Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-03-21
PATRIOTISM.
A Peaceful Challenge to Advocates.
Reprinted from the New York Evening Post anu
The Yonkers Statesman.

both as a sentiment and as practical
truth. My conclusion is that there
exists a great deal of misrepresentation
and [ 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.
15t. There is not in any part Of the
Bible even sentence that requires or
iustifes ''patriotism,
I'd. The sentiment called by this
name, like the word which expresses
it, is probably of heather origin.
5. The usual definition of patriotism
is Glove 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.
4th. 1t is an exaggerated form of
selfshness and is one of the DEVILS
most successful devices to deceive and
mislead the human race.
9Th. 1t is, in fact, a delusive meth
Cd of inducing violation of the Sixth
Commandments shall not kill
and is practically in opposition to
the spirit Of the nine.
9th. Ministers and others who teach
the coordinate obligation of religion
any patriotism have no warrant IN
reason or rupture, and the practice
largely accounts for the diminished
moral tone and tendency to skepticism
among the people.
9TH. The religious organization
which sends missionaries to foreign
nations to preach the gospel Of peace
and good will and the duty of self
surrender and obedience to God, and
rests it's claims for support on the
value Of the human soul, and at the
some time approves of and advises its
members to enlist for war, occupies a
position so absurd as to be essentially
grotesque,
0th- No man has right to risk his
own life, which is trust for which an
account must be rendered, except in
the effort to benefit his fellow men.
9th The claims of the State are in
ferior to the claims of God, and should
be regulated by our relations and obi
cations to Him
10th. The continued life and pros
per1ty of nations depends primarily
and indispensibly upon righteousness.
11th No government has a right
to make training for war a fixed en-
Dloyment for it's citizens, and every
man who thus devotes his life violates
divine law and jeopardizes his happi-
ness for eternity.
18th. The maintenance of navy,
except for police purposes. such as
may be required to suppress piracy or
other open violations of human and
divine law, cannot be justified.
18th. 1t follows that the study Of
the art of war in military and naval
academies has a demoralizing inhu-
ence, and that the tendency is to blunt
the moral perception and unfit men
who pursue it for useful lives.
18th. 1t is disgrace to Christian
people that men who have excelled in
the deceptive arts and brutal de5truc-
ton of life, limb and property involved
in war should be hailed as benefactors.
treated with exceptional honor and
often placed in high official positions.
10Th. This high estimate of the
merit and proper reward for military
service disparages self denying men
and women who cons ectrate their lives
to the effort to lift up and save their
fellow men, and makes a false stand
ard Of excellence.
10Th. 1t places brute force above
moral worth fosters worldliness and
ignores the fact that 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
18th. A nation that maintains a
great army and navy to be indispensi-
BILE for protection disregards the Bible
requirement of trust in and dependence
on God, and eventually will reap
harvest OF disappointment and humili-
alton.
18th. The teaching of patriotism !"
in public schools is illogical and harm
full and will lower the tone of citizen
ship with the coming generation. The
salutation offered a piece of buntir g
bo L1oo 10