The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-24

The following is an extract from lee
ture for the benefit Of the Irish sufferer
delivered in St. Johns Church, Benwood
W. Va, on Wednesday evening, March
IL, 1880, under the auspices Of the Irish
Relief Association Of that place, by Rev
P. F. McKernan.
II ! forget thee Jerusalem, Id my right hand b,
forgotten; let my tongue ceaTe To nj laws II do mol
remember thee Ill make not Jerusalem the beginning
Of my Ioy.-LS6th Psalm.
The love Of country, the love Of father.
land Is impressed on the heart OF man, and
impressed on It by the hand Of the Deity;
it Is as ancient as time and widely diffused
as is the race Of Adam. The records Of
the most ancient as well as those OF the
most recent times attest this truth; the
most harbaIous as well as the most civil.
lied nations bear testimony TO the innate
love that burns in the heart OF man for
his native land. The rude imitators OF ma
ture as well as the most polished masters
OF the art have thrown the genius OF
painting over that innate lie.
To the historian it has furnished the
most interesting matter, to the orator the
most feeling and exciting topics, to the
poet 1t has furnished the most fertiletheme
Tor his highest and hottest aspirations,
while he in return has thrown over it the
embellishments, the immortal genius OF
song. Even the sacred records throw the
hallowed shield OF their appreciation over
1t; list to the inspired psalmist whilst, re.
cording the language OF the captive Jews,
lie lends the charms OF sacred poetry 10
that innate love as he bursts forth in the
beautiful words: 'tIf l forget Jerusalem,
let my right hand be forgotten; let my
tongue cleave to my jaws II | do not re-
member thee; II make not Jerusalem
the beginning OF my Joy"
There Is something in the nature OF
things-in the nature Of society, calculated
to endear II 10 the human heart. In the
days Of childhood and Of early youth, i'm
pressions are made on the young mind
which after years are not able to etface;
the scenes OF boyhood, fathers admoni.
tons, mothers counsel, the current
events OF early years, like the impressions
OF flowing wax, give shape and form-I
had almost said indelible shape and form
to the opening mind Of youth. As he
advances little in years he looks back to
the past, the smiles Of his playmates, the
memories OF his childish amusements, all
his struggles and triumphs, Thousand
little indescibable circumstances combine
to throw charm over the home OF his
childhood that endears to his memory and
TO his heart that home and all around II,
even every spot where he used to play.
As his mind advances in maturity his
i1aas 1,aanraa a1lar,sa1 tho nai0h hoEbanI
the scenes adjacent to his home, become
almost identified with it, until by
force OF natural association, his home
gradually taking in new dimensions is at
length bounded and circumscribed only
by the limits Of his native land. And thus
at length does his home become his roun-
try and his country his home. Follow
him still further in his onward career he
reads the history OF his country, he feels
the country ia his own-his native land.
A strong sympathetic feeling for her
springs up within him, he becomes, as 1t
were, Identified with her; her institutions
becomes his institutions; her Joys his
Joys; her sorrow becomes his sorrow,
until he at length thinks, and speaks, and
acts as II she were part OF his veryself.
Thus is the love OF Fatherland generated,
fomented and cherished within the soul;
he who has not that love, II there be any
such, is unworthy the name of man, and
he who has that love properly developed
will never forget his country, will on the
contrary, even when in foreign land, be
ready to exclaim with the captive Jews:
II forget thee (my country let my right
hand be forgotten, &c.
In turning over the institutions OF his
country, should he find one which is his
country's pride, his country's boast, his
country's glory, how naturally does his
young heart Join itself to the heart OF
bis country, cling TO that institution apd
glory in It. In turning over the institu-
lions OF his country, should be find one
which, surprising all human institutions,
came down from Heaven, remains for q
time upon earth, and thOn returns again
to Heaven, how would be not glory in 1t
how ardently would he not loye 1t, and
how iervently would he not bless him
by whom that institution was first estab.
ilished in his "loved-his native land
Should his father have suffered in defense
OF that glorious institution, Eh!lst he pom
ders over their suferings, tears will stream
from his eyes but they will not be tears o.
bitterness, they will be tears Of joy, that
his fathers were found worthy to suffer
for the cause OF liberty, whilst at the
same time every pang they endured, ev
cry tear he sheds over their sutferings
will sink his love for that institution
still deeper and deeper into hi
lheart, and as by SO, many ties
will bind il closer and elo5er still to hi
Utmost soul. Land OF my tathers-blessec
land OF my lathers-thou art such land
OF such heaven.born institution to-da!
thou dost not boast; our fathers have sui
Tered for their attempts to reclaim thee
for once you possessed it; We are theil
children; we have read the history o
their prosecutions, their suferings, ant
ithair wrongs, every papg they endured
and every tcsr that trickled down GU
lNheeks at the recital OF their 9ufering
and their wrongs, has strengthened GU
love, and warmed our hearts, and draw
as closer and closer still to that Heaven
ILoTn institutjon-Liberty.