Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-12-15
by Rev. HARRIS J. Harrin1fc


by Rev. HARRIS J. harrington.
"If l forget thee, o Jerusalem, let
my right hand forget her cunning. II
do not remember thee let my tongue
cleave to the roof Of my mouth; If
prefer not Jerusalem above my chief
Psalms, 1877: 5, 6.
Motives make men and men make
history. Love is the most powerful
of all possible motives, as well as the
most godlike. There is nothing more
beneficially potent for the shaping Of
the character Of people than that
principle of love which we call patriot
ism. For the true patriot is such a
one as loves his land more than his
own life.
The greatest need Of any nation Is
that she shall always have the patri-
OTIS of peace, the men and women who
can live for their land as well as those
who can die for 1t, who are moved by
the devotion that does not have to wait
for the drums throb to arouse 1t.
Plain, common duties are most divine;
everyday religion is the finest and
most sublime sight on earth and plain,
ordinary doing Of ones duty may be
the most glorious and heroic form of
patriotism.
Under the plain and simple life may
lie the most glorious motives; in the
heart of the man who tolls like a
drudge may be heavenly visions, max
ing the drudgery endurable. In the
soul Of the patriot who serves his land
by standing for her laws, by filling a
plain citizens place, by the dull round
of daily duties well done, may be the
stirring vision of her yet unrealized
glory.
The vision is needed; the patriot
must not forget Jerusalem, the city
of the great king. He would as soon
forget his daily bread or his skill in
labor. He cherishes the vision when
the law conflicts with his liking as well
as when the land lays its wealth at his
feet, when taxes are due as well as on
Independence day, when the rain falls
on the election day as well as when
the great football game lifts up ma
tons thanks to Almighty God. He
would as soon expect to lose sight Of
the glory, the eternal honor Of his land
as that his right hand should lose its
cunning or his tongue become dumb.
The need of our day is men who will
seek to realize the vision in themselves
We have enough who will not cease
from telling others what they ought
to do; we have enough reformers; we
need more realizers. 1t is good deal
easier to fight to make other people
good than it is to stay at home making
efforts along the same line yourself.
1t is a good deal easier to fight for
some principle than 1t is to apply that
principle rigidIy in your own life.
Sacrifice is never easy. 1t was no
easier to leave the old home in a uni
form than it is to leave the cozy fire.
side in rain coat to go to the primary.
1t was neither easier nor harder to be
a brave man on the field than to be
brave man, loyal to the right, in the
factory or at the polls.
The man who lodges the assessor 10
cents worth would dodge the recruit
ing officer in the day Of the nations
crisis. The trouble with all these peo-
pie Is that the love of self swallows up
every worthy love. The selfish man
cannot be patriot. He alone can find
life; he alone can find liberty; he alone
can love his land who has learned the
great lesson Of willingness to lose his
life