The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-03-16
PATRIOTISM.
A Peaceful Challenge to It's Advo-
Gates.
- York Evening PostO

iNeW YORK Evening FosLJ
For many years / have carefully
studied the popular idea Of patriotism,
both as a sentiment and as a practical
truth. My conclusion is that there eX-
lists a great deal of misrepresentation,
and i feel prompted at this time of
special patriotic fervOr TO present my
views. / invite, and even challenge,
any of your readers who do not agree
with me TO prove that / am in error.
J. There is not in any part Of the
Bible even a sentence. that requires or
Jusuhes patriotism"
?. The sentiment called by this name
is like the word which expresses II, Is
probably of heather origin.
3. The usual definition Of patriotism
is love of country" The man who
seeks to learn what this phrase means
and to carry out its teachings in his
life attempts a hopeless task.
4. Ii is an exaggerated form Of sell
fshness and is one Of the devils most
successful devices 10 deceive and mis-
lead the human race.
8. 1T is, in fact, a delusive method Of
inducing a violation of the sixth COM
mandment-"Thou shalt not kill'-and
is practically in opposition to the spirit
Of the other nine.
6. Ministers and others who teach
the coordinate obligation of religion
and patriotism have no warrant in rea-
son or Scripture, and the practice
largely accounts for the diminished
moral tone and tendency TO skepticism
among the people.
9. The religious organization which
sends missionaries 10 foreign nations
10 preach the gospel Of peace and good
viii and the duty Of self-surrender and
obedience to God, and rests its claims
for support on the value of the hui
man soul, and at the same time ap-
proves Of and advises Its members 10
enlist for war, occupies a position so
absurd as to be. essentially grotesque.
8. No man has a right TO risk his
own life which is a trust for which an
account must be rendered. except IN
the effort TO benefit his fellow men.
g. The claims of the state are IN
feriOr to the claims of God, and should
be regulated by our relations and OBJ
legations to him.
TO- The continued life and prosper
ity of nations depends primarily and
lndlspensably upon righteousness.
IL. No government has a right 10
make a training for war a fixed en-
pl0yment for its citizens, and every
man who thus devOtes his life violates
divine law and jeOpardiZes his happi-
ness for eternity
u. The maintenance of a navy, eX-
cept for police purposes, such as may
be required TO suppress piracy or other
open violations of human and divine
law, cannot be justified.
10. IL follows that the study of the
art Of war In military and naval aca-
denies has a demOraliZing influence,
and that the tendency is TO blunt the
moral perception and unit men who
pursue it for useful lives.
a. II is a disgrace TO Christian peO-
pie that men who have eXcelled in the
deceptive arts and brutal destruction
Of life. limb and property involved in
war should be hailed as beuefactors.
treated with exceptional honor and
often placed in high official positions.
Is. This high estimate of the merit
and proper reward for military service
disparages self-denying men and
women who cOnsecrate their lives TO
the effort 10 lift up and save their
fellow men, and makes a false stand
ard Of excellence.
16. 1t places brute force above moral
worth, fosters wOrldliness and low
ideals, and ignores the fact that a man
Is TO be judged by mind and heart, and
that what he thinks and how much he
loves Is the true test Of worth
II. A nation that maintains a great
army and navy 10 be Indispensable for
protection dlsregards the Bible require
ment of trust I'm and dependence on
God, and eventually viii reap a harvest
Of disappointment ana humiliation.
Is. The teaching of patriotism" in
public schools is illogical and harmful
and VIII lower the tone of citizenship
with the coming generation. The salu-
tation offered a piece of bunting called
the flag is a form of idolatry
19. The true patriot interprets "love
OF country 10 signify love for the peo-
pie who are in IT, He viii express this
feeling by a special interest in their
welfare and effort TO make them the
purest noblest and happiest among
the nations Of the earth. This love win
necessarily expand into a worldwide
love, for an men have a common
origin, need, nature and destiny.
JOHN c. HAVEMEYER.
YOnkers. n. Y. 1903.