The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-21

l.
or "Ruler of Nations somewhere between
| the first word and the last. The great ex-
FOUNDER 9th constitution sleeps at Marsh
| field. Mass. the Atlantic ocean still hum.
ming near his pillow of dust its prolonged
| lullaby. But is there not some one now liv-
| ing who in the white marble palace of the
nation on yonder hill not ten minutes away
will become the irradiator of the constitution
| by causing to be added the most tremendous
word in our English vocabulary, the name
OF that being before whom all nations must
| bow or go into defeat and annihilation-
| 'God?"
Again, before the approaching adjourn.
ment of our American congress, it ought to
be decidedly and forever settled that no ap
preparations be made to sectarian schools
and that the cOurtShip between church and
state in this country be forever broken up.
That question already seems temporarily set.
tied. | wish it might be completely and for
ever settled. All schools and all institutions
as we'll as all denominations. should stand
on the same level before American law. En-.
peror Alexander OF Russia, at his Peterho
palace. asked me how many denominations
OF religion there were in America, and re-
cited their names as well as l could. Their
he asked me the difference between them
and their broke down. But when l told
him that no religious denomination in
America had any privileges above the others
h" could hardly understand 1t. The Greek
Church first in Russia. the Lutheran Church
! first in Germany. the Episcopal Church first
in England. the Catholic Church first in
Rome, Mohammedanism first in Con-
StantlnOple the emperor wondered
how it was possible that all the denomIna-
tens in America could stand on the same
platform. But so it is and 50 let it ever be.
Let there be no preference, no Partially. no
attempt to help one sect an inch higher than
another. Washington and Jefferson, and all
the early presidents, AMI all the great states
men of the past, have lifted their voices
against any such tendency. II a school or
an institution cannot stand without the
prop OF national appropriation. then let that
school or institution 20 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 democrat
lzation born OF that relation on this side of
tho 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 the
'hVortiSm OF government. AS you regard
the welfare and perpetuity of our institu-
tions. keep politics out of religion.
But now that am speaking OF NATIONAL al
fairs from religious standpoint bethinIi N.Y.
SELF Of tho fact that two other givals will
~Oon lift AMI fall. the one at st. Louis and
the other at Chicago. and before thesa ma
t:oaal conventions adjourn ask that they
acknowledge Goa In tho platforms. The
men who construct those platforms are here
this morning or will! read these words. Let
no political party think it can do its duty
unless it acknowledges that Col who built
this continent ana revealed it at the right
tune TO the discoverer. and who has rearel
here a prosperity which has been given to no
other people. ooh, says some one. there
are people in this country who do not be-
Eeva in God. and it would be an Insult, to
them. Well. there are people in this coun-
try who do not believe in common decency.
or common honesty, or any KIM of govern
Inent. praferrjng anarchy. Your very plat
form is an insult to them. You ought not to
regard man who does not believe in God
any more than you sho aid regard a man who
refuses to believe in common decencv Your
pocketbook is not safe moment
in the presence of an atheist. God
is the only source of good govern
ment. Why not, then. say SO and let the
chairman of the committee on resolutions in
your national conventions take pen full of
ink and with bold hand head the document
with O1esigniffcant "whereas," acknowledge
ing the goodness of God in the past and beg
ginS His kindness and protection for the
future. Why, my friends. this country be-
longs to God. and we ought in every posi-
bic wayto acknowledge it. From the mo-
ment that. on an October morning in 1892
Columbus looked over the side of the snip
and saw the carved staff which made him
think he was near an inhabited country, and
saw also a thorn and IL cluster of berries
type OF our history ever since. the pierciny
sorrows and cluster Of national jOys), until
this hour our country has been bounded on
the north, SOUTH east and west by the good
ness of God The Huguenots took posses
sion of the Carolinas in the name of God.
William Penn settled Philadelphia in the
name OF God. The Hollauders took possess
sion OF New York in the name of God. The
pilgrim fathers settled New England in the
name of God, Preceding the first gun Of
Bunker Hill, at the voice of prayer all heads
uncovered.
In the war OF 1912 an officer came to Cen
e-al Andrew Jackson and said: ''Thers is
an unusual noise in the camp. It ought to
be stopped. General Jackson said: "Wnat
is the noise?" The officer said: at is the
voice of PRAYER and praise" Then the gen
era! said: God forbid that prayer and
praise should be an unusual noise in the en-
campnent. You had better go and Join
them Prayer at Valley Forge PRAYER at
Monmouth. Prayer at Atlanta. Prayer at
South Mountain. Prayer at Gettysburg.
"Oh.' says some infidel 1.-The northern peo-
pie prayed on one side. the southern people
prayed on the other side, and - it did not
amount to anything" And have heard
good Christian people confoundei with the
ln1idel statement, when it is as plain to me
as my right hand. Yes, the northern peo-
pie prayed in one way, and the southern
people prayed in another way, and God
answered in His own way, giving to the
nortn the re-establishment of the gov
eminent and giving to the south larger op-
portunities, larger than she had ever antic-
lHated-the barnessng of her rivers in great
manufacturing interests, until the Mobile
and the Tallapoo5a aud the Chattahoochea
are southern Merrima s. and the unrolling
OF the great southern mines Of coal and iron
o. which the word knew nothing and open
lug before her opportunities Of wealth which
Will give ninety-ntne per cent. more of affiu-
ence than she ever possessed, and, inst ad
of the black hands Of American slaves. there
are the more industrious black hands of
the coal and iron mines of the south. which
are achieving for her fabulous and unim-
aSined wealth.
And there are domes oft white blossoms
where spread the while tents,
And there are plow5 in the track where the
war wagons went,
And there are songs where they lifted ~
Rache.'s lament.
Oh. you are stupid man il you do not
~ fr. -, l.