The Irish standard., 1895-05-25
Hsw Simply The Swearing IN u Rscruits
q Bone Ii the unItsd
States and ID
now lMPREsslvELY IL GERMANY.
Ceremonies Which Tend 70 Make the Oh
iigat,on Much more Blndingfln
tho latter. 4.

emony in Germany remarked an Of
ficer who is stationed at Fort Wayne.
Here the recruit, after expressing his
desire to save Uncle Sam, is ushered
into the room, a bare, dingy, rented
apartment, which serves as office for
the enlisting officer of the army, and
then and there is called upon to repeat
after the said officer the following oath:
= solemn import marked by the cur
sorry upward tendency of the irrespec-
tive right hand: T do soleInnly swear
that will bear true faith and allegiance
to the United States of America, and
that I will serve them honestly and
faithfully against all their enemies
Whomesoever, and that I will obey the
orders Of the president Of the United
States and the orders of the officers ap-
pointed over me, according to the rules
and articles Of war. So help me God
Signature to this oath makes him, with
out more ado, full hedged soldier.
How different is the following cere-
mony used in binding Germany's SOL
diers to their kaiser: The young con-
script is conducted to the church Of the
parish in which he inlists where he is
first addressed by the pastor on the sa-
cred character and great import OF the
oath he is about to take; then the flag
of his country and that of his battalion
being placed on the altar, the embryo
soldier is required to place his left hand
on these flags, and raising his right to
repeat the following OATH: I swear be-
fore God, who is all powerful and who
knows all, that / will serve Loyalty and
faithfully my gracious sovereign under
all circumstances On land and on sea,
in peace and in war, and in all places
swear to seek only his good and to do
everything to prevent injury to him.
swear to observe strictly the articles
of war which have just been read to me.
I swear to obey all orders and to con-
duct myself as every courageous, honest
soldier ought to, delighting in fulfill
ing the duties that honor imposes upon
me- AS surely as God will aid me in
gaining eternity through Jesus Christ,
Amen!
els it not serious question whether
our simplicity in the administration OF
sacred oath does not defeat it's very
purpose? We in this free born Ameri-
can republic are justly proud of our
simple, unostentatious ways, marked by
want of useless ceremony, and we, by
our example, daily administer rebuke to
the Old World of the vanity Of Its ways,
but let us not carry this feeling too far.
Human nature here, as elsewhere, is
impressionable, and if an obligation is
rendered more binding by impressive
ness we should not hesitate to employ
it's necessary Accomplishments even to
the 'furs and feathers employed by our
elders in the sisterhood Of nations.
'sThe average American, IMMERSED in
patriotic lore. woefully ignorant Of pa
tr:otic symbols, is constantly accused OF
want Of devotion to his country, of too
great i1adividualis1n, too little national
ism. Let us hope that this is not so;
that our patriotism but lies dormant,
awaiting the occasion which will call it
into play and make it's existent strength
emphatically evident to the world.
s'In the meantime let the soldier
swear by his country's beautiful en-
blem. Furthermore, let the stars and
stripes be displayed more often and
with more reverence before the people
at large. Nothing will contribute fur
ther to arouse@our Heterogeneous populas
ton, our too large disorderly element,
the product of sordid, selfish individual
ism, to a realization of other more
worthy interests; of a duty paramount
to all others, yet SO generally lost
sight of, to a country that exists, to a
flag that waves, on this side Of the
ocean"