Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-02-25
A PATRIOTIC
DISCOURSE

Rev r. J. Allen, pastor of ST. Pet
er's NJ f. church, Sunday morning
preached a noble discourse to the P.
( .. 5. of A. of Riverside aud this city,
some eighty of whom were present in
body
The text is found in Palms I21--I ::
" Except the Lord Build the House
they Labor in Vain who Build it,
Except the Lord Keep the City they
Keep it in Vain.
The sermon as appropria'a To- the
near approach of Washington Birth
day began with an eloquent tribute to
the life and character of that Soldier
and Statesman
The truth of the first part of the
text, he said, is firmly established the
second clause is the logical sequence.
As by the will of our forefathers God
builded of and for them this material
structure high and exalted. 80 by our
will as patriots and Christians the
same God and Lord over all will keep
the city in safety What is our will and
pleasure in the matter OF our present
alton: Let us examine our faith and
answer.
The sermon took a very COmprehen-
sive view of life, noting the changed
conditions which have come to pass in
a few years and dwelling with much
apprehension upon the growing tend
ency toward commercialism which is
marked in American life
The heart governs the man and not
the head. A clever man with a bad
heart is a constant menace TO society
and yet to our shame be it said our
public school system makes no definite
attempt TO train the heart Gradual
ly religion, the reading OF TIE Bible,
teaching the commandments, the en-
forcement of moral precepts as of di-
vine authority have given place to
mere secularism. Lest some class small
or large in the community be offended
our schools must ignore the spiritual
side of our nature and teach Us only
how 10 get along. The child's ambi
tion, desires and passions must 90 IN
taught and unframed with never
word on the great subject of duty TO
God. This is tie goal toward which
we are tending Crimes violent and
cunning are on the increase-partly
from other causes, of course, bat large
ly because of a serious defect in the
education OF the child. Something of
vital Importance is missing A sys-
TEN which tails to train youth to the
yoke of discipline aud obedieDce-to
make them strong TO control self and
resist temptation is lacking in some
thing. II 1t fails TO turn out patriotic
citizens. lawabiding men, and women
it fails the nation at crucial point.
What shall we do. Give mp the public
school system and drift back into
ignorance and iIliteracy. God for
bid Make il an instrument for the
propagation OF religious opinions OF
the majority, forcing the children Of
the large and respectable minority to
receive teachings hostile to the opin-
ions of their parents. God forbid
Neither alternative j. necessary. To (
the Ten Commandments a. part OF
the course taught and commented up
on, neither ROmsuIsr. nor Jew could
object.
Our fathers founded rhe RspubHC
upon Liberty and Equality ana ded-
icafed it to the proposition that all
men should have equal opportunity.
but sad to say to day there l. a spirit
rife among as that would stife faith
in the equality OF the race, that would
annul the constitutional amendment
that would brand the immortal Lin
coin 5 Gettysburg and inaugural al
dress as fables and dreams.
The discourse iu turn took up polyg
amy and the other evils which assaiI
our country, explaining what perils
confront u aud the only course lett
open for us if we would wish 20 pre-
serve our integrity a. great and
growing Christian nation.