The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-21
FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY
Rev. Sherman Hills Sermon on
George Washington.
THE CHURCH WAS PACKED
The Preamble of the Constitution Taken
as the Text for the Evening
p o. S. of A. Attended
in a Body.

Rev. Sherman Hill of the Christian
church preached strong and interesting
sermon last evening on the subject
"Washington's Country and Its Princi-
pies" The congregation that listened to
the sermon was a large one and Rev.
Hills treatment of the important topic
was received with evident appreciation.
The p. o. S. of A. attended the service
in body. The preacher said:
81 have selected as my text for this
evening the preamble to the constitution
of the United States of America.
eve, the people of the United States,
in order TO form a more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity, do ordain and establish
this constitution for the United States
of America.
Before we can thoughtfully enter upon
the discussion of Washington's country
and its principles it will be necessary
that we give some. attention to those
principles that led up to- contaminated,
partially developed and made possible
America and American principles
that so permeated and governed the colo
NAL mind that it selected man of Wash
ington's type as commandments of
her army and to twice elect to the most
responsible position within her gift.
Leaders of thought are the forerunners
and formers of public sentiment, and
whoever is by the franchise of people
placed in a position of trust must be but
the individual reflection of the public
mind.
mo age, people or nation has ever pro-
duced a more fondly cherished or loving
ly reverenced character than Washing
ton. His place in the hearts of the Amer
lean people is as fixed as her rock-ribbed
mountains. No human character has ever
so influenced any people as has Wash
ington the American people There were
greater orators than Washington. Hamil-
ton was his peer as a tinancer, but no
man his peer in all that makes charac-
ter great. blameless and beautiful while
in all those characteristics that make
men great, il is quite doubtful if all his
contemporaries together rivaled him. All
world historians recognize him as one
of the greatest men, and perhaps the
most admirable character of his type of
all time.
''To the thoughtful student of Wash
ington's life and character, and especial
ly of his public utterances and distinc-
vivid, if not wondrous, similarity between
the principles advocated by him and
those that have ever been, are rapidly
becoming and are to become distinguished
American principles. Few, if any, princi-
plies in the Declaration of Independence
or the constitution but were advocated
by Washington America has encoun-
tered but few difficulties that he did not
foresee and warn her against No great
er boon could be conferred upon human
ity to the cause of liberty and to the flu
ture well being of the race than to cause
a universal study of his life and public
utterances.
LAS a sure barrier against the rising
tide of un-American principles we should
revert to careful study of his farewell
address In this time of immense indy
idual wealth. why not some deVoutly
patriotic American establish chair of
patriotism in our state institutions of
learning, making as a text book the pub
lie addresses and letters of Washington?
| For as no well regulated mind can ex-
anime the claims of Christianity as set
forth in the New Testament and not adj
NIT their validity and superiority so no
American or freedom-loving person can
study the public career and utterances
and private life of Washington and not
be made better man and thus truer
friend to humanity.
THAT the primitive principles of Amer
lea were those upon which Il nation ca
pabe of government must be build
ed there can be but unanimity of opin-
ion. These principles are broadly yet
succinctly stated in the preamble to our
constitution. As the vessel that began
it's voyage under favorable circumstances
and failed to reach its coveted haven
I only because it proved unfaithful to its
trust, so America will fail of its destined
end only if il departs from its heaven
| bestowed principles. Let every American
| strive 10 be Washingtonian. 1t isn't new
| principles need so much as it is the
statement. the restatement. the enforcing
| the reinforcing, the calculating and the
re-elucdating of the underlying principles
| of America.
| 'If "a government of the people. by the
| people and for the people shall never per
| ish frcm the earth il will be because
| Americans will obedientiy cherish those
| principles as foreseen by Washington and
| stated in the introductory to our consti
| tuition. In no other way can human
rights be maintained, thoroughly en-
| trenched in the hearts of men and Sc
curely woven into the warp and wool OF
| a national fabric.
America will not perish beneath OPP
! pressions crown nor upon the cross Of
unrequted toll if she remains faithful Il
1 her sacred trust
| Great Britain's governmental princi
| pies are the result of centuries of unre.
| hitting toll. American principles, Jovt
| like, burst upon the world in moment
| time and have been the wonder of tbs
! philosopher and statesman and the solae'
and stay of the humble toiler. Previous
! to the time of Washington such com
| bination of words as We, the people.
do ordain and establish this constitution
! would have been but the words of fabl'
makers and the sport of kings and mobiles
| We, the people as expressed In the pre-
amble, was the first instance in the his
! tory of nation making that such "A phras'
| occurred. And ii will be in the eXac
| ratio that maintain the principi
| therein indicated that America will re
( main the palladium of liberty, the bui
| wark of human freedom. 1t was in thi
| that Webster saw liberty and union, nov
/ and forever, one and inseparable. An
Lincoln. "a nation of the people. by tn
| people and for the people And il VII
I be only as the bone and sinew of tn
! Fn1ftFe nf America N this fbpi