Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-12-06
RIGHT KIND OF PATRIOTISM.
Sermon Preached by Rev. Julian c.
Jaynes Before the Ancient and Hon.
orable Artillery Company of Boston.


orable Artillery Company Of Boston,
wish to speak to you this morning
| upon Patriotism,-the patriotism we
need; and l turn to Paul's letter to the
| bphesians to furnish my text The Ephe-
sian capital was under the Jurisdiction
Oh Rome. 1t was not only "a resort of
pieas ure-seekers, not only a centre of
| heathen rites, but it was also a great
military post The tramp of armed le-
glons resounded through the streets. and
| the eagles of the empire were a familiar
| slsht In every market place. In the heart
Oh this great city, Paul had organized a
niue christian church on certain oc-
Caslon he writes a long letter to these
npheslan disciples. After giving them
some good advice in plain language he
suddenly rises in a flight of splendid
| imagery, and says: Finally, my breth-
rem, put on the whole armor of God.
anu having done all, to stand Stand.
therefore, having your lons grit about
with truth, and having on the breastplate
Oh righteousness; and your feet shod with
lne preparation of the gospel of peace
ana take the shield of faith and the
helmet of salvation and the sword of the
spirit, which Is the word of God"
IN theSe words, Paul is undoubtedly de-
scrlblng the moral equipment of a soldier
OF the cross. He is speaking of citizen
snip in the kingdom of God [ do NOT
presume to say that he was thinking of
the duties of civic life. But | believe IL
VIII be no perversion of his words if we
use them this morning as the appropriate
description of patriotic citizenship. For
the true citizen of the kingdom of God
Is the best citizen of Christian state.
And the best citizen of a Christian state
STANDS forth as the highest type of civic
devotion and genuine patriotism.
10 .1ss
general meaning is understood i'm the four
corners of the earth. The rollicking boy
ana the gray-haired philosopher unite in
saying that 1t Is love for ones country.
But what is ones country? II is not
mere territory. 1t is something more
than rocks and rills." and woods and
tempted hills" 1t consists of traditions
memories and associations. 1t consists
OF institutions, of social relations and
customs of rights and liberties and privi-
leges guaranteed by the power which re-
SIDES in common national life. 1t is all
these, sanctifying the soil and idealizing
the woods and hills, that make a country
And when men standing hand in hand
are touched by these common associa-
lons when they look out upon these
common interests and this common his
tory, there swells up in the hearts the
warming, quickening current of patriotic
feeling.
The sentiment of patriotism. therefore.
springs spontaneously in the human
breast. 1t blooms wherever human lips
are parted to say My country" As n
man instinctively loves the hearthstone
where are kindlsd his domestic fires. so
also he naturally loves that land in whose
larger life and history his own individual
life is bound up by innumerable sacred
ties.
But patriotism is more than natural
impulse. 1t is not only founded upon the
instincts of the heart, but ii is also sane
toned and Endorsed by the faculty of rea-
SON The bird loves its nest, and the wild
deer the shaded haunts of the forest;
but neither knows why 1t feels that love.
But the human mind recognizes the prin-
ciples that underie devotion to native
land. 1t appreciates the values of insti-
tutional life. 1t meditates on liberty.
prosperity and peace. 1t reads the record
of toll, struggle and heroic sacrifice. And
then it thinks the thought of obligation
proclaims that patriotism is right and
reasonable, and standing gladly and
thankfully in defense of the good already
won, dares to dream of sacrifice and ser
vice yet to come, which shall evolve an
improved country and truer, saner cti-
zenship.
In this country the patriotic sentiment
has had free field. Born under the ia
vorable conditions which a new land
affords, fostered by conflicts for defense
by community of interests. by pride of
strength, by democratic ideas and the as
surance of great destiny patriotism, as
commanding power in the popular
heart, has developed to a remarkable de-
gree. l think it is safe to say that in no
other nation of the world is the love of
country so deepseated and at the same
time near to the surface, so easily
moved, so ready on demand as it is in
this republic. 1t is not strange, therefore
that our patriotism in its unrestrained
development has grown luXuriantly, and
has run out into grotesque and distorted
forms. Side by side with the genuine love
of country we can see certain types of
spurious patriotism which passes as the
higher sentiment and which to the
shame of every true citizen, are too often
accepted as worthy and good.
One of these forms is a bitter and vo-
ciferous prejudice against other nations.
There are Americans who imagine that
they are showing the highest respect for
their own government by abusing the
government of other people. They fancy
that in their loquacious hostility TO lands
across the sea they are pledging a larger
loyalty to their own. They pace to and
fro before their own doorstep, equipped
for war, muttering terrible oaths, shout
ing defiance, and interpreting every for
eign overture as a menace in disguise.
That, indeed, is spurious patriotism.
l need not love my neighbor less because
love my fireside more. Nay rather the
very love l bear my home should make
me all the more magnanimous to wish my
neighbor joy and peace in his. And so,
indeed, the very pride of country ought
to save us from this petty spite and hate.
1t is all unfair. unbecoming and UNI
American. 1t is the cheap effusiOn of the
mean and paltry mind Indeed, vigilance
is required and national preference must
be maintained, and men must never sink
down into that fabby and nerveless indif-
ference where all national distinctions
are lost. But generous national rivalry
is one thing. and mean, petulant prejudice
is another. All nations are bound together
by mutual interests, and the hurt of one
is the hurt of all. And to wish ones
country success at the. cost of another
is to ignore the greater law of social
life, and that man has not yet learned
the alphabet of patriotic devotion who
measures his loyalty 10 his own flag by
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