Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-10
OUR COUNTRY AND flag
IT'S PERILS AND IT'S BLESSINGS
Particularly Dwell Upon in the Dis
course-The senior Order Of Unit
ed American Mechanics Attended
the Servfce-The Sermon.


the Servfce-The Sermon.
Yesterday morning at the First
Christian church, the Rev. C. NJ. Oil
plant preached very appropriate SER
mon to the Senior Order of American
Mechanics. He chose Our Country
and Flag" as the subject of his dis
course. There were great many OF the
order in attendance at the service. He
dwelt especially on the blessings and
perils of our country. A review of the
sermon follows.
First peril: Political corruption. :"
Our caucuses and conventions are too
frequently run by political bosses and
tricksters, who corrupt our politics.
Our legislators are too frequently cor
rupted by the use of money. Moral
character and competency are two re-
quisites for a man holding Office too
frequently disregarded.
Second peril: THE Rum Power" The
influence of the rum power over the
individual in society is very great. The
extent of 1t may be seen from the fact
that the money spent for liquor exceeds
the bread bill of America. The Amer
lean people spend five times as much
for liquor as they do for boots and
shoes; ten times as much as they give
to support the public schools, and spend
seventy times as much for liquor as
they give to support the churches. Near
ly 100000 saloons in this country are
striving to ruin our young men and wo-
men. Our best citizenship should as
sert itself against this peril.
Third: THE dissertation of the
Lords Day" God intended that man
should give one day in seven to rest
from secular labor and give it to SER
vice of spiritual character. He then
spoke of the secular use to which the
Sabbath Day was being put to in this
country. This is contrary to the very
spirit of the constitution.
The people of Europe are somewhat
responsible for this condition of
things. They brought their secular
Sunday with them to this country, and
it has had its effect upon.us. They de-
vote Sunday to amusements and pleas
ure rather than to their physical and
spiritual profit.
Fourth peril: 1.-The undesirable for
eign element" We do not want the un-
desirable element from other countries
-pepole who are ignorant, rebellious
in spirit, and hostile in aim. Many for
eigners make just as good citizens as
the American born people. But the
paupers of Europe coming to this coun-
try have brought with them ideas that
imperil our national life. The social
ism and communism in this country
came from Europe.
Fifth peril: Alienation of the labor
ing man from morality and Christian
ity" The church is the laboring man S
best friend if he would but know 1t.
TITS alienation is largely responsible
for the antagonism between capital
and labor; for much of Our Lord S
Day dissertation, for the disrespect to
law and order Many of the laboring
men in this country appreciate Chris
= ~ q
most Christian workers In this country
are from the laboring classes. Jesus
preached to the common people, and
they gladly heard Him.
Its blessings.
First: Our educational advantages.
Practical education makes a man better
to endure lifes trials; it makes him a
better mechanic, a better soldier, a
better laborer. 1t enables him to endure
revolution better than otherwise. Here
Mr. Oliphant spoke Of the American
system of schools.
Second: Our wealth We are very
wealthy nation Wealth is not to be
disregarled; Jesus never condemned
wealth, but rather condemned the
wrong use of it, Wealth gives work
to the labordng man; it produces home
comforts; it educates our children, and
it helps send the gospel to those that
have it not.
Third: Social and philanthropic in
stitutes. Secret societies where the
Bible is revised and where God is hon
ored, belong to this class. He here
spoke of the magnificent Libraries and
asylums for the unfortunate in this
country.
Fourth: Craftsmanship. While the
service of such men as Webster, Clay.