Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-07-24
NATIONAL PROGRESS.
BY Rev. Andrew J. Garfield. d. o

habitation.-Act xvii, %
The proper observance of Independence
day should include n review of the provi-
dental government OF nations and cSpe-
cially the evidences of divine purposes
manifested III the foundation and progress
Of our own nation through its great men
and mighty achievements.
According to my text, every nation
holds a divine commission and has def
mite task assigned to it.. This was very
broad and liberal announcement from one
who had been reared under the notion
that the Jews alone were the peculiar
people" of God. The apostle brushed
away the barriers Of that orthodox con
cct by allowing all nations and races
and individuals to think the same of
themselves. When rightly understood
the grand Christian doctrines of election
and predeStination declare the decisive
part which God has in the direction and
unfolding of the forms and fortunes of
humanity. They draw our attention to
the astounding fact that history is not
wild and capriciOus stream. but river
of God, its course foreseen, its tributa-
ries provided, its ever-eXpanding currents
assured and pre- arranger by him who
stitch upon the circle of the heavens.
Washington. Lincoln, Mckinley mark
the summit ranges of our contract with
the constantly unfolding purposes OF
God. What thrilling story 1t is; and
II written in the style and spirit of the
ancient Hebrew Scriptures. how truth
fully could we eXclaim with the PsalmiSt,
He hath not dealt so with any nation
under heaven" And the climax is still
before us. This nation is not the same
nation it was in the days of Washing ION.
1t has experienced at least two CONVEX
sions, one during the terrible Civil War,
and the other in the recent conflict with
Spain. Each resulted in the outpouring
Of n larger spirit than could have been
imagined at the outset Not only has
the sense of nationality outgrown and
overwhelmed the original ideas of it's
founders, but there is process now going
on under the guidance of public senti-
ment which indicates a still larger prov
idential purpose playing through the po-
litical instincts of the American people.
The citizens of this country never felt
themselves so much the ministers of God.
so full Of a power greater than them
selves, as now. They are a profoundly
religious people in the sense of believing
their government to be the special object
of the protecting care of Providence. Ev-
cry genuine American, whatever his the
illogical opinions may be, is political
optimist. He has seen the republic more
than once escape from surrounding peris
which affrighted the stoutest hearts. Elk
perience has given him unbounded conf
dence that the right leaders will surely
appear whenever emergencies require
them. Therefore no circumtance or con-
dition is considered entirely hopeless
The country has been saved" so often
that its people have an almost supersti-
tious credulity concerning the power of
science and invention to overcome all
present evils and satisfy every reasonable
desire. Whoever abandons this present
world to the devil or his imps can have 10
data for believing that any other world
will belong to God, The man or nation
that acqueSces in this worlds sefishness
and injustice must throw up. his brief for
the hope beyond. II we are to preserve
our faith in God we must strive diligently
for the betterment of all human relations
here and now-social, political and econ
omical
Such IL the heart of American religion.
We believe in progress, if in no other
god. But every religion should have it's
creed; every temple OF faith its Pantheon
OF enthroned divinity. Where, then.
shall we look for our national creed and
Pantheon? We are so young and con
| stantly improving" our property that
| buildings we call venerable would not
punctuate time in the old world.
Westminster Abbey, the cathedral at
| Pisa. and, above all the Pantheon at
Rome, are memorable. But we have in
This country something finer and more
| suggestive than any of these. | refer
! to the new Congressional Library at
| Washington. The exterior OF the build
| ing is 475 feet long, 40 fet wide, and it
occupies, exclusive of approaches, three
| and three-quarter acres. The rotunda
| is over 100 feet In diameter and nearly
| 200 feet in height. The spaces are well
occupied and ornamented with statuary.
| paintings and Inscriptions by American
| artists and artisans. Ii is to serve as
the repository of our nations achieving
| thoughts and aspiring hopes for centuries
| to come.
The Roman Pantheon has eight shelves
or inches for the mythical gods, but the
| library of Congress has eight symho!icai
| statues of heroic size representing Charac-
teristic features of civilized life and
thought. They are noble figures. each
eleven feet high, and standing fifty eight
feet above the floor. The names Of the
figures are Religion, Commerce, History.
Art, Philosophy, Poetry, Law and Sci
ence. Each has an appropriate inscrip-
ton, which was selected by President
Eliot. OF Harvard university.
Religion holds a flower in her hand.
The inscription is. what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly and to
love mercy, and to walk humhly with thy
GodT Commerce, crowned with a
wreath OF the peaceful olive, holds in her
right hand model Of Yankee schoon-
err, and In her left a miniature locomo-
tive. The inscription is, I'VE taste the
spices Of Arabia, yet never feel the
scorching sun which brings them forth"
History has a book in her hand and holds
up a hand glass, so that it will reflect
things behind her. This motto is taken
from Tennyson:
One God, one law, one element,
And one far-off divine event,
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