The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-06-01
MEMORIAL.
Address by Rev. r. r. Davies, to the
q. A. r. Of owosso, Sunday even
ing, May 27th 1888 at Opera Hall.

q. A. r. Of owosso, Sunday even
ing, May 27th 1888 at Opera Hall.
TEXT, EXODUS, 12 14:-"And this shall be
TO you a day for Memorial; ye shall keep
ID a feast 6y an ordinance Tor taD) t0rerer. .
If it be true, as we think il is, that God
is as much in the affairs of the world now
as he ever was, then it is as appropriate
now, as IL ever was, to have days OF me
mortal of the great events which make
the nations history, in its largest aspects.
If we see not that God is directing the
course of our nations history. or, if in
deed He be not in it, then are our national
events of but little account, and memorials
of them would be of but little value. But
if God be IN them, then is there divine as
well as human significance TO our events
and to their memorials.
No nation ever had more sublime events
in its history than the Jewish nation. Its
great epochs were made by some great
events that made them historic, aud be-
cause of which they became links in a
long chain of similar events. But these
were kept alive III the memories of passing
generations by means of festivals, and
appropriate ceremonies, and instructions,
that they should not be forgotten, but that
a spirit Of emulation might be enkindled
in the souls of the young to initiate The
virtues of the fathers, out of which, such
events were supposed to have arisen. For
the purpose of keeping alive the remem-
brance of their heroic deeds mounds were
built; Golfers, like the ark of the covenant,
were made to contain relics feast days
were appointed, as the Passover, and the
feast of Booths, in commemoration of their
deiverance from Egypt by the high hand
of God.
Thus long before written records could
be read by the mass of the people there
were efficient means provided to make
kROwn, from generation to generation, the
proud deeds of the fathers, and thus an
| unbroken connection was had by the pas
sing generations with all preceding. In
these historic incidents we have glimpse
of that wonderful principle in human ma
ture which we call love, the love of home,
and love of country. and lowe of kindred,
and love of Goo, or of the ancestral religion.
And this is the only tie that can bind II
people 10 the bonds of peace and good
will and secure cooperation and pros
perity, with the blessing OF God. 1t is ont
of this love principle the greatest events of
human history have taken place. And
out of it has been born mans greatest ideas
aOd purest sentiments. There can be no
love of country il there be no love of faith
ers and pride of their deeds 1t is true
that the principle has been outraged and
perverted into selflove, and therefore op
prcssiOns have sprung uD and endured for
ages; nevertheless, the r0ot was l0oe, and
the power of oppression was the soul DOW
CIR 10 love, turned into wrong directions,
and uses. That then will be the highest
civilization when love, in its UNselfish
forms, will be universal; and when all
forms of government and society will be
actuated by it. Ii Is then man, individually
and collectively, will be the express image
of God, and the glory of God will shine in
the face of man; and then too will the
angel song, heard on the plains of Beth
lehem, be fully realized. as more than an
angelic wish and hope, for it will be the
song of human hearts because the good
will of God shall have come into the earth
and done on earth as IL Is in heaven.
Wherever any sacrifice of love is made,
whether for home. or for country, it is
fitting to make and keep memorials of it.
And such a remembrance is duty and
necessity Men live much upon the
memories of the past. but the life will be
according 10 the food that nourishes it. 1t
Is the lamp of experience, Patrick Henry
said, that guides nations in their great
crises. And it is evident that any event
that has its birth in the love of country is
ennobling in all its reminders. We can
not be Content with medals, gifts, pensions.
buildings. or monuments. and say. "these
are sufficient memorials of the heroes who
died for their country's veal, and of the
heroic deeds they wrought; for we must
have the living memorials of speech and
eye and hand We must have the living
expression of active thought, and conscious
emotion, to give adequate expression to
| the deeds of noble men. Pride of nation
ality is an essential motive power to great
undertakings. The nations that had this
characteristic the most developed are the
nations which have written the best pages
of history iD their own behalf. One of
the richest legacics Of a nation is the
knowledge of the children of one genera
ton how the fathers of another conducted
themselves in the great emergencies into
which they were willingly or unwillingly
plunged. What child today can read
unmoyed the tale of the brave and patient
sufferings of the fathers who colonized
this land, conquering its forests and savages
alike, with equal daring; and their chill
dren after them following worthily in
their footsteps established the grandest
government on the face of the earth, in
spite Of the hostilities of the monarchies
of Europe-fhe grandest government be.
cause 1t is, rs our martyred President said,
"a government of the people, for the
people and by the people" They were
the only men on earth that had confidence
enough in the people, as a whole, to
believe that the people are capable of self.
government. The literary men of Europe,
like Macauly, and the men of PHILOSOPHERS
like John Locke. had. and have, as a rule.
no respect for the people, in matters OF
government. They regard government as
an occult science. or as an abstrusc
philosophy, which the common people, as
they are pleased to call them, cannot
understand, much less master and use
and they would be glad to have 1t so. And
it is to be admitted that IL the science
of government is science of
lying between diplomatists. as Talleyrand
said 1t Is. then 1t would be true that the
people could not govern themselves. But