The Portland daily press., 1895-07-08
OUR COUNTRY.
DIR. Blanchard's Patriotic Sermon at Con-
gress Square Church Yesterday.

church on "How can we best serve our
cou ntry?" Announcing as his text the
first verse of Romans KILL: ''Let every
soul be subject unto the higher powers -
he spoke in substance as follows:
The city fathers of Portland decided to
have no special celebration of the Fourth
of July. Of the wisdom of that decision,
there may be, at least, two opinions. 1T
was left, therefore, to the Woman's
Council to inaugurate and carry out a
rational observance of the day, and it is
to be hoped that some good was accom-
plished by the exercises in City hall.
Following his usual custom on the first
Sunday of July, his sermon would have
reference to our country. AS disciples OF
Christ, we ask ourselves How can we
best serve our oountry?" The first
answer to this question is, by seeing
clearly what our country is 1t is more
than magnificent expanse of territory.
1t is that territory and it's institutions
and the ideas on which these are based
We can see the institutions of govern
ment in country, commonwealth and
municipality, of philanthropy and educa-
tion and religion. The underlying ideas
must be seen blythe eyes of the mind
They are the universal fatherhood of God;
the universal brotherhood of man; our
country the instrument of God to uplift
its own people and to uplift all the
nations of the world.
In the second place, then, we are to see
these ideas clearly and steadily as we
study the history of our origin and at
what cost our nation was made. Too
many are interested in history of other
countries to the ignoring of that of their
own. Our schools and colleges must give
large place to this study, if our youths
are to have inspiring knowledge In the
third place, we are to give devotion to
our countrys institutions and underly-
ing ideas. To devote ourselves to the
fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of
man is the PATRIOTS duty. No man will
cast ballot nobly who does not feel this
great truth. Too much do leaders in
politics forget God and man. We must
ennoble politics by religion. The two
greatest institutions expressive of the
universal brotherhood are the school and
the church. Denominational schools may
do good WORK, but we ought to concen-
trate power and endowment on our public
schools Men of prominence neglect the
church. They do not consider that this
exists to help the coming generations.
They are to be arraigned before God for
their Indifference, their neglect of a
great helper which made conditions for
their own prosperity. Too many think
only of what the church can do for them.
They are to think of what they can do
for the church. They are not true patriots
to ignore the church.
In this devotion to ideas and institu-
tions men must be on guard against the
enemies of these. There are enemies
visible and enemies invisible The visible
ones are the hordes of ignorant people
coming as immigrants, and SO easily
made into citizens. Our country is in
danger of receiving too much raw
material for its own safety. We must put
up bars against incoming and we must
alter our naturalization laws.
l 10 laNISlDl0 CllcIlll0c cI0 lSltStS WO,
at least, are enemies of America. They
are the idea that the Pope by the Tiber
as vicegerent to God, is rightfuls ruler
over all other rulers, and that particu-
lar church has right to tell the state
how it shall educate its children. These
ideas are back of the dastardly assault in
East Boston on the procession carrying
the American flag and the little red
school house. Good citizens of all
denominations will condemn this out
rage. But what shame is it that such a
procession should need the guard of
policemen. The speech of certain men is
largely accountable for this violent oppo-
sition To call our schools goddess is
to teach the ignorant and impulsive to
hate them. Against ideas, therefore, are
We to be on guard. Their power is appall-
| ing. Good men, under their sway, be-
come bigots. Ferdinand did not wish to
drive the Jews from Spain. Torquemada
made him do SO by the power of an idea.
Louis XIV. did not wish to revoke the
edict .of Nantes. His father confessor
made him do SO by the power of an idea.
That idea was the power of the church to
send man to everlasting damnation.
| Americans are forever to be on guard
against this idea. Let them then, renew
devotion to their country's Institutions
Let them inyigorate their belief that
God will use their country, if they will
co-work with Him in uplifting all the
nations. He had seen flag in the sky,
| during the war, made by sunset colors
and stars. If he had been superstitious,
he might have thought, "Lo God shows
us his sign that our country shall be
saved" But he needed no such sign. He
| heard in history the voice of God saying,
| 81 will use America to raise all nations. y
''Let every soul be subject unto the
higher powers as Paul taught. Govern
ment is to be the representative of God.
Fire on Great Diamond Island.
Last evening as the last boat on the
| o. ID