The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-21
LOVElOFCOUNTRY.
The Theme Of DR.. Cunnlngham's
Patriotic Discourse
THE REVOLUTION.

DR.. CUNNINGHAM DRAW
FORTH SOME EXTREMELY
GOOD, THOUGHTS.
Last night, at the First Presbyterian
church, the pastor, Rev. DR.. Cunning
ham. delivered a splendid discourse 10
the Sons OF the Revolution. His theme
was Love OF Country" taken from I
Kings, 1l:2o. and Or. cunningham's et-
fort was indeed an able one. Nearly the
entire membership OF the Sons and
\ Daughters OF the Revolution. OF this
city. were present, and the musical pro-
I gramme was In keeping with the patrl-
otto service, which was pertinent TO a
washington's birthday serv!ce.
DR.. CunnlnghaE's sermon, IN full,
was as follows:
IA True patriotism and true religion GO
hand in hand. for God has called Him
; self the God OF families, and happy.
{ native land is land full OF happy
homes. There Is 4 simple beauty In the
!, brief conversation OF the context. which
makes one afraid to touch Il by an at
tempt at expansion. "And when Ha-
dad heard In Egypt that David slept
with his fathers. and that Joab the cap
tain OF the host. was dead. Hadad said
> TO Pharaoh, Let me depart. that may
60 TO mine own country. Then Phara-
oh said unto him. Blu. what has thou
lacked with me- that behold thou seek
4 est to 60 to thine own country? And
he answered. Nothing; howbeit let me
60 In any WISE
. Z Now, have no intention to deal with
the narrative and It's bearings on Solo,
mon, or Israel, or the future OF Hadad.
All this. the context leaves In silence
and fixes our thoughts on this one fea-
ture in Hadads nature, his love OF
country. We are told of oil that sur
Z rounded Hadad to keep him In Egypt
the royal favor. the good OF the land,
the ties OF friendship and family-but
his native Edom with Its rocks and
scantS pastures has power that will
not let him stay. He remembered 1t as
though he had been yet a little child,
and the old memories come UP afresh.
He cannot put their power into words.
but they draw him back to Edom-'Let
me so in anywlse."
I am now to address the Society OF
!, the Sons OF the Revolution in West
Virginia, as well os the audience here
assembled. Let me give an extract
from the constitution Of the general So
ciety: THE Society OF the Sons OF the
Revolution has been instituted to per-
petuate the memory OF the men. who. In
4 the military, naval and civil service Of,
the colonies and OF the Continental Con-
gress, by their acts or counsel. achiev-
j r. 40, - ~ ,t,-ts, y
to further the proper celebration of the
anniversaries OF the birthday Of WASH.
-s4ngton, and Of prominent events con-
nected with the war OF the revolution:
! to collect and secure for preservation
the rolls, records and other documents
relating to that period; TO inspire the
members OF the society with the patrl-
otic spirit OF their foretathers. and to
promote the feeling OF friendship among
Z them" The truth contained In our
texts. the love OF country, Is therefore.
!. eninen,ly suited to the present occa-
sion.
Lord, while for all mankind we pray
or every cline and coast.
: O. hear US for our native land,
The land we love the most"
{ The love OF country is feeling not
only deep In our nature, but It's also
approved In the holy scriptures. Scat
tered through the Old Testament. we
have passages ever and again, which
acknowledges this feeling. And do not
know that there Is anywhere so intense
!. a patriotic cry as that OF the apostle
Paul, ~ could wish that myself were
accused from Christ. for my brethren,
my kinsmen according to the flesh;"
4 and may We not rightly think that II
had It's share In the heart OF the Son OF
Man. when Ee looked out on all the
world as He wept over lost Jerusalem.
How often would have gathered the
Z children together. and ye would mott"
ut Is. then. in accordance with Gods
Word. as well as with Gods law in our
mature. that our love should so out 20
native land.
LOVE OF NATIVE SOIL.
We may come to another view OF this
feeling when we think OF its effect on
the Individual man. This love OF the
native sol! has been one of the great
springs OF the poetry OF the race; and.
whatever We may think OF poetry our
selves, we cannot fall to see Its power.
I, God, who gives the bird wings for its
safety and delight, has given man In
Z aglnation. II Is certainly His SLIT, II
men would only use It for Him. And 1t
Z can be said with trut:i that, apart from
tine region Of the spirit itself. 1t is never
4 more pure, and purifying than when II
& takes for its subject the things of ma
tive land and home. In oil time as far
as we can trace Il, and IN oil countries.
this has found its way straight to the
= heart. and made men feel that they had
Imagination who did not suspcot-!t was
:, within: them. Tho Elndl!ng OF this fire,
the calling forth OF tears when far
away. helps men often to things more
( sacred. Many youth has been led TO
think OF q mothers love and fathers
s prayers and a neglected Bible, when his
heart has been carried back over hills
) and seas TO bis native land.
4G,Another thought suggested by this
feeling Is, thatit leads TO acts Of great
h to religion. there Is probably nothing
IN human nature which has called out
such heroic spirit OF martyrdom. or
such long, persistent labor, rs the love
of native land. The grandest part of
Z the history OF nations, has been the
period when they have risen for indie
pendence and freedom. against the at
tempts 10 crush out their liberty or their
J separate life. and when they have left
names OF leaders which make the,
hearts of men throb aud thrill wherever
! they are heard. Gods providence has
connected US with a particular land and
4 people, and nature prompts lis to take
4 special interest 10 them. One OF the
songs OF Scotland which has come