The Mankato free press., 1902-06-06
THE ADDRESS.

Rev. F. E. R. Miller was introduc-
ed and gave a brilliant oration. His
subject was "The Significance of the
Flag" He said:
Banners. as symbols of statehood
and sove eighty have played no insig-
nifcant part in the history of the
world. Anciently they were not the
bright-hued bits of fabric which we
unfurl to the breeze today, but gener-
ally they were devices carved from
wood and placed upon the top of a
pole or spear.
Before the legions of aggressive
Rome were carried the gilded images
of eagles or wolves. In front OF the
stalwart soldiers of Assryia was borne
the miniature figure of a swift gallop-
ing horse with his knightly rider.
Constantine. after the desperate
battle with his rival, MaxenUius, in
1919, A. D., claiming to have seen
with his own eyes luminous trophy
of the cross in the noon day sky, over
which was inscribed the words: sin
hoe signo vince" adopted that device
as his imperial standard For several
centuries thereafter that celebrated
banner was displayed by the Christian
emperor in all of their military expe-
ditions.
The sword and the crescent emblem
attic of Mohammed's g idea that a
'mean weapon is the key to heaven
and hell and that God smiles with
peculiar favor upon the hosts of Islam
have lured the red-handed Saracens
to the most daring martial un-
dertakings.
Those hardy mariners, who, nine
hundred years ago. sailed from the
shores of Norseland to the wild coasts
of America. carried on the PROV of
their ships, as indicative of their
irrepressi BILE disposition, the devise
of some fierce animal like the boar.
Balboa, the day his enraptured eyes
fell upon the unknown waters of the
Pacific ocean waded out into the surf,
planted the Spanish ensign in the sand
at his feet and, drawing his sword
exclaimed with loud voice: "Long
live the high and mighty monarchs
sovereigns of the CASTLE and
Leon of Ar&gon in whose name 1
take real, and corporal and actual pos
session of these seas, islands. coasts.
In all time, so long as the world en-
dures and until the final day of iudg-
ment to all mankind"
Of scriptual illusions to the use of
banners by the Hebrew people there
are several verses in the book of Num-
bers in which the children of Israel
are directed when pitching their
camps to rally, each tribe to its own
standard. The ensign of four of the
leading divisions of that host, which,
for forty years marched in the wilder
ness are there described. They were
designated by the component parts of
the cherubin and seraphin. Hence
the standard of Reuben was man
that of Ephriam was an OK that of
Juda was lion; that of Dan, an
eagle. Upon the banner of Juda was
painted together with the lion the in
scription, "Rise, Lord, let thine enc
mics be dispersed and let those that
hate Thee flee Lefore Thee.
And if looking back from his own
period of magnificent success and of
lordly power to the scenes of Isreal &
struggles thereunto, David, the psalm
ist and warrior king could exclaim
Thou hast given a banner to them
that fear Thee that it may be display
ed because of the truth.
| Just as 6ttingly can we say thai
our fiag-the beautiful and significant
banner of the stars and stripes has
been bestowed upon US by the LORD
God Almighty.
All, let it be remembered that IL
the Revolutionary days men and wo