The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1897-07-16

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home and country which grows out Of
the all-embracing love of God. 1t is en-
titled Song of Accents; of David:
81 was glad when they said unto ms
Let US go unto the house of the Lord
Our feet are standing within thy gates
0 Jerusalem; Jerusalem, that art build
ed As a city that Is compact together
Whittier the tribes go up, even the tribes
of the Lord, For a testimony unto Israel
To give thanks unto the name of the
Lord. For there are set thrones for
Judgement, The thrones of the house OF
David. Pray for the peace of Jerusa.
lem; They shall prosper that love thee
Peace be within thy walls, And pros.
perity within thy palaces. For my
brethren and companions sakes, [ will
now say, Peace be within thee. For the
sake of the house of the Lord our God
[ will seek thy good"
The text has suggested to me three
thoughts which wish to apply to our
own times, on this occasion, The Mo.
tive, sThe Duty, and The Privilege of
Christian Patriotism.
WE ARE PERMANENTLY a CHRISTIAN
NATION.
Our chiefest heritage is the liberty with
which the Gospel of Jesus Christ has
made US free. The social and moral law
ordained by Moses has become the rule
of our faith and practice by the grace of
the Son of God. We are trying to real
ze the pure and peaceab!e principles Of
the Heavenly Kingdom in the admins
tration of the town, the state and the
nation. Our forefathers came here into
the wilderness of the New World seek
ing home and country in which to live
in the freedom and fellowship of the
Church of Christ The fundamental
idea of all our institutions is found in that
Declaration of Independence which APP
peals to the law of God "We hold these
truths to be self evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are en-
dowed, by their Creator, with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-
ness.''
The Preamble to the Constitution sets
forth the grand purpose and spirit of
our government.
1--WE the people of the United States,
in order to form more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for the common de-
tense, promote the general welfare, and
secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity, do ordain and
establish this constitution for the United
States of America
Concerning religion it is ordained
that: Congress shall make no law re-
speeding the establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom Of speech or of
the right of the people peaceably to as
semble, and to petition the government
for redress of grievance"
Concerning freedom: Neither sla-
very nor involuntary servitude, except
as punishment for crime, whereof the
party shall have been duly convicted,
shall exist within the United States, or
any place subject to their jurisdiction"
Concerning citizenship: ssThe right
of citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the
State on account of race, color or pre-
vious condition of servitude.
Into such an inheritance. NE have come
in the fulness OF the ages, and we ought
to realize the high duties ana precious
privileges which are ours as Christian
citizens OF this Christian land.
TO be worthy Of our Christian heri-
tage we must be true men, standing up
boldly in the defense and furtherance Of
the eternal principles of truth, justice,
law and religion, and prove our love for
our country By our love to God and TO-
our fellowmen.
Our country must be to US more than
merely place in which to dwell, itI