The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-04
THE NATIONS SAFEGUARD
STIRRING AND ELo0 UENT SERMON
 BY REV. B. M. TIPPLE

EVening-His Subject, "Rtghteous-
 ness Exaltheth Nation."
 The Rev MT. ripple preached an elo- quent sermon before large congrega- tion last evening at Epworth M. E. church, taking for his subject An Ex- alted Nation" The sermon is as fol- lows:
 Righteousness exalteth @ nation.- Proverbs xiv, 34;
 As Christians, we think of righteous ness in the strictly religious sense. To us it signifies the actual possession of salvation through hearty repentance for our sins and a lively faith in the great atonement. We usually limit its appearance and operation to those hours and places set aside for our spir- itual devotions. It is, an experience having to do with an individual and his God.
 l wish, however, to consider the term in a somewhat broader conception. In fact, more as it obtained in the minds of Gods chosen people as they jour neyed Canaan-Ward. For it was wrapped up in all their laws and was vital part, not only of the individual as he stood before Jehovah, but as he was related to his fellow man After all the great underlying element of righteousness is justice, By the atone ment justice has been satisfied, and the songs of earth rise heavenward to min gle sweetly with angel melodies. But as I mentioned a broader conception of righteousness, so now l refer to that justice which, in its action, conpre- hends nations, governments, institu" tions, individuals in their relation one to the other and to God. Righteous ness, then, in this sense, Is workable quality, depending upon the ideal that forms the handspring of any action. When the divine right of kings was re- garded as principle sacred and inviol- able, many acts were committed in the name of justice that in this hour com pei the historians to blush merely to re- count them. When human life was held cheap, war was sought as bless ing, not dreaded as curse When might made right the form of the task master and the clanking slave-chain were exhibited in proof of nations |. excellence. After the three active years of the Galilean king 1t was found that a new truth had been uncovered, q new power had been created, a new standard had been set up. Since that period gradually the thrones have been crumbling, slavery has been disap- bearing and the clash of armed bands has come to be last resort. Up out of these long years standard has been raised and upon 1t are these words: ''As ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them." This is righteousness of the twentieth century. This is the ideal that divine Provi- dence has been working out silently, yet with the certainty of eternal law, in the heart of the American common wealth. Right well did Wendell Phil l lips exclaim one day on his return from a visit over the sea This is the greatest country in the world. This is a noble nation to work for. It is the ] noblest people. I have come back from Europe and have relearned the value of America have come back one of the | humblest Iaborers to make justice and
 
 1 liberty prosper"
 With this ideal of righteousness painted by the master artist of Naza- reth ever before our eyes, the great | swaying mass of beings bound by l chains and driven by whips has disap- 1 peared and into it's place has stepped | the individual man clothed with the gold and the scarlet. The single soul l has been discovered and stands forth, ! dignitied by responsibility, rejoicing to escape from under the heel of some earth born pretender he dares to think, and what Is more, dares to do; living | by the side of his neighbor, both equal ly worthy before God, and the govern ment; unfettered there lies before him l the wayof all human and heavenly pos abilities. Make your choice. Will you | be Lincoln or a Perry,a Farragut or q ! Garfield a John Brown of James G. | Blaine, a Mckinley or Dewey? Yes, 1 this is a nation of the individual, and a I nation that lives for the individual | It was late in an afternoon of 63 that a train stopped at a little station among 1 the Aleghany mountains. The station 1 house was but a rough shed In the i background was squalid cabin in a l potato patch. The whole landscape i spoke of harrenness and helpless pover- l ty. Standing on the platform was a 1 woman, a poor country-girl. She wore an old patched gown and a calico sun bonnet, now thrown back that she 1 might better watch the train. A lit- i tie barefoot boy clung to her skirts un- | needed. Her face was pinchedl and bloodess She leaned forward staring with childish, dilated eyes into each | passing car. There was grating sound as the trainman dragged rough 1 pine box from the freight car and laid i it on the platform. The woman went up to it, and without word or tear 1 dropped down and clasped her arms
 around it. There was not man on the 4 train that did not uncover his head but she saw it not. Her boy came tc her saying, Where is papa? You sai6
 he would comei' Not answering, she only clasped the box closer The trag- edy was so hopeless that the onlookers
 saw only its cruelty. Why should this
 poor farm boy be struck down, and this
 helpless wife and child be left to strug.
 gle and to suffer? Just then mar
 ran out of the station with tattered
 old flag and spread 1t proudly over the
 box At the touch of it, it seemed tc
 us who watched as if our country laic
 her hand on the poor coffin and said l 'HThiS is nv Son He dind for ,,,ap Do,