The Portland daily press., 1893-05-29

erty and nationality. and not slavery and
secession.
Contrast the condition of this nation
before and during the war, and today.
Then the South had banished the nation
al air, the Star Spangled Banner"
and the North no more sang s'Way
Down South in Dixie" The more
Southern men there were killed
in battle. the better the North liked it.
The more Northern men there were
killed in battle, the better the South
liked it. For four years the head of
Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis was
worth million dollars. 1t seemed as if
a mound of eternal separation must ever
be between the North and South.
But today there is a kindlier feeling
than before the war The loudest ap.
plause that will come out of future his
tory will not be for the courage of our
soldiers, though that was unsurpassed;
nor the military genius of the great COM
manders, though that was peerless; but
further for the unrivalled magnanimity
extended to fallen foe. Gen. Grant
won his greatest victory when he treated
Gen. Lee as a brother. Abraham Lin
coin never was SO majestic and grand as,
just before shot down, when he stretched
out a loving hand to the South.
And today the South itself is trying to
forgive. 1t was grand, brave thing for
the lamented Grady to make his patriotic
speeches in the North, and to ground his
arms anew, but he did it. 1t was grand
brave thing for the men in gray to march
side by side in solemn step with the men
in blue in the funeral procession of Gen.
Grant But they did it. 1t was grand.
brave thing for Gen. Johnston to act as
pail bearer for Gen. Sherman, but he did
it. Self conquest is always the grandest
victory. The South is moving toward
the right. And while the crime of the
South can never be acquitted, it can
never be forgiven.
Veterans, in closing, let me ask you
to be true in spiritual matters as you
have in national affairs. The captain of
our salvation is calling for soldiers in the
contest between right and wrong. AS
you were true in 61-65 so be true today
and in the great roll call may you
answer, Here!
sg1s Rev. Mr.. Gates Sermons
Rev. MI. Cate took for his text Matt.
22:21; Then said he unto them, render
therefore unto Caesar the things that are
Caesars, and unto God the things that
are Gods.
We have in this answer of Christ to
the young men whom the Pharisees had
sent out Ito entangle him in his TALK
the Masters distinct recognition of the
two principles of patriotism and religion.
He gives, as it were, a definition of both,
the one a rendering unto the state of a
prompt and cheerful loyalty, the other a
rendering unto God of ourselves in hum
BILE and hearty conservation.
Lying here in the text, side by side,
they suggest certain points of analogy
which wish to indicate today.
In the first place they both spring
from the same original source. As we
say, man is a social and he is also re-
ligious being. The institutions of church
and state were alike anticipated and pro-
vided for in human nature. The needs
Of man as he should develop into his
true self-hood were certain to impel him
to turn his heart outward towards his
brother man and upward towards his
Creator.
So, too, these principles of religion
and patriotism resemble each other in
this, that each is stepping out of self.
1t marks great gain in the way Of hui
man progress when the individual rises
up into the love of family. So he ceases
to be as the beasts of the field. This
first step leads on to others. Out of self
into the family; out of the family into
the tribe; out of the tribe into the state.
Now religion crowns this outward, up
ward course by leading man into the
kingdom of God The essence of the
gospel as it distills from the holy life of
its Founder is seen to be unselfish love
toward God and the brother.
This resemblance goes yet farther in
that each at times and in circumstances
demands its sacrifices. Today we are
recalling the vast aud priceless sacrifice
which patriotism laid upon the cruel
affairs OF war in the years of our nations
rending. | do not need remind some of
of us it is like CHASTITY tale that haunts
the memory of child. But the nation
has not forgotten and the ages will not
forget how the love of country rose above
the love of home, and mastered the
dread of suffering and the fear of death.
In the same way the messengers of
the gospel, the soldiers of the cross are
going forth year by year into all the
dark, heather lands. ''The love of
Christ constraineth them'' to brave the
dangers and endure the hardships and
grapple with the obstacles which they
know they must met.
The kindred spirit OF highest patriotism
and purest religion manifests itself in
every crisis of our nations history. 1t
flames up in the soul of almost every
Que of our really great leaders-those
men whom the Providence of
God has raised up in every
time ofneed. Naturally the truest regard
for the public welfare blends itself with
the humblest recognition of our de-
pendence upon Him who is king of
kings and Lord of lords. How readily
is all of this illustrated in the immortal
utterances Of your great Leader and our,
the nations, the worlds great Lincoln !
| Finally see most beautiful illustra-
ton of the commingling of the love of
country and the love, of God in the SER
vices Of this memorial season. Here we
| come with our lingering sorrow to lay
| it before the Captain of our salvation
who himself was made perfect through
suffering. To Him we bring our sense of
gratitude for the lasting blessings
wrung from that dreadful winepress of
wrath that it may be learned of all
pride and malice and sanctifed to his
grace. To Him we lift up our united
prayers for the blessings of consolation