The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-05
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
eY THE REV. FRANK DE WITT TALmAoE, D. D.


 an English school The American youth some weeks later, was standing beside one of his teachers when a visitor asked Who Is that hoy?" He is the son of Richard Henry Lee was the teachers answer Than the visitor placed his hand upon the lads shoulder and said, Boy, we shall sec your fathers head upon Tower hil1' To this the son replied, Yes, you may have 1t when you get 1t! IT Richard Henry Lee for years had been conspiring for American independence he would never have sent his son across the sea to be educated under the domina- tion and influence of the English throne. The Declaration of Independence was written and signed as a last resort and because the British ministry would not listen to American petitions. It was writ ten because King George with the fatmty of royal and imperial natures imagined that he had the right to enforce his will on a people as resoute as himself He believed that it was for him to command and for them to obey and that their pro test against taxation without representa- ton was wicked rebellion against diyinely constituted authority It was written be- cause our forefathers believed that in struggle for right and Justice God would be on their side, though they had to con
 
 selves.
 Enoland's Mistake.
 Standing here, in this year of grace 1903, with our hands upon this venerable and sacred scroll we may learn the mighty lesson that the really true, the great the omnipotent and enduring government is not that which rules by force of arms, but by the all conquering power of justice and of Justice alone This is the histor1- cal teaching of Englands mistake in 1776 We have now great nation, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the gulf of Mexico to the great lakes--a nation of over 7O,O0OOOO souls. But our peo- pie will remain a great nation only so long as they are an honorable and an hon ored people. Beware of the legislation that would make one law for the rich man and another for the poor man. Beware of the law that would send an ignorant criminal to prison and yet permit a brutal ly selfish coal baron to traffic in child la bor Beware of a social condition which makes 1t possible for capital to starve and grind down labor while labor with an honest heart is ready to give capital full days work for a fair days wage. Our laws should tolerate neither tyranny of capital nor tyranny of labor. but should afford equal protection to both and facil- itate mutuality of interests and friendly relations between them. Il is only when a government honestly tries to administer equal justice and afford equal protection to all It's subjects that 1t gathers the robes of immortality about it's Joins. When a government, by unwise laws and adminis- trative neglect. makes possible the en- slavement or oppression of its seemingly helpless ones such a government is paw ing the way for it's own disintegration Had King George II been a wiser ruler and had Britain tried to be as just to the thirteen colonies in 1776 as she is honestly trying to be to her colonies at the present time our country might have remained the brightest jewel in the Brit ish crown. Would that our own land profiting by this great lesson, so closely interwoven with our national birth and childhood, might always be just to the helpless, the weak and the poor, as we'll as to the rich, the influential and the strong.
 Strength in the Right.
 The strength of our present government is due to the fact that 1t tries to be Just to all it's people. irrespective of class Ours is a government" said Theodore Roosevelt in a recent speech, "of liberty through and under the law. No man is above It. and no man is below it. The crime of the cunning, the crime of greed. the crime of violence-all are equally crimes and against them all alike the law must set it's face This is not and never shall be A government of the plu- tocracy or of the mob. It is as 1t has been and as it will be, a government of the people, including alike people of great wealth, of moderate wealth. the people who employ others, the people who are mployed-including them all. protecting each and every one If he acts decently and squarely and discriminating against any one if he Goes not act squarely and fairly, if he does not obey the law While all people are foolish If they violate the law or rebel against It. wicked as well as foolish. but all fool ish-yet, the most foolish man In this republic is the man of wealth who com plains because the law Is administered with impartial justice.' May God al- ways continue to give to us for the office of chief executive men who are presi- dents of the whole people, who will see that the government is not a Wall street hireling, or gigantic monopolizlng trusts employe who will protect the rich as well as the poor, black as we'll as white. Jew as well as gentle. woman's virtue as well as mans honor; who will not cringe to class, but who will pro- tect and guide all honest people alike!
 The Declaration of Independence proves the power of inherited charac- ter. l am not nearly so much impressed with the surnames which have been placed at the foot of this important doc ument as l am by the family names themselves. When l mention certain names there seem to cluster about them many other names. John Adams Who was he? He was our colossus in de- bate, wrote Jefferson. But as I speak the name of John Adams, I speak also the name of Samuel Adams, John Quin- cy Adams, Charles Francis Adams, sem