Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-14

tion In the past should such q reverential in
sertion be made, but because of the faot that
we arc going to want divine interpositon
still further in our national history. This
gold and silver question will never be settled
until God settles it.. This question of tariff
and free trade will mover be settled until
God settles 1t. This question between the
east and the west, which is getting hotter
and hotter and looks toward republic of
tho Pacific, will not be settled until God
settles 1t. We needed God in the 1870 years
of our past national life, and we will need
him still moro In the next 1870 years. Lift
up your heads, ye everlasting gates of our
glorious constitution, and let tho King of
Glory come in Make one limo of that i'm
mortal document radiant with omnipo-
tence! Spell at least one word with
thrones! At the beginning or at the
close, or In the confer, recognize him from
whom as n nation We have received all
tho blessings Of the past, and upon whom
we nre dependent for tho future. Print
that word Cod or "Lord" or Eternal
Father or Ruler of Nations" somewhere
between tho first word and the last. The
great cxpoundor Of the constitution sleeps
at Marshneld, Mass, tho Atlantic ocean
still humming near his pillow Of dust its
piO'ObkNu iuiidbg' lDuu 10 iItit hOp SoliIC
one now living who, in the whito marble
palace of the nation on yondcr hill not ton
minutes away, will become the irradiator
of tho constitution by causing to be added
the most tremendous word of our English
vocabulary, tho name of that being before
whom all nations must bow or go into de.
feat and nnihilation-"God?"
Solemn Scenes.
Again, before tho approaching adjourn.
ment of our American congress, 1t ought
to DO decidedly and forever settled that no
appropriations bo mado to scctariap
schools, and that tho courtship between
church and state In this country bo forever
broken up. That question already seems
temporarily settled. l wish it might be
completely and forever settled. All schools
and all institutions as we'll as all denomi-
nations should stand on tho same level be-
fore American law. Emperor Alexander
of Russia, at his Potorhof palace, asked
mo how many denominations Of religion
there wero in America and ! rocited their
names ms we'll as could. Then no asked
me the difference between them, and there
| broke down. But when I told him that
no religious denomination in America had
any privileges above tho others he could
hardly understand It. Tho Greek church
first in Russia; the Lutheran church first
in Germany; tho Episcopal church first In
England; tho Catholic church first In
Rome; Mohammedanism first in Constan-
tinople. Tho emperor wondered how 1t
was possible that all the denominations in
America could stand on the same plat
form. But so it is, and SO lot it ever be.
Let there be no preference no Partially,
t.,L Ill, To- A.,
than another. Washington and jefferson,
and all the carly presidents, and oil the
great statesmen of tho past, have lifted
their voice against any such tendency. II
school or an institution cannot stand
without tho prop of national appropria-
ton, thon let that school or that institu-
ton go down. On the other side of the
sea the world has had plenty Of illustration
of church and state united. Let us have
none Of the hypocrisy and decentralization
born of that relation on this sido Of the
Atlantic. Let that denomination come
out ahead that does the most for the cause
of God and humanity, men, institutions
and religions getting what they achieve
by their own right arm Of usefulness and
not by tho favoritism of government. AS
you regard tho welfare and perpetuity OF
Jul ihS'itutAphS hc'P Ppiitioo ouO VI Ic-
ligion.
But now that am speaking of nation
al affairs from religious standpoint,
bethink myself of tho fact that two other
gavols will soon lift and fall, the one at st
Louis and tho other at Chicago, and be-
fore those national conventions adjourn
ask that they acknowledge God in the
platforms. Tho men who construct those
,l,sl o.. - q H.. I'LL
read these words. Lot no political party
think it can do its duty unless it ncknowl.
edges that God who built this continen,
and revealed it at the right time to the
discoverer and who has reared here pros
pcrity which has been given to no Other
people. "Oh," says some one, "thero are
people in this country who do not believe
in "A God, and it would be an insult t.
them" Well, there are people in this coun
try who do not believe in common dccency
or common honesty, or any kind Of gov
eminent, preferring anarchy. Your very
| platform is an insult to them. You ought
not to regard man who does not believe
in God any more than you should rcgart
a man who refuses to believe in common
| decCncy. Your pocketbook is not safe 1
moment in tho presence of an atheist Goo
| ~ 'ic Oiiiy sOuItt VI Ropu
Why not, then, say so and lot tho chair
man of the committee on resolutions il
your national conventions take a penfu
Of ink and with bold hand head tho docu
ment with ono significant "whercas, .
acknowledging the goodness of God in the
past and begging his kindness and protec
ton for the future. Why, my friends, this
tountry belongs to God, and we ought ii
| vrp IN nol- ,la,l.
From the moment that, on an October
morning in 1899, Columbus looked ovcl
tho side of the ship and saw tho carved
staff which mado him think no was neal
an inhabited country and saw also thorr
and a cluster of berries (type of our his
tory ever SINCE the piercing sorrows nnt
cluster of national joys until this hour
our country has been bounded on the north
south, east and west by the goodness Of
God. The Huguenots took possession OF
the Carolinas in the name of God. William
Penn settled Philadelphia In the name OF
God. The Hollanders took possession o.
New York in the name of God. The pill
grim fathers settled New England in tn,
name Of God. Preceding the first gun o
Bunker Hill, at the voice Of prayer al
heads uncovered.
In tho war of 1919 nm officer came t.
General Andrew jackson and said, There
is an unusual noise in the camp; it ough
to DO stopped" General jackson said
what is the nose?" The officer said, II
is the voice of prayer and praise" Ther
the general said; God forbid that prayer
and praise should be an unusual noise II
the encampment. You had better go ant
q join them" Prayer at Valley Forge
Prayer at Monmouth. Prayer at Atlanta