The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-18

free speech, free press and a free
government Religious liberty has ever
paved the way for civil liberty. Ma
caulay saw this when he said that the
Puritan espoused the cause of civil lib
erty because it was the cause OF re-
hgion." Out of the resolve to worship
God according to the dictates OF their
own conscience came political freedom,
and all the blessing that follow i. rs
train Civil freedom is born of GOO. 1t
is a significant fact that the men who
have lifted voice and arm for political
freedom from Moses to Calvin and
Cromwell and Milton and Mazzini and
Washington and Lincoln, have been
men with a great faith in God. The
philosophy that ignores mans divine
origin and denies his divine destiny does
not breed heroes of freedom or create
republics of righteousness. Young men,
listen to me. When you hear a man
say that the Bible bandages mems
brains, letters free thought and him
ders human progress, l want you to
look him straight in the eye and tell
him he lies. Tell him that the great
thinkers of the world fed their brain.
and the great reformers of the world
source. Tell him that the noble pill
lars and enduring buttresses of this fair
republic We're quarried out of the Rock
of Ages. Tell him that our first Presi-
dent, whose fame is chanted round the
world, and whose great example stands
colossal reverently worshiped and 10y
ally obeyed the Christ of this divine
revelation. Tell him, too that if the
of a Rih1d tod hp lQnJ1h1if,
its continued study is necessary to con-
serve the republic Despotism may
prosper without religious faith, but lib
erty cannot. 1t is only as men keep
faith with God that they will keep
faith with one another.
1t is well to recall the memory of
Washington in order to be reminded
that religion and morality are indis-
pensable supports" to free civil govern
ment. Many of our citizens seemingly
forget this basic truth They give
scant place to religion in their thought
and life. There are growing up in our
city a host of lads and young men as
destitute of religion as the denizens of
heathendom. The Sabbath they desc
crate, the Bible they never read, the
sanctuary they never enter. Before
their Maker they never bow in peni-
tence and prayer. Their favorite haunts
are the cigar store. with its gambling
appendage, the theater, the saloon. the
poolroom and the dance hail. Here
they are schooled in profanity and pre-
pared for criminality. The generation
that grows up without regard for the
laws of God will have little respect for
the laws of the land Godlessness leads
straight to lawlessness Without re-
ligion liberty will degenerate into Ii.
cense. and without righteousness the
nation will drift into anarchy Patriot
ism, if not piety, should lead US to
spread the teachings of the Bible and
encourage all efforts for the cultivation
of pure and undefiled religion. The
men and women who maintain in our
midst the institutions of religion are
the nations truest patriots.
This memorial service should lead US
to renew our faith in God, and give
ourselves anew to the cultivation of
those Christian virtues which adorn in
dividual character and are the guaran-
tee of national permanence and glory
We may not emulate Washington in
all things, but in many respects his
life is imitable. We may be as de-
voutly Christian as he was. We NAV
remember the Sabbath day to keep it
holy as he did. We may be regular and
constant in our attendance on divine
worship as he was We may stand for
what is right and just and noble in
daily life as he did. We may be loyal
to conscience and faithful to duty as
he was. We may be concerned for the
moral welfare of our city and country.
What he was to the whole nation we
may be to our own community. In
these practical ways we may serve our
God and country acceptably, help the
cause of righteousness and religion in
the land, and thus do something to
bless mankind and perpetuate the re-
public which has been bequeathed to-
US at so great cost.