Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-05-27
MEMORIAL. SUNDAY.
Exercises at Opera House Last Sunday-Ex.

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auspices of the G. A. r. and w. r. c.
The program as published in Saturday.
TINES was carried out with the exception
that prayer was offered by Rev. w. r.
Baldwin of Saxtons River instead of Rev
E. E. Marggraf.
The sermon given by Rev. j. w. Nara
more was from the text Isaiah 2, 20, and
was carefully prepared and highly cred
table production. He said in part:
This is the dream OF Isaiah of the glori-
GUS future of Jerusalem. He looks for
ward to the time when Jerusalem shall be
the capitol of the world when all nations
shall learn of her and follow her footsteps
when her religion shall be accepted as the
religion Of all men. This is patriotism.
You love your country-do you love it
more than this? You believe in bright
future-is it brighter than this? You have
a high ideal for your country, is it higher
than this? These words were uttered more
than $500 years ago, but they will stand
with the last words of patriotism. Wash
ington, Sumner, Lincoln never said any
thing finer than this.
You will observe that Isaiah is full of
that dream of ancient times, universal
empire. Every nation of prominence in
ancient times looked for this and some
even grasped it.
The drift of modern times is away from
that idea. Some weaker nations are being
absorbed by the great and strong but the
tendency is toward the perpetuity of gov
ernments This is the better way. The
more nations the better. No other quality
in human nature has made so many big
souls as patriotism and small nation seems
to be more prolific in proportion than big
one, on the same principle suppose that a
small flock Of hens will lay more eggs pro-
portionately than large flock. Look at
Greece, Switzerland and Scotland.
Cuba will be thousand times better of
as an Independent nation than as terri
tory of the United States AS territory
she would be nothing more than tobacco
and sugar plantation, but people that can
bring out such men as Maceo and Gomez
in securing freedom will surely do as well
in building up a free government. Look
at Ireland. Ireland has the capacity to
raise more patriots to the square mile than
any other soil on the crust of the earth
God give Ireland freedom.
The dream of universal empire is past
but another is taking its place. A great
desire is finding expression everywhere for
universal justice and right, kingdom of
righteousness.
In my thought America is to have a
great part in establishing this kingdom of
righteousness. In my thought also the G.
A. r. have had and yet have great part
in preparing America for her great part
Therefore feel that have an appropriate
subject when propose to discuss the IRE
lation Of America to the Kingdom of
Righteousness"
We may find considerable significance
in tracing that ambition of ancient nations
for universal empire. Assyria tried it and
made all within her reach her slaves.
Greece, Rome and others had all but com
plete success in ruling the world. While
these all failed they all gave something to
] the world. Assyria taught the art of war
Greece taught language and the power of
language; Rome gave the world its ideas
of government that even yet are good.
Later nations made the great effort.
Charemagne, Spain, England even now
and others; while these never attain the
great reach Of territory, they each give the
world something Spain started the great
tide Of discovery. Four hundred years
ago Spain, superannuated Spain, who now
can't keep the coast of Cuba so but the
fllibuster laughs at her, could surround the
island Of England with her men of war so
thick as to scare every inch of coast. Eng
land has taught us commerce.
Everyone knows that America has some
great destiny. What is itp The next
thing the world needs is right dealing
nation with nation-eommunit with com
munity. This is Americas task.
How shall she do itp As every other
great step has been made possibility re-
sisting the evil tendencies in the political
relations of men.
1t is common thought that the world is
growing better. 1t is also common
thought that all things no matter how good
deteriorate if let alone. The steps up
ward that the world has taken are due to
the mighty efforts of great souls, individ-
ual or organizations. The history of our
nation is the history of the great men who
resisted the tendencies that were leading
us to ruin. This was the work of the G.
A. R. There was terrible drift toward
disunion. There had been since 1888 for
various causes. A final spasm threatened
to demolish the great republic. Lincoln
looked away from small and terrified
statesmen and political economists and
theorists of all kinds and called for 10000
volunteers. This was a great stroke of
political sagacity. The men of the G. A.
r stood against the drift.
The work was not finished. America
was simply set free for her great work, the
establishment of the kingdom of righteous
ness.
The preacher also developed an idea, to
which he was indebted to George Adams
Smith, in which sin was recognized as the
strongest element of deterioration in men,
and held up Jesus Christ as a rock of
refuge and expressed the hope that no one
present, a member of the G. A. R., should
have said of him, ''He saved others; him
self he could not save"
Mind Your Own Business.
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