The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-08
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The subject of the pastors evening
address was True National Greatness.
He said in part:
Patriotism is necessary to the per
petuity and perfecting of a nation. The
love of our own land and nation is an
obligation. 1t is a natural form OF al
lection that may and should be Guilt
waited. Patriotism should be taught in
the home the schools, the churches'
Suitable ways and seasons should De
employed to develop true love for our
country among the citizenship. He VINO
loves nor his nation makes a poor clti-
zen Orr land is worthy of our affec-
tion. It's history and institutions, its
privileges and blessings when rightly
anprehended awaken true love in the
heart of the citizen. We plead for that
patriotism that delights not simply In
orr broad domain our millions of cit1-
zens. our great wealth, but in the foun-
dalton on which our political fabric
rests. the character of our institutions,
the Righteousness of administration, the
character of our people a patriotism
that is not blind to national sins when
its tries to remedy while it glories in
national honor.
Our country is great in its broad DO
main. Perhaps no other portion of the
earth surface of equal size contains the
same amount of good land, so great
treasures in mineral, so great variety
of fruits and grains with so equable
climate. To the great abundance OF
our virgin soil with it's hidden wealth
| is due in a large measure our national
wealth Our wealth is great. Perhaps
we lead all nations today not only in
! our national sales but in the average
wealth of our citizenship. We are a
great nation as regards the number of
our people. With doors open to the
people of all nations but one our
growth is phenomenal. Men are specu-
Hating as to what our numbers will be
! in future years. 1t remains certain that
our population will greatly increase
above the present, and that hundreds
of millions will one day live within our
borders.
Important as are these considerations,
true national greatness does not con-
sist wholly or chiefly in them. A ma
tons greatness consists chiefly in the
character of her institutions, the right
eousness of her administrations and the
moral and intellectual quality of her
/ people. The institutions and govern
ment of nation are nodded by the
character of her people. Righteousness
exalteth a nation, and is essential TO its
Iperpetuity The rise, progress and de-
cline of great nations of former times
show US that something more than
broad lands, Astounding wealth, nu-
merous people and intellectual develop
ment are essential to great national life.
Wealth in the hands of unrighteous men
may be used for oppression. Intellect
ual power may be used to dethrone JUS
tice and corrupt the national life. the
fear of God that worketh righteousness
is fundamental to national greatness.
Our people are different from those
lof ancient civilizations and from many
THAT are modern. What causes this dis
tinction? The answer is not hard to
find Ours is a Christian civilization.
Christian principles are back of the
Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution. They run through oul
constitutional law and the customs OF
the country Our nation is greatly in
debted to Christianity. A nation is glo-
rified in the righteousness of her PEG
! pie BY this, mercy and justice ant
peace shall abound and permanenc3
, and perfection shall be found.