The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-06-04

| their lives for the nation, we ask: Was
| this great and precious sacrifice made for
| national unity alone? And as we ponder
over the question there comes back the
| answer: Nay. 1t was more than ma
tional unity. II was nation being purged
| from its sin-the sin OF slavery and op-
| preston.
BENEATH the soil of the nation rests
- the sacred dust of her defenders.
Their lives have been lived. their mis-
sion wrought out, their duty accom-
plished. and succeeding generations
have moved upon the scene of the ma
firmed and intensified that which the
nations heroes achieved. Their part
is to be the cloud Of witnesses for the
nation, our part, who live and remem-
Der the deeds which have made their
memories glorious, Is to feel the thrill
Of inspiration from the past, and to
resolutely and bravely assume the obli-
CATION Of the present. Those who once
were the heroic actors upon the scene
of life have passed away. How the
Memorial day reminds the nation of
this. They are no longer the strong
arms of the nation. and the loyal
hearts, but they have become the spec
watching the living actors to see the
part they play. The figure which Paul
gives us in our text Is of tha Roman
arena. About on every side in the
seats of the spectators Is the cloud of
witnesses. In the past years they had,
run in the arena of life and achieved
nightly for truth and Righteousness.
Now others have taken their places,
and they are watching with intense
and absorbed interest to see how they
in turn will run. 1t Is an inspiring
picture. And appropriating the
thought for the nation, here Is Its
great cloud of witnesses. How well
they have run the race of life. How
nightly they have wrought the ma
tons deliverance and given 1t the
promise of glorious destiny. And
now, having passed up above into the
place of the spectator-the cloud of wit
nesses-they are watching you and me
to see how We will run. They are look
ing to discover how the sacred trust
imposed upon us is being discharged.
INSPIRATION comes to us from the
past, and the present brings its sacred
and precious obligations. What that
inspiration Is We know as we read and
remember the glorious deeds and brave
lives which have made this nation what
it is to-day, What that obligation is
must in large measure be determined
by the individual for himself. Our text
furnishes a suggestion as to what that
obligation in its general bearing is. Lay
aside every weight, and the sin that doth
so easily beset you, and run with pa
thence the race that is set before you.
Paul urges. The athlete contending for
the prize Is before Paul's vision. He
sees him strip for the contest. He sees
him lay aside everything that might
hinder him in running; yea, and for days
and weeks previous to the contest he
knows that that runner has kept him
self from every indulgence which would
nerve and will of their power to hold
him steadily and earnestly to his task.
And he knows, also, that that runner
does not expect to win the race at one
bound, but that he is going to patiently
keep his feet treading the arenas path
until the goal Is reached. All these we're
the obligations which rested upon that
contending athlete, and there are obli-
cations resting upon every patriotic son
of this great nation. The obligation to
lay aside every weight. To put away
the sin that so easily besets one and
honeycombs the life with weakness and
disease. To patiently pursue the course
laid out before him until the goal is
reached. What are some of the weights
which may hinder you and me running
well for the nations good?
EIRST of all, think we may put
l. selfishness as the greatest weight
which the individual and the nation is
carrying. From it arise myriad Of
other evils, positive in their nature and
destructive in their tendencies. 1t is
selfishness which establishes the liquor
man in business; 1t is selfishness which
brings monopolistic and industrial OPP
preston; tits selfishness which makes
every man seeker of his own pleasure,
gratiier of his own appetites and
lusts, and an Indifferent witness to the
evil and wrongs and suffering about
| him. Selfishness stiles true manhood
it destroys loyal, faithful citizenship, il
| paves the way for corruption and crime.
Analyze the great perils and the great
evils Of the day, and see IL they do not
have their root in selfishress. 1t was
selfishness (the supreme thought of sell
and what self wanted) which brought
sin into the world, and it is selfishness
which keeps sin steadily az its awful
task of running mems lives and de-
stroying their souls. But to specialize
further, there are intemperance. reck.
less love of ease and pleasure In Its
myriad forms land how ingenious are
the devices and schemes of the Devil Il
lead the human race astray these days.
| e.. nd f1r