The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-09-09
TINE ArfhspCAN CITIZEN.
A SernaK preached bv
~ Rev JamSSI. Vance, D.
. D., Newark, N. j., Wash
ingt0n'S Birthday.

Text: with a great sum OBJ.
@ @tain@ed' nee 1, this freedom. "-Acts
The American citizen should
prize his citizenship because OF
its dignity. | do not care to brae
about the bigness of America. !
know we are disposed to gaze
with the eye Of admiration upon
ourselves, and to mistake windy
tulsome eulogieS for patriotism.
Perhaps it were better to remem-
Der that epitaphs are for tomb
stones, and that the nation which
cannot be criticised is in peril OF
decline. The highest type of pa
trlot IS not the Fourth of July
orator. What we need is not so
much limitless Dragging about
Americas greatness, as the calm
and Hirile treatment of the vast
issues our rapid growth presents.
Nevertheless, it is not brag-
ging TO say there is a dignity
about American citizenship which
IS not surpassed. America stands
fully abreast Of the foremost
nations of the world, and her at
titude on any world question is a
matter of deciding Importance.
1t was American diplomacy which
turned the tide in the Chinese
imbroglio. The hero Of the re-
cent Venezuelan disturbance is a
man whose commanding position
in that delicate and dangerous
situation was due to the fact that
he is an American citizen.
Americas greatness is not big
ness. 1t is not the greatness of
force, Of mighty army and for
midaDle navy. It is not the
greatness of despotism, fear, bru-
tality. 1t is not the greatness Of
abigsbully a jumping on a little
child. slt is the greatness of hu-
manitye of moral influence.
AmeeicA's diplomacy is that of
sttieg meTPule, and its greatness
the kind that makes weaker peo-
pie glad.
To be aeisizer of such {ation.
to enjoy its rights, to be lustrous
with its prestige, to live under
its flag, and to be vested with its
franchise, is to be clothed with a
dignity Of citizenship never sur
passed and rarely equaled.
The American citizen should
prize his citizenship also because
of what it cost. The Roman, in
the text, declared with a great
sum he purchased his. While,
like Paul, we are free-born, our
citizenship has cost a great sum.
Perhaps the average American
citizen rarely attends to this. He
takes his citizenship as matter
OF course. Not many read his
tory, and some who do, read it
as critics rather than patriots.
They read it to be informed Or
entertained rather than reminded
of debts.
Perhaps no man is a citizen at
more stupendous cost than the
American; for behind is every
struggle made or battle fought
for freedom in both the old and
new world. Let us read the
story of the wars men have
waged to be free; of the Revolu-
tionary War, and every war
since, against foreign foes, saw
ames on the frontier, and among
ourselves. Let us get some con
ception of the expenditure of
men and means in subduing the
wilderness, bringing order out
of chaos, and cementing national
honds. Let us follow the school
master, the trader, the mission
ary, as they have suffered and
struggled to make human life
safe and kind. If our mathe-
matics can get logarithms large
enough, let us take the sum of
al of this and gain some faint
conception Of what American cit
izenship has cost. Although it
has cost so much it is offered
without money and without price.
J'think it is too free. If it cost
the individual more he would
prize, it higher. Citizenship
should be a prize to be won rath-
er than a date in the calendar.
A man should do something more
chan become naturalized in order
to vote. He should be some
thing more than twenty-one
years old to cast a ballot.
Again, the American citizen
should prize his citizenship be-
cause of itS Drivile0eS The dio-