The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-02
Rev. j. B. sweets Discourse on
Patriotism in simpson thurch.


Patriotism" was the theme from
which Rev. J. b. Sweet, pastor of the
Simpson Methodist church, prea ,hed
an eloquent sermon at last evenings
serv,Ce. The church was filed to over
flowing. The choir san. several op-
proIliate anthems ord tie congrega-
tion Joined in the singing Of patriotic
hymns. From the top Of the organ loft
hung three immense flags. To the right
and left the beautiful Stars and Stripes
and from the centre the lone star flag
of Cuba.
In opening, he read the 137th Psalm,
which speaks Of the longing of the then
captive Israslites to be once more a
free people
IF forget thee, Jerusalem, let my
right hand forget her cunning =
o, daughter of Babylon, who art to be
destroyed; happy shall he be that re-
wardeth thee as thou hast served u.s."
Referring then to the scenes attending
the recent departure Of our soldier boys
to the front as an "outburst OF well
come unparalleled" he said it recalled
the old days and meant to the observer
the fact that in answer to the countrys
call the response came back, 1--WE are
coming $4,000 strong"
REASON AND CAUSE.
Naturally there was reason and
cause for all this and the reason was
that the president had need. The cause
was to be found in that principle of
patriotism which underlies our coun-
try's history. The speaker quickly re-
viewed the early days of the country
when we were passing through the
formulative period and seeking to free
ourselves from the control of the
mother country. He brought his hear
ers up to the point where we, having
| passed through all TIA crises of a Coun-
try struggling against odds for it's free
dom, felt for other peoples who were
| thus afflicted. And though some might
! ask: Why are we fighting for Cuba
! when she does not belong to us?" we
| were going forward to her assistance
| true to our adherence to a principle
and the trust in the Infinite. He indi-
| Gated by statistics rlat Cuba's struggle
! was much the same as had been ours
! and then reviewed this countrys his
| tory from its discovery up to the pres
ent time, II am not a prophet nor the
son of a prophet, but take it that the
! yellow flag which fiaunts its folds over
a country which represents tyranny
rapine, bloodshed and treachery will
! soon be counted not in the list of the
nations.
We had offered to buy Cuba and
some Americans had tried to take her,
but Spain had said, No, we will never
give up Cuba until our honor is gone.
At that rate Cuba should have been
ours long ago, And now, in spite OF
the $1,000 officers, the 200 900 men and
the $500 900, 900 which Spain had staked
against the efforts of a poor people
only 1,600000 in number, it must lose
! Cuba. The million and odd had be-
come Il, 900 900 and what had been tried
by the Three Friends, Dauntless, Lau-
rada and others, would be accomplished
by the warships of the greatest nation
on the globe, which has stood and
stands for liberty and Christianity"
DESTRUCTION OF MAINE.
THE electric shock which passed into
| the bomb beneath the devoted Maine
and destroyed il on that dark night
thrilled the great heart of the United
States, and Spain's death-knell faI
sounded. The moral recognition WI n
we battled for must be given and su.ne
| time the spirit or the stars and Stri, as
would be felt universally. And we were
not alone, for from the land across the
sea had come message which should
aid and inspire us to a full and com.
plete effort"
The speaker concluded his remarks
with the suggestion that the future ot
Europe as she stands today will b,
governed by the attitude of the grea
Tr,gtaI Gtat.g