The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-02

| Moses: anu Tie Sep'uS VI CidI Cohsei-
tuition was essentially religious. All the
forms of their life conferred in and radi-
ated from the Tabernacle. And the one
point l wish to make very definite is
that their political state was entirely in
subordination to the religious. This is
wholly in accordance with what was di-
vinely foretold of them and with the
actual facts of history. Religion is all
that is left of them.
Hebrew commonwealth was, an ideal
republic; hence the model for all states.
It's essential principles have entered in
| to and must enter into the best national
constitutions. God sits on the throne.
Righteousness lies at the foundation OF
his government Justice and love govern
the relations between man and man.
All property-the earth and its fullness
belongs to God, and man is only
steward. Everyone owes supreme moral
allegiance to him; and all things exist
| for the present and everlasting good of
the individual soul.
During the centuries these principles
have often been obscured or blotted
out from the life of states. Despotism
and injustice have usurped the throne.
The many have been taxed and burden
ed for the benefit of the few. The
rights of the individual have been lost
in the high and imperious claims of
the state. The common people have been
forced down to animalism and ignorance
and servility; and joy and hopefulness
have been crushed out.
And what has been the result! Ex-
actly what might have been expected.
The more you dam up a stream, the
greater will be the avalanche of waters.
Draw the bow too tightly and it will
either snap or spring farther back. You
can never dam up permanently the in
alienable rights of human nature. They
will assert themselves finally with all the
certainty of physical law, if not natur-
ally, and peacefully then with terrible
retribution as in the French revolution.
And so history is one long story-a
story streaked with blood of the most
determined efforts to gain personal and
| political liberty. Rebellion with fierce
mein and clinched fist has raised it's
| ominous form, and before it tyrants
have covered and thrones have trembled
and armies have been put to flight. Like
the hero Sampson, it has caught hold
of the huge pillars of the temple OF
despotism and the structure has fallen
into ruins. Illustrations of what has
been accomplished are seen in the Magma
| Charta wrung from the reluctant King
John by the barons of Runnymede, in
the Petition of Rights wrung by the
parliament from Charles /, and in the
Bill of Rights drawn up after the abdi-
cation of James III, all these forming the
chief corner stones of English liberty.
Illustrations, too, are found in that Dec
laration of Independence-affir the
| separation of the American colonies
| from the British crown, and i'll the con-
cessions granted lately by the Russian
ear to people clamoring for release
from their oppressive burdens. And
this struggle is to go on without cessa-
ton until every man has obtained his
| I. hn hnl
has been converted into the Republic of
/ God.
/ take it to be the opinion of every UNI
biased historical scholar that the high
est point in the evolution of this move
ment has been reached by the United
! States of America. This is no idle
patriotic boast 1t is borne out by all
the facts of the case. In no land-not
even in England, which is most like our
own in political institutions lib
ertv under the dominion of law been SO
developed and established as In this
land. Can you think of any land SO
well adapted as a theatre for the work
! ing out of this principle land stretch
ing from lake to gulf and from ocean to
ocean-with every variety of climate
and soil-with boundless forests and
mines of fabulous wealth!
Think too of the splendid inheritance
which our fathers brought across the
seas in the Mayfower-of knowledge
and experience and religion and govern
ment and institutional life. The best OF
the old world was transplanted into the
richer soil of the American wilderness
No people ever had more magnificent
start on career of glory.
That our origin was providential is
beyond all dispute. What God said OF
Israel he as certainly said of America
Il will make of thee great nation
and | will make thy name great" In
material and intellectual respects we are
a thousand times greater than ever
Israel became.
But that very greatness creates moral
|, responsibilities of the gravest kind
Much is required of him to whom much
is given. Where ten talents are bestow-
ed, ten must be accounted for. Sc