiritual joys
and solemnities; and the darker the hour Of
her destiny, and the more disastrous the
events Of her history, the irmer they clung
to her. However far away the fortunes of
war and the fate of captives might drag
their bodies, their hearts. untrayelled, ling
cred in their native city and country. At
their return from their protracted captivity
they are described as pausing upon a hill
top, over which they were obliged to pass,
and taking fond look of Judea, from which
they had been banished so long, they burst
into tears of joy at the sight, and wept as
they went forward, at the well recollected
scenery of their ancient country, and their
dear native land.
II may, perhaps, be asked whence does
this love of country, this universal passion,
arise? Why does the eye ever dwell with
fondness and delight upon the scenes of
early life !? Why are not other soils as at
4 traciiye, and other heavens as bright as our
own native land and skies? Why does the
soul of man ever cling to that earth where
it first inhaled pleasure and where it first
felt the impulses and promptings of moral
life is it only because our country con-
tains our kindred and friends? 1t cannot
be so, because the most friendless of human
beings has country which he admires and
extols, and which he prefers to all Others
under the heavens. Tempt him with the
iairest face Of nature, place him by the side
of living waters, beneath the shades of the
fragrant cedars Of Lebanon open TO hi;
e view all the gorgeous allurements and al
fractions of the balmiest climate in the
world, and he will still love the rocks and
deserts of his childhood better than all these
land of his nativity, rough and unlovely a
it may seem. He will sit down and weeI
by the waters of Babylon when he remem
bers thee, o Zoin.
We may then conclude that the love Q
), country is inherent, or instructive in tn
soul, like the love of the parent for tn
child, or offspring. For equally wise pur
poses, God has stamped upon every human
As soul the love of his native land, as he ha
N breathed into the heart of the parent a de
O. voted love for the dependent offspring.
While some, in our day, are protesting t
be citizens of the world, and are brandini
the love of our native country as marrow
. and base-born passion, let US remember tia
he who instituted families also institutes
nations, and that the love of the latter is a
much of duty and a virtue, as the love G
the former. Both the love of our familie
and of our country have divine authority t
sc commend them to our regard. As the par
ent owes duty to his children which h
= does not owe TO others; as the child owe
affection and service to its parents which
does not owe, in the same degree, to other
so on precisely the same principle, tn
citizen owes love and service to his countr
NO which he does not owe, in the sane degret
to other countries and for him to Withhold
= this love and service seems well nigh as ut
natural and revolving as if the child shoul
d break away from parental restraint and f
al obligations, and give to the mother wh
bore him, and the father who provided 70
SC him, no service, love or respect, exceptsu
,w as he bestows upon all men.
2, said that the love Of country has d
g vine authority to give it sanction. Ou
We Savior, who was pattern of all excellenc'
y, set us an example of this virtue of patrio
ism. He loved ardently his country, and
- was he who uttered that celebrated excl
nation of patriotism, +" o Jerusalem, Jer'
salem, how often would have gathered th
p children together, even as hen gatheret
her chickens under her wings, and ye wou
ne, not" Who can do1bt that the love
country was concerned in those flown
% tears? He loved his countrymen, and vel
over their guilt and folly.
9TH Although patriotism has sometimes bee
prostituied, and made the pretext by whic
= ambition has vauied into power, yet IL
love of country is one of the brightest vi
, tues among men. 1t has ever been esteemt
u. one of the noblest of human virtues "
shall do well to think Of our obligations
>, our country, and the ties that bind US to