Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-24
OUR COUNTRY-FIRST.

Is our oeioVed country too highly es-
teemed? How grandIy the ship of State
moves on amid perils on all sides Al.
though somewhat bothered by political
storms, the spars, every plank from stem to
stearn, the old rig and outlines remain.
Our ti'g is there not trailing before
our enemies-it floats triumphantly at the
mast head, manned by gallant crew, all
The day and through the night watches,
burdened with costly freight, chartered
under the protection OF the high heaven,
bearing messages of peace on earth and
good will to men of every cline. See how
the waters foam and bubble and dance and
ripple in ecstacies at her bow and float
away in Joyous white crested billows in
her wake. And well they may, for the
keel OF no such craft ever before ploughed
the main. On her safety depends the hopes
OF millions at home and abroad. If she
goes down all is lost Then we say with
the good and brave of every age, those who
wept and prayed, and fought, bed and died
tor freedom, Don't give up The Ship" When
the storm comes, let every man be at his
post. If the winds howl and tear away
the rigging and the waves beat upon and
tear in pieces and overwhelm the hull. Ie,
death meet every man on board doing his
duty. But we have no such fears. Fortune
fayors the brave. The God of our fathers
has preserved us amid all past perils. And
ms we have learned to trust in him. lie
will protect us, as a State, by His might
throughout future generations. Some NAV
think thnt we give too high place 10 our
| country. The State before the Church and
all other institutions however venerable or
sacred, and even before life itself. But
what and where is the church without the
care and protection OF the State? And
! pray, what becomes of our schools and col
leges and banks and boards of trade, and
sweet homes and the long list of all
other dearly cherished institutions? Do
they not all hide for protection and nestle
under the shadow of the civil law? And
does not the civil law depend for enforce
ment on tine army or police of the State e?
Among the favored teachings of the chris
tian religion we hear that the highest duty
is enforced in these words" Be We subject
to the higher powers, for the powers ;hat
be are ordained of God to be n terror to
evil-doers," The dignity of the church is
by no means lowered by being subordinate
to the State. The State, whose whole make
up and constitution causes il to be n terror
to evil-doers is Of divine origin. No institu.
tion can be more divine. In some respects
it is very great misfortune that the
churches in the United States rs well AS
elsewhere are sects or rival parties. Often
they as sects need or are obliged TO call
upon the courts to preserve or to secure
the rights which one sect claims or hns
wrongfully taken away from another. This
ought not so to be. But such are the facts
however much TO be lamented they may be.
But however much churches may differ in
other respects they can vie with each other
in patriotism or love OF country. 1t is no
small matter, much less mental calling to
raise mp patriotic men, women and children.
II "a hardly possible for bad man to be a
patriot. Bnt it is impossible for a christian
man TO he traitor in II country like ours.
III per chance any sect OF christians so
called should becOmeA nest or hiding plnce
Tor traitors it would become the Christian
duty OF every man, woman and child to
hunt or smoke them out MS they would
den oi thieves or wild, FaVenous beasts
Hitherto the secls have exceedingly erred
in this respect and caused the State much
serious trouble. In Europe as we'll va in
this country, the government has gone
through one OF the greatest perils aud ia
even now threatened with great peril, lie.
'cause a religious sect calling itself Gods
vicegerent on earth, is striving, by secret
aud unlawful means, to exaIt itself as n
III vine power not merely equal to, but
higher than. aud above the state. When
that day comes, liberty will die. God for
bid Amen. Nor.