The Dickinson press., 1901-09-28

peoples who come ,to our shoSes that
anarchy WILDE impossible.
Let our teachers and instructors of
every class show that our flag Is not a
family emblem or a coat of arms, that it
does not represent conquered peoples as
some flags we might name, but that
every color there represents the history
and principles. OF our government-that
the red represents the blood that has
been shed in our nations defense, that
into that dye has gone the blood shed on
the battle fields of freedom at Eutaw
Springs, Lexington, Saratoga and Bun
ker Hill by the fathers of our nation,
and that a deeper tingc was given it by
the blood shed in freedoms name
by the grand army of the republic on the
fields of north and, south, when
-Four hundred thousand men
The good, tho brave, the true
On mnunt.ln path and woodland den,
On battle plain and prison pen,
Lay dead for IN. aud YOU.
Cup many asfortresscd will
They charged. those boys IN; blue,
Mid musk, & shot and vo leyttt :nll;
This brnvest wero ih. fret to fall
To fall for nj: and you.
IA debt we tlo'er can pay,
To them Is justly due;
And t. our nat'nM'H latest day
Oar ch.ld,en,. children sill shall say,
And that a third baptism was given to
that crimson by the blood that flowed at
Ell Caney, Santiago and under the South
crn Cross; and that wherever the men
who wore the nations blue sleep, whether
under the murmuring pines of the north
land, or under the trailing vines of the
southland, or under the palms Of
the orient-that those who died Tor coun-
try sleep with God, and the blood shed
by them has gone into the nations life;
and teach that 10 the hearts blood of
our first citizen has gone to deepen the
shade Of that stripe of red, in the cause
Of government.
Teach the rising generation and aliens
who come to make 4 home here that the
white represents the purity Of the princi-
pies Of our government and tile prin.
ciples Of the men who make our laws;
that upon our actions. first and last, the
strong, white light Of investigation may
always play; that there must always be
wilderness Of liie. in those who seek for
place and power, and the nobility and
whiteness of truth in all our national
ambitions;H that as a light amongst the
nations of the earth, she is set as
the clear, white, spotless one.
And teach them that the blue ground
on which the white stars shine represents
the divine, OF heavenly mission of our
government among the governments of
the world, and that above all earthly
authority there stands the power and
protection of heaven; that the dome that
bends above the stars bends over US in
help and love.
Teach these principles to those in
whose hands the government will rest
and you have done something to destroy
the spirit of anarchy. And last of all, we
must not think that such a martyrdom as
this is in vain. His work will follow him.
His very dying was great. The words of
the saviour of men and the book Of books
were on his lips at the last. How small
the men who scott at holy things appear
in the light of such a passing! He had
already refused to consider a third nom-
~ination to the presidency and had looked
forward to spending of his declining
years in peaceful retirement, living out
with that dear partner of his honors and
cares the remaining days of life-but it
was not to be-and yet in the giving OF
it all up he says, at is Gods way, not
ours"
Mr.. Lincoln, on his way to Washington
at the time of his first Inauguration, was
asked what he was going to do there,
Lifting a flag in his hand he said, II am
going to try to keep this flag in the sky"
He laid down his life to keep it there,
and the now immortal Mckinley not
only kept it there but has added lustre
to it and sent it to other skies to be an
inspiration to them that sit in darkness,
He took the flag from the hand of his
predecessor unstained and he handed il
down to his successor unsullied save for
the mark left by his own blood.
IF we could push ajar the gates Of life
And stand within and all Gods workings see
We could interpret all this doubt and strife
And for each mystery could find . key.
But not today. Then be content, poor heart
Gods plans, iik" lilies, pure and white unfold
We can not tear the close shut leaves apart:
Time will reveal tho calyxes Of gold.
And II, through patient toll, we reach the lane
Where tired feet, with sandals looeed may rost
Where we shall clearly see and understand.
l think we all shall say
With the martyred man.
"sGod knew the best"