The Newtown bee., 1892-06-17


 and fight"
 Published by request of o. c. Beard and others.]
 The services of to-day and tomorrow will tend to revive the memory of those days and hours that especially tried mems hearts. As this season comes round, we are naturally led to think of the brave men and women who made sacrifices for the welfare of their country. We have charity to believe that the most were ac- tuated by a patriotic love for their coun- try, even perhaps more than they them selves realized. We should never forget the patriotism of the noble wives and mothers, who gave up their husbands and sons, kissing them, as they we'll knew, perhaps for the last time, wishing them God speed, then often waiting in anxious solicitude for the latest news from the been raging. Those were days when patriotism really meant something. Days that put to the test the physical courage. When. the exhortation of our text had an application similar to what it did when uttered by the Philistine general to his soldiers and followers, "Be strong and quit yourselves like men and fight"
 Physical courage has been recognized in every age and among every people. Still, when properly weighed, physical courage is not nearly as important nor noble as the true moral courage that is often manifested and very little is heard or known of it's existence. A man may have the physical courage to march to the cannon's mouth without flinching and yet be a moral coward, fleeing or yield ing in the slightest moral conflict. Now while we think of the noble heroes, whose graves will be decorated to-day and to- morrow, who exposed and lay down their lives to preserve our government and it's free institutions, we should not forget those in the conflict that is being waged to-day for the same noble purpose, the perpetuation of the institutions of a free and righteous government.
 If we will carefully read history with the light of Gods word shining upon it, or even with the true reason of an en- frightened mind, we shall soon see that that conflict of blood was the result of the moral conflict uEfaithfully and un- righteously waged. The moral principle opposing slavery had been compromised again and again by the people of the na- tion. The government might have dealt honestly and fairly with the questions hnf tf did faly ha al md hnr est stand and say, This is an iniquitous traffic and must cease at once, and then come forward and offer an adequate rec ompense to the holders of the slaves, whose bondage the government had sanctioned. No, no, but it compromised with the iniquity in such a way as to give it more and more political power, till at length God took the matter in hand and the government was only saved from moral and physical wreck and ruin by the expenditure of millions of treasure and thousands of precious lives, the val ue of which no amount of golden treas ure can ever equal. But the question of slavery was only one of the moral ques- tions that needed to be settled and we may also recognize the fact that no mor- al question is ever settled, till it is settled right. In the case of slavery, soon after the war began, it was universally recog- nized that peace could only be expected by the abolition of slavery root and branch.
 So, while we think of the noble heart ed fellows who, at the call of their coun- try's need, put themselves at their coun- try's service to suffer and die, if neces- sary, to save the Union and destroy the iniquity of slavery. While we think of these and honor their memory by strew- ing their graves with flowers, let us not forget those who still have part in the great conflict of to-day.
 The perpetuity of our government is still endangered by enemies as bold, as heartless and as tyranical as was the principle of slavery. And there also un- derlies divine, moral principle, in each of the conflicts that must be waged for the maintenance of our free institutions and 1t therefore requires the exercise of the fullest moral courage to stand firmly for the right, ..and to refuse all compromise with the wrong, to be found in some hopeful expediency.
 Now, one of the enemies of the free in- stitutions of our government is ignorance and political chicanery, which go hand in hand. It therefore becomes every pat riotic citizen, who cares for the welfare of his country and the perpetuity of it's institutions, to fight this enemy to the death. Not only should we see that the laws are strictly enforced in regard to the attendance of the children at school, so that they may become able to read iutel- lgently and thus be put in the way of a fuller and wider education. Just think, my hearers, how many there are who are growing up, even in our neighborhoods, who cannot read intelligently, so as to make 1t interesting to themselves or oth- CTS, and can have no taste for reading; this ought not to be so.
 Then, as citizens, we should see that the principles of morality and honor are more clearly and definitely taught, and this cannot be done without direct rec ognition of the Divine Being and the principles of moral government, and, as believe, cannot be truly accomplish ed without the full and plain recognition of Gods Holy Word in our schools. But you are at once met with the assertion, this is religious teaching and so the Bible must be excluded from our schools, which is not only an insult and slur cast on the book of God, but on God himself. Yet, as Christian nation, we have been com