The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-04
Thursday Morning, May 4, 1866.
a TRUE NATIONAL aLonI. a
psi
Extracts from a Fast Day Sermon.

hXbracbs IrOm rasI Lay sermon.
On the occasion of the late annual Fast,
Rev. VIM. Fl. 'SHAIIER, d. D., pastor Of the
Federal Street Baptist Church, preached . SER
mon-since published in the Adpocate-from
which a few extracts may, be probably made
1t was upon the subject oil aTrue National
Glory predicated on the text, Ps. xiv. g.
''Sprels his salvation Is nigh them thai fear
him; that glory may dwell in our land" The
following extracts viii be read with pront
The glory of nation depends very much
upon the justness of its laws snd the princi-
pies OF its government These must be such
as to secure the protection and safety of ali
classes. The weak and the feeble must ia
their person and property have equal rights
with the strong and the rich. Crime must be
regarded as crime, whether committed In
high places or, inalow.a Virtue must be re-
spected and receive cemmendation, whether
1t be found In prince or In peasant. Citizen
ship, and advancement in honor and influence
must be open to all who have the requisite
Qualifications and character. And these laws
must discriminate wisely In regard to the pun
ishment that shall be melted out TO Ofienders
Small offences should be met by laws with q
corresponding penalty, and great crimes
should be met by laws with penalties Of un-
compromising severity. The innocent mustl
De protected in all righteous pursuits, and the
guilty must not 60 Unpublished, whatever may
be their rank or position. There can be no
true national glory where these. things. are
disregarded. Laws whose penalties are too
mild or too severe, will hinder nations ad-
vancement, and detraot from its influence and
honor. History abounds with instructive les
sons on this point. When Dfaco was the rul-
er and legislator of Athens, he issued q law,
making the slightest offence, such as taking
wrongfully small quantity Of fruit, and even
idleness, punishable with death, no less than
sacrilege and treason and murder. He had
this one punishment for all crimes, punish
ment which admitted iof no degrees And
the glory of Athens faded under such laWs.--
No government or nation could prosper under
them. And the results have been equally dis
astrous where laws have been too mild. But
In connection with the laws of nation, we
must have regard also to the principles OF its
government. Shall these laws be administer
ed by an absolute and irresponsible monarch,
by limited monarch, or by one who is chosen
by, and Is held accountable to the people
Unqnes tionably, the best government for al
enlightened and viftnoue people Is one which
springs nom themselves es-one whose execu-
tive are from their own number, one in which
they feel q personal interest and for the sue
SOSo va WAlSn tuCy dAO individually IUnpOll5k-
be,-a government republican In form, ad-
justed to the purposes for which human gov
ernments were institnted, ,---strong to repelin.
vasions, to sustain itself In civil commotions
and war, not centralized, yet having central
power, which makes itself felt in Its remotest'
extremities. gsu2V as9 bra slas .oiu7
The glory Of nation has regard also to the
manner in which its government 10 admins
tered. There may be the best of laws, and
the haet form n 00u nj QhOaor and nd nj
ed by nation, but still ii these laws are not
faithfully and impartially executed, and that
government tighteously5 and firmly admins
tered, it cannot attain true national glory Il
will not have even its own respect, much less
the honor and respect Of other nations. j
think it was Anacharsis who said of the laws
as they were executed in his time, that They
were like SPIDERS web, which, caught all the
little flies, while the big ones broke through
1t and escaped" And this is . fitting ,llustfa-
tion of what the Law has been and is, as ad-
ministered by too many governments. Under
such administration, whatever the form oi
government, no people can acquire national
glory. 1t betrays "a weakness which never
commands re spect. And however just may
be the principles on which the government
nominally rests, or however excellent may be
its form, it has in its administration the eie-
ments of its own dishonor and destruction.
A nation to be- great, strong, glorious, must
have Its government firmly and we'll adminis-
tered. .31NgfE
.Anation's true glory cannot be attained
without providing for the edacationq and en-!
nghtenment OF all classes. One OF the great
hindrances 10 the way Of adyancementamong
the nations OF the old world, both In ancient
and modern times, has been the great igno-
rance of the masses Of the people. IutelIi-
gence has been confined to the few, while the
multitudes we're held down in ignorance, un-
able either to read or write. Hence they
were the victims of fears and superstition,
their ability to form Intelligent opinions for
themselves was denied them, their manhood
crushed out aud their hHmanities left uncul.
tivated and dishonored. They, could learn
nor the laws of man. except as it was laugh,
ny others, and generally by those who had
some selfish ends to answer, which could bes
be secured by keeping the masses In this stat.
of ignorance and debasement. And If, as ha
been said, "Uneducated mind is educatss
vice." then we see why many Of the nations
who had every advantage OF locality and ex
mercial facilities, have, fourished only for ,
time, and then fallen in pieces under the weigh
of their own corruptions. There can be nc
degree of national glory WHARF there is not
intelligence prevailing the masses-an intelli
gence which chershes respect for manhood
for humanity, and which puts higher valu,
upon mind than mere physical force-or ma
terial wealth and resources. Or Fit attain
temporary glory, by some brilliant or fortu
itous success, such glory, will be transien
and fade rapidly. away, like the gorgeou
clouds at sunset In the western sky.
But over and above all these, and permeat
ing all these, for q nations true glory Their
must be high moral sentiment. The plan
cts could not move in their orbits SO regularl
or securely, were they not subject to stron
law which binds them to the great centre {
their system. Now for nations stability, Sc
curitv and glory, there must be som mething 3
check and hold il restraint mans natural in
pulses and hold him to the great center Of a
justice, purity, and goodness. His tender
cies are strongly away from this center, whett
er he be contemplated as an Individual, or as
component part of nation.o For want OF tn
lower, nation after natiorfphas perished, bio
tad out of existence. Greece and Rome, wit
tlis, might have lived and fourished, an
maintained their supremacy until now. Bu
for lack OF it they perished virtually, cent?
aHy, centuries ago, losing by degrees whatev
erof power and glory other advantages wha
ever of power and glory other advantages ha
given them. 1t was the sentiment of Wsst
hgton, who performed 90 many noble deed
who uttered so many wise sayings, and who's
name is a crown of glory to this nation,
was his sentiment, his saying: No nation ca
long sarvise the wreck Of its public moral
Both Will go down in melancholy companior
ship to the same gloomy grave, And true
sentiment never fouAd uttsrancA from roort,
lips. And. consequently without gener,
and high toned morality, no uation. w6stsve
may be Its boast, its natural adyantaoes !,
government, its intelligence, Its ar-ay1its n,
WITS population, its apparent strength an =,
grandeur, has the prospect Of permanent. +,
rNta. u n