St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-01
ON COMMON GROUND.

The two addresses delivered in st.
Paul and Minneapolis on DECORATE
day came from antipodean sectarian
sOurces-that is, they would have been
considered to be so some fifty years
ago. The ST. Paul Grafton was from the
lips of the official Northwestern repre-
sentative Of the Catholic church; that
of Minneapolis. from one of the bright
est and most progressive men who to-
day stand forth as the type Of Calvin
ism, modified by modern thought and
scientific research. Each one of these
gentlemen occupies a front rank as
scholar, teacher and theologian. Each
one cings, in precept and example, to
what would be pronounced the con-
servatiye section of his church. But
each is in touch with his generation,
and strives to make his creed cover the
modern wants of our democratic social
system. And each is, in his sphere, one
of the most useful, laborious, thought
full and deserving Of citizens.
1t therefore follows that each pre-
scented thoughts to his audience which
deserve more than the mere perfunctorY
reading usually given to newspaper lit
erature. Archbishop IRELAND aud DR..
BURRELL should have their addresses
on Memorial day published and
bound in the same pamphlet
for each one of those orations
represents different side of the same
great truth. The bishop makes religion
the touchstone of national growth the
doctor makes education Gin its broad
sense the key to unloos9 the genius of
national evolution.
On Memorial day, Bishop IRELAND,
and DR.. BURRELL ceased to be the
ologians and took their place upon the
common platform of Republican citizen
ship. Each one Of these very excellent
gentlemen forgot for the moment that
he represented a special phase of re-
iglouS thought, and remembered only
what splendid results had followed the
embodiment of the political tincts of
our revolutionary fathers into law.
Bishop IRELAND for the moment be-
came JOHN IRELAND, the patriotic citi-
zen, and DR.. BURRELL stood before his
audience as DAVID JAMES BURRELL,
pleading with his countrymen to forget
the human defects of our untried form
of government in the manifold blessings
it conferred upon all men of all faiths
and of no faith. How very brief IS the
time since these two men would have
been arrayed against each other as an
tagonists. Last Friday they spoke in
two cities with one voice. They laid
before their hearers certain historical
facts, and followed those facts with
certain CONGRATULATIONS. The GLOBE
need not agree with all of the findings
of both or either of these talented, hon.
orable and conscientious citizens, in
paying tribute to the tendency of their
patriotic utterances. 1t is sufficient for
us that these two men, supposed to be
as wide apart as the poles in their view
of theological problems, are practically
one as to the destiny of the republic and
the duty of citizens.
And this, too, is the meaning of re-
publican liberty-if it means anything:
the widest latitude for difference and
discussion in unfenced fields for thought
and speculation; the closest observance
of rules and regulations where facts
have fixed the bounds beyond which ac-
ton takes the place of argument.
Let US hope that gradually all the
warning sects of men will find the same
common platform that Bishop IRELAND
and DR.. BURRELL have found in search
ing for social truths in common citi-
zenship of the great republic.