The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-03
knowledge of God Is
Basis of True De-
velopment.
THREE PERIODS IN NATIONS LIFE
Stage Of Interdependency
Now Dawning in the
United States.

A service of unusual interest was
held at Pilgrim church last evening, in
which the music played a prominent
part.
The chorus, consisting of about so
members, were present, it being the
last service which they will take part
in until September The solos by Mrs.
j. NJ. Mitchell, Mrs, John Cunningham
and Mrs. S. G. Austin, were exception
ally fine. The latter sang Rudyard
Kipling's occasional"
Rev. DR.. Alexander Lewis took for
the subject of his sermon "The secret
of national strength" the text being
found in Daniel, ii:32, "The people that
do know their God shall be strong"
DR.. Alexander Lewis spoke in part
as follows: Worldly estimates of ma
tional strength differ. Some people
think that national strength rests in
armies and in navies, and that the ma
ton which can command the greatest
standing army and possess the largest
number of modern equipped battle
ships, is the strongest nation of the
world.
According to this standard, Russia
and England would be accounted
strong. Others think that numbers is
the test of strength. If this be true,
China is strong nation, for with her
400 1000, 900 of people she numerically
stands at the head of the nations of
the earth. With still others, wealth
is the basis of judgment. According
10 this test, America would Le the
greatest nation of the earth.
There are yet others who place
knowledge, art and culture as the chief
test of strength. But our text sets
a standard that differs from any OF
these. 1t asserts that knowledge Of
God is the test of a nations strength.
We believe that this assertion is true,
and as l will show you by the three
following proofs:
In the first place, knowledge of God
is the secret of a nations strength, for
only as nation knows God can it be-
come acquainted with the fundamental
principles on which the requirement of
strength rests. In the life of an in
dividual we find that food, and drink,
exercise and rest, are the factors which
determine strength. What is true of
the individual is true of the commit
nifty and what is true of the commu-
1lily 10 u OG Vi Liz ucil1OIl. ATOOt
his inspired word, has laid down GER
tain broad general principles govern
ing these conditions which determine
In the second place, knowledge of
God is the basis Of strength because it
teaches the necessity of a symmetrical
development. Here is a man 6 feet
tall, his weight is 210 pounds, he has
the form of Hercules, his shoulders
are broad and strong, his muscles are
like ribs of steel, he can receive and
strike harder blow than any man
in the world. He bears the title of
champion pugilist; if mere physical
power is the work of strength, then
Mr.. Jeffries is the strongest man in the
world.
Here is a second man, who possesses
great mental endowment He has a
wonderfully retentive memory; in fact,
he is veritable encyclopedia. But with
all of his knowledge and learning, he
retires like some hermit to enjoy mis-
Greek roots and Hebrew vowels. If
knowledge alone is a test of strength,
then this man is strong.
A third picture. This time of a Won
derfully good man, SO good that ne is
too good to mingle with the world.
Therefore, like the scholar, he retiIes
from active life to commune with the
spirits invisible. Now If mere goodness
be the test Of strength, this man is
strong, but we all know that strength
in its right sense does not mean the
physical or the mental or the moral
by itself A pugilist may be strong
physically, but he is not strong man
A scholar may possess great mental
endowments, but If that be all, he, too,
is not strong man. A man may be
wonderfully good, but goodness alcne
is not strength, but strength is syra-
metrical development of the physical,
the mental and the moral
Now what is true of the individual
is also true Of the city and of the ma
ton. Just now there is a strife Of
cities as once there was a strife among
the disciples which should be the
greatest? 70 But bigness is not great
ness; bulk is not honor; Jumping the
moral assets of communities will not
increase them. Let England stand for
diplomacy, Russia for power, Germany
for learning, Italy for art and France
for culture. But let us remember that
true strength can alone be had in the.
symmetrical development of all these
powers. Therefore, in Gods name we
say, let America stand not alone for
power, wealth, art and learning, but
and superpolitical Justice and for the
ever nearer dominion of the Prince of
Peace
Again. knowledge of God is a secret
of nations strength, for through it
we learn that all strength is but the
means to an end, not the end in itself.
There are three distinct periods in the
evolution of a nations life. First is
that of dependency. This is the period
of struggle, of foundation-laying, of
character testing. 1t is the period also
when some help is needed from the out
side. Next is to come the period of in
dependency. This is the time of self
assertiveness, national pride and per-.
sonal selfishness. Lastly comes the
period Of interdependency that is, the
time of peace conferences at the Hague.
The spirit of national brotherhood is
abroad, arbitration is in the air, the
federation of nations is being talked,
and the United States of the world is
an expectation with some ground of
verihcation.
Applying these tests of development
to our nation, we find America, pre-
ceding 1716 was passing to the period
Of dependency. Since that time we have
been in the second period, that of in
dependency. But now, thank God, the
brighter and better period is beginning
to dawn, that Of interdependency. We
have been slow to interpret Alright
Gods word. We have thought our
great advantage of national resource
and material WEALTH was given us that
we might build here in this new west
ern continent the mightiest empire of
the worlds history. But recent events
have taught us that wealth and power
are not the end, but only the means to
the end; that God has given us strength
that we might help the weak, food that
we might feed the hungry and wealth
that we might clothe the poor In the
light Of this new and larger liberty,
namely, the liberty of interdependence
that old sentiment, my country, right
or wrong my country" Is superseded