Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-05-28
CHRISTIAN
PATRIOTISM

Some seventy veterans, mainly mem
bers of the G.. A. r., marched in a
body to Trinity NJ. f. Church Sun
day morning where the Rev. n E.
Cleaver, pastor, preached sermon on
Christian Patriotism. 1t constitut-
ed the sermon preached annually to
the veterans of the Civil War on the
Sunday preceding Decoration Day. 1t
was splendid effort and will be trea-
sured up in the hearts of the veterans
as one of the best Memorial sermons
that they have ever listened to. 1t
was founded upon Joshua / > and 8 !:
Have not commanded thee, be strong
and of good courage? Be not afraid.
neither be dismayed, for the Lord, our
God, is with thee, whithersoever thou
goest. There shall no man be able to
stand before thee all the days of thy
life. AS was with Moses. so shall |
be with thee. l will not fail thee nor
fOrsake thee.
|
to Abraham Lincoln Notice the simil-
arity of the names) flag of our coun-
try bearing Oh its silken folds the
words | have today selected for my
text. Could anything have been more
appropriate? What could better have
cheered his heart and strengthened his
| ha n,,L h,F Ia; l.
the reiteration of the old time truth,
1.-THE powers that be are ordained of
God.
Thus encouraged from the source
from which all true courage must ever
come, Abraham Lincoln journeyed to
! Washington and took there the oath of
office to uphold the Constitution, but
he registered in heaven an oath of SER
vice to save the union. And Gods
] promise to the first Joshua, who de-
livered the slaves of Egypt, was full
filled to the second Joshua, who de-
| livered the slaves of America. And
the flag presented by Abra Kohn to
Abraham Lincoln tioated in triumph
and glory from every flag staff of the
| Republic
The two thoughts cannot be separat-
ed. True patriotism is Christian pat
riotism. Love of country without be
lief in the righteous cause of the
country is a spark which may easily
| be famed into an anarchistic flame.
| But love of country based upon be-
| lief that God is on our side will in
spire 2, 800, 600 men who enjoyed as
pleasant homes as any people of any
age, who loved their families better
than most people, and priced life as a
gift from God, to leave home and fam
lily and offer to die for our imperiled
Institutions Nor could anything less
| have kept reason from abdicating its
throne and sustained / 10, 900 brave men
who suffered and starved and died in
rebel prisons.
The two thoughts. love of God and
love of native land, duty to God, and
duty to country, you, the survivors of
| the victorious army of the civil war,
have combined in the customs of the
Grand Army of the Republic, lst, in
Decoration Day, and 2nd, in an an
nual day of worship in the public
sanctuary. The first you had not the
honor to introduce. A handful of
Southern women went out in the
month of May, and placed few flow
| ers on the graves of their beloved
soldier dead. The women of the north
looked on wondering that an idea SO
beautiful and appropriate had not been
suggested to their own hearts. Straight
way the idea took wing. The soldiers
of the war rapidly forming into what
is now known as the Grand Army of
the Republic. took it up and spread it,
until at length i'll 1868, John A. Logan,
then Commander in Chief of the
Grand Army, issued au order which
established the custom to assemble on
the 30th day of May within the num-
erous Gods Acres that dot our cOun-
try Ger, wherein lie buried all that is
mortal of our absent comrades, and
garland with flowers their graves,
while paying tribute to their valor
and their worth. And hence each year
we meet, not around newly made
graves but among those around which
nature has already strewn the mem
orials of her love. Above every tomb,
her sunshine has smiled, her clouds
have wept, over all she has hidden
some grasses nestle, some vines creep;
and the butterfly, ancient emblem of
Immortality, spreads its wings over
every tomb.
Along side of this custom, in late
years has grown up another custom,
that of entering once a year,as an org
anization the sanctuary of God, to
render there unto him the homage
which he of right demands as the
great Architect of the Universe, the
preserver of nations and the Saviour
of men.
My one prayer today, and my only
ambition in the result of this service,
is that what as an organization you
have done, as individuals you may do,
that love for country may be united
with love for God, and that duty to-
ward both may result i'll service as
faithful to your God rs was your SER
vice to your country.
You will be told that the great Civil
War has passed by, its great armies
are disbanded, its tents are struck, its
camp fires are put out, its muster rolls
are laid away, but il is my privilege
as minister OF the gospel and in this
sacred temple to tell you of another
| army, the army of our soldier dead,
whose numbers no presidential pro-
| clamatiOn can reduce. no general order
| diSband. The cemeteries are their