The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-22
SONS OF AMERICA
THEORY AND FACT
DR.. Gffin Doesn't Doubt Patriotism Bui
Criticizes lis Application.
THE GERMS OF GOOD GOVERNMENT
They Are Found in ihe Good Interest
of Good Citizens Who Elect Good
Men to Office--United states Left
AS an Inheritance to Present
Dwcllers--Estate Must BE More
Than Enjoyed; 1t Is u Trust.

In the Elm Park church last night
Rev. c. Nj. Giflin, ID. D., delivered
an eloquent and patriotic sermon taxi
ing for his topic The Father of Our
Country and Sons of America" His
text was the words found in Ecclesi-
astes vii:10: "Wisdom is good with an
Inheritance" During the course of his
sermon DR.. Giifin said in part:
In every Chinese home of any dimen-
sion there is a room of remembrance,
in which the family retire to dwell
upon the virtue and renown of their
ancestors. We will make this church
such a place of recollection of our ma
tional forefather. We will take little
time to talk of Washington
since Mr. Lincoln suggested "To
add brightness to the sun or
glory to that name is alike
impossible. In solemn awe pronounce
the name and in its deathless solen-
dor leave it shining on" Like the fore
parents of the Athenians of whom
Perides declared, they receive praise
which grows not old and is the noblest
of seDulchres," 50 the commander of
the Revolutionary army and first pres
ident of the United States is entombed
in the loving hearts of his countrymen,
on the eve of the day devoted to his
the inspiration of his noble character
while we consider our responsibility
as Sons of America. The ancient ora
tor said: II would have you fix your
eyes upon the greatness of Athens un-
til you become filled with love of her,
rejecting that this empire has been
acquired by men who knew their duty
and had the courage to do
it. freely giving their lives to
/ fl.it
offering which they could present
at her feast" So Washington and his
associates in danger and devotion gave
us this grand patrimony, the American
republic. Without effort we came into
what those heroes, thought out by ear
nest brains and carved out by valiant
swords. We have an Inheritance
What will we do with it? AS heirs
of such an estate we need wisdom
According to the text, a legacy Is q
possibility UP and down. 1t calls fol
| sense to use it.
OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE.
Fathers have left shekels to sons and
no sense. Such incompetents soon scat
ter by prodgality or carelessness what
their parents earned by skill and pa
tience. Big assets have been left ir
our hands-this nation Have we cap
| acity to keep, use and increase it
! Frederick of Prussia 100 years after
| the government of PENNSYLVANIA haC
been shaped by Penn reading an ac
count of the system said: 1T is per
feet, if it can endure" Can we pre-
serve our national heritage? That W.
are sons of such fathers does not in
sure the ability. Genius does not rur
in one stock always, 1t runs out
| Blood gets very much reduced in som'
of the boasting remnants. We can no
find trace of the capacity of thei
progenitors We may be sons and ye
not really in the lineage. Descendant
are often so far descended that W.
might suspect the connection never eX
isted If the deceased could will wis
dom with his wealth there would no
be SO many estates wasted
So before the holiday we will hal
to lay a leaf upon the brow of thos
who began this experiment of democ
racy and then see our duty as sons t
carry this country to its largest sue
cess.
Having the Inheritance there ar
several ways in which we may los
it, First, by Indifference. We mus
feel we have something of value lef
to us. We know property abandonet
by the heirs as not worth looking after
If as some say, the government owe
us is not important, and liberty n
great benefit, we will neglect the in
heritance. Grant said: I'VE believe'
then Gn the war; and we believe nov
that I'VE have a government wort
fighting for and if need be dying for
The prize paid for all blood shed II
acquiring or in maintaining 1t. Gu
share is to preserve and perfect tn
Union with free speech, free school
and free press to the end of time.
The estate is not simply to be en-
joyed. Our fathers began and the
left us a country crowded with tn
greatest problems concerning the wei
fare of mankind. We must do NOR
than shut our shops on tomorrow
We must open our minds to all wis
suggestions as to the evils to b
checked, the darkness to be removed
the excellence to be perfected,