The National tribune., 1901-07-25

maxim for control OF our public affairs,
but we have exalted the community far
beyond the mere ascription to it OF that
quality. Everybody also is safer than
anybody is the maxim which is in real
control OF this country. Everything we
hold dear rests and has rested since our
country's origin not upon the qualities and
powers or interests of any ruler, but only
on the common wisdom and the common
virtue o. the people.
Whoever, by the way, is breaking his
heart over public affairs, because the peo-
pie, in deliberate action, are not, he
thinks, so wise in some great matter, as
himself, may find in that other maxim,
'Egoism is the root of Madness" a sug
gestion OF salutary worth. This has its
special application in these times, when
gratitude for all that our country is and
has done for US, and is doing, is so often
laid aside to be replaced by egotistical re-
Wiling of the powers that be.
We have, then, the state, which is the
organism OF the people, and which under
God is each one of all its people, parent
age, Inheritance, protection, freedom, op-
portunity and elevation. To all Of these
the land within its boundaries is as the
canvas surface upon which a picture rests.
OUR COUNTRY"
is the whole of it, the canvas and the pic
knit relations which clothe US with all the
sympathies OF life, and make our coun-
trys many millions one as being fellow
countrymen; our country" is all these.
We do not realize it ali; but it Is true.
We cannot compass it with thought or set
it forth in words, but 1t is true, neyerthe-
less. There is no flow of human welfare
or advancement that compares with that
which wells up from a country such as
lNa fp1S
fayorably, with any and all other coun-
tries, but there is no need of any such
comparison. However a mans mother
may compare in lesser things with other
mothers, the fact remains that in the
matter of being a mother, of all women
in the world she only has been n mother
to him, she only is his mother. The quail
tiles of any country that concern US most
are those our country has.
All the foregoing is but poor and most
inadequate description Of what "our coun-
try" means,
AS THAT FOR WHICH MEN DIED.
Even by way of suggestion on that
head it Is equally inadequate. Perhaps our
own MINDS, our hearts also, are themselves
Inadequate to more than indistinctly see
and very imperfectly feel that which beats
in the heart and puisates through the
body and is indeed the soul of a country
such as ours Perhaps that Is why
Shakespeare wrote:
There is a mystery with whom relation
burst never meddle) in the soul of state;
Which hath an operation more divine
Than tongue or pen can give expression
to-"
After all it is not a greater mystery, it
is no less capable of expression, nor is it
operation any more divine, than is that
other mystery, DEATH which patriots, dy-
ing, have linked with it in themselves.
LOVE oE COUNTRY DIVINE.
Let the divine in both have place in our
remembrance Of the dead who died for
country. The Latin poet, in the same ode
and in this connection, writes Of Virtue,
throwing open heaven to those who de-
serve not to die" In a sense that passeth
understanding he who has laid down his
life for his country has laid down his life
for his friends. To do that our Lord says
is the most of love that any man can
have. We know that God is love. Let
us remember as to those who died for US
their countrymen, that In that exercise Of
love they passed to Him upon whose love
our future all depends; and let us hope
for them in very truth that they have
found it to be true in fact, and that they
would 50 tell US if they could, that it is
sweet and glorious to be one of those who
died for country. And let US then rejoice
in it all, and for it all be thankful.