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

ana pOlIIlcdl Hlc. IHcSe are dil dDoo-
lutely necessary; they come first in the
order of development. No nation can be
great without them.
But they are only secondary in rank.
though they come first in order of time.
| They are means to an end. That end
is the creation of noble manhood and
the noblest manhood must always be
Christian. The gospel of the Nazarene
is the finest instrument ever yet given
manhood; and it is the final instrument I;
we must look for no other.
| Nor does this mean the union of
church and state as in most European
countries; thank God we have no such
encumbrance; and the first amendment
to our constitution provides that CON
gress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof" and God grant
that that sacred tree of religious free
dom having found a congenial soil here
may never be blighted, barked or de-
stroyed by the encroachments of sacred
otlism. 1t does not mean that the
state is actively to propagate religion;
but it does mean that the state shall
create conditions favorable to its prOpa-
CATION, since there is no force so capa-
BILE of producing pure, law abiding,
noble citizenship.
| Christianity, then, is the highest law
for nations, and without it no nation
can ever be essentially great. Happy
| is that people whose God is the Lord.
That America is Christian nation is
in my judgment an indisputable prop
| osition; if not, then there is no Christ
| ian nation on the face of the earth.
| It's laws are founded on a recognition of
God and our responsibility to him,and on
| Justice between man and man. It's Of
| fcers have as a rule been God fearing
men. The principles of Christ are in the
| main controlling the issues of our ma
tional life.
| Far be it from me TO say that there
| is no blot on our escutcheon. The vices
of our social life, the corruption in our
public offices of trust, intemperance, ly-
ing the frequent miscarriage of justice,
the denominations of wealth, and even
of labor are only IA few examples of the
evils that cause the gravest concern in
the hearts of wise and good men.
| But there is no basis for fear, rather
is there every inspiration for hope
Truth is stronger than error; righteous
ness than sin; and Jesus who has been
exalted to the supreme dominion will
yet trample all enemies (even in Ameri-
! ca), under his feet. The millinium may
be long way off. but we are slowly
marching toward it; and in our cabinets,
and city councils, and schools and halls
of commerce and legislation the princi-
pies of love and righteousness shall have
their full sway. God speed the hour!
l come back to the injunction laid
upon us as it was laid on ancient Israel:
BE thou blessing" Use all your
material riches and power for moral
ends. Open your ports wide that the
goods which you have acquired may
flow unto all nations. Let your consuls
and ambassadors abroad be men of JUS
tice and humanity. Let your sailors
whether in the naval or merchant SER
vice exhibit the highest type of Amer
lean manhood. In your relations with
foreign governments be guided by those
great doctrines on which our fathers
founded this republics; and above all let
your sons and daughters go forth to car
ry the Christian message of salvation
illuminating and sanctifying as it goes.
to the darkest povtions of the globe
Then you will be a blessing As when
Constantine saw the cross in the
heavens-an his vast empire became
Christian-so may that same cross, all
luminous with our Fathers love, never
disappear from the armament of our
national life.
l make no apology for these senti-
ments tonight. Are they not appro-
pirate for the occasion. | would fain
tread on the highest ground possible.
Why are we gathered in Christian
sanctuary if not to acknowledge the over
ruling and keeping hand of God in that
deepest baptism of blood through which
this nation was ever called to pass
Be still for moment and know that
am God. All the nations are as grass
hoppers before him. Amid the onward
rush of your earthly life, pause for a
while. Ascend the mountains and think
Gods thoughts. Take in the whole hori
zon. See how you are part of great
whole. Try to fathnm the underlying
divine purpose in the wonderful story of
this nations history and then you will
understand the meaning of that mighty
struggle which begun on the morning
of April IL, 1861, when the Confed
crates fired at the United States FLAG
hoisted on Fort Sumpter, and lasted
through four weary long years. Then
you will understand Why tens of thous-