The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-08-18
Read This Aloud.

Under the above caption we found
the following in the Martin County
Sentinel last week. OF course the
prayer is not original with the Sen
tinel, which paper, however, showed
excellent judgment in it's selection:
In the midst of the turmoil of
politics and the mad race for wealth
it is good for the mind and conscience
to turn occasionally to something
truly ennobling and elevating.
Along this line we have seen nothing
Of late more beautiful than Prayer
for the Republic, made by the Rev.
Robert Holland before the recent
National Educational convention. It
can with profit be preserved and read
aloud in every family. We copy in
full:
"Bless, Heavenly Father, we beseech
thee, all who teach thy truth to men.
Thou hast called them to great task.
Thou hast made them the trainers of
civilization and put into their hands
the future of nations. Give them the
wisdom and courage OF their higher
duty.
ESPECIALLY do we pray for those
whom thou hast charged with the
destiny Of our own republic, and who
are forming now the statesmen, the
war captains, the judges, the editors,
the authors, the professions of every
kind, the vast citizenship that will
soon constitute the republics whole
mind and heart. May they look upon
their work as thine.
''Many hindrances are in the way,
perils that might intimidate heroes,
dragon evils to be slain, but thine is
the teacher-soldiery, and thy banner
waves over them. Having taught
them to pray for the coming of thy
kingdom, thou wilt not disappoint
their prayer. Thy kingdom will come.
It comes even now. Every day is one
OF arrival as well as of approach, and
some augury, some evidence. some
cohort of heavenly power appears.
No mere golden haze that hangs over
a far-away time, but a sun in the sky
overhead, which shines both far and
near, thy reign warns and fructifes
our present world. Tokens of it are
on every hand. Men do not hate each
other as of old. National feuds are
dying out. Wars themselves contend
for mercy, and would be merciful.
Schools multiply, colleges prosper,
churches abound. Higher life gains
steadily upon lower: the angel in man
has the beast down, though the beast
still writhes and snarls. If sins look
grosser than ever, it is because they
are seen in a diviner light. They
bulk large to a conscience that is
quick and clear-eyed to behold their
iniGuity. And the same conscience
has thy promise to smite with it's arm,
and to conquer whatever iniquity
it dares to condemn.
BE these teachers it's standard
bearers to lead the youth of our land.
Embolden them in their teaching to
rebuke defiant wrongs-the greeds and
dishonesties and foolish prides of sue
cessful trade, the bounding of man by
man, the lack of civic honor, the
rowdyism and fraud and thievery of
politicians, the grinding of poverty by
wealth, the envy of wealth by poverty,
the anarchy of strikes, the uhsexing
of sexes, the loosening of marriage
ties, the legalized disruption of
families, the laWlessness of house
holds, the chartered atheisms Of fash
ionable pleasure.
"Put thy scourge, O Lord, in the
hands of thy servants, and with it
cleanse city and commonwealth. Whip
out the corrupters of courts. Set
over our courts judges who have
knowledge and who can not be cor
rupted by corporations or parties.
Shut the doors Of jails upon the proud
Williams who scott at justice. Hasten
the day when our rulers shall be pub
lie servants, and public servants shall
not huckster the peoples trust for
private gain. Give parties sincere
principles and a right conception Of
their place in the state, as existing
only for it's welfare, and to be abol-
ished whenever they plot it's injury.
"Advance the fulfllment of pro-
phecy: thou Prince of Peace. More
than once thou hast trodden the earth
in anger. Thou hast shaken it with
wars. Thou hast shattered it's
thrones. Thou hast cast out peoples
from their domains. Thou hast over
taken the crimes of ages with terrible
retributions. So come not now, but
with nail-pierced feet that, while they
bring chastisement, shall draw a con-
trite nation away from doom. And
thine shall be the praise OF our saliva