The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-05-30

brethren but as objects of prey tC
crafty some lust; or who can lool
upon his country, its offices, law anc
institutions not as a rich heritage
for the mutual blessings Of all its cit
lzens, but as means unto selfish
personal endY II the answer to insult
ed manhood could be left alone to oul
hopes we would hear "no such mar
in this fair land breathes mott" bul
how true manhood Is put to shame by
the answers from the Investigations
at San Francisco, land fraud cases,
trusts, criminal records, saloon bust.
ness, etc which reveal that some
men are yet dead to the nobler in.
stinots Of manhood, and ungrateful
tor the sacrifice OF heroes.
Paul In Romans 81 speaks of per-
sons who Lnew God yet glorified Him
not as God, neither were they thank.
fu,, but becme vain In their reason.
ing, and their hearts became harden
ed and became slienated from God,
then he tells OF their steps downward
from "unoleanness" to "vile pas.
sions" to "reprobate mind" to lowest
moral depths. That dark Iicture Ia
no less true as to mans citizenship.
When we know, which we do, the ten
cts OF our country, and do not try to
gloIify our country by trying to keep
its tenets inviol,te, and are not CRATE
tul to the heroes who preserved them
for us, our hearts will become hard
ened, and we will not feel the impulse
of patriotism, and we will not shud.
der at the depths and mire and stencil
of civil unrighteousness into which
We gradually but surely sink.
What is yet to be done that the "un.
finished work" mentioned by Lincoln
may be completed, and this nation be
indeed "of the people. by the people
and for the peopleY"
By your sacrifice from 1861.5 you
forever crystalized as civil truth,
the truth mentioned by Paul In Acts
Ii :26; and you put In our constitution
the first "selt evident truth" men,
toned In the declaration OF indepen-
dence. That "unf1inishe work "may
be completed by US by crystalizing In
the mind, heart, conscience and life
of man the truth mentioned by our
Saviour and recorded in Matt. 23:l1,
until no insignia of greatness and
honor te recognized in this country
but true service; and that property,
position, ability, etc., be Eadge OF
dishonor unless such are used for the
betterment OF man.
This unfinished work" calls for
men today who have the courage and
conviction Of Christian conscience.
Huxley at one time said that "edu-
cation consisted solely In Tearing the
laws Of nature and training ones self
to obey them. "But after more ma
sure thought he said 81 am seriously
pei picked to know by what practical
measure the religious feeling which 10
the essential basis OF conduct was to
be kept up without religious train
Ing" So would we have that moral H.
beI that will enable us to complete
the unfinished work., and make
this nation indeed "for the people,
We must have our religious nature de-
veloped, and our moral nature aris-
ing towards the standard set by God
In Christ Jesus, and conscience that
can come only from the teaching OF
Him who 9rst taught the golden rule,
who taught us how to love our neigh
bors as ourselves, who first said "love
thy enemies" and taught US how.
From revelations of today we know
that shafts OF greed, selHshness, in
temperance, pride, partyism and lust
are being hurled against the unsus-
pecting and the very tenets of our
government.
Now ignorance upon our part OF
these, nor lack OF feeling of personel
responsibility and duty will not meet
the demand Of the hour to stay the
hand Of the oppressor, the anarchist,
or human vampire. Ihis ravage OF
disused, of moral aud civil blood must
be met by active, moral and civil
purifiers or this country will suffer
the sting OF decay aud death.
We Individually must be conscious
of the fact that II the unfinished
work" Ia completed we must not be
content to just enjoy our civil HERTZ
age and do nothing in open violation
to it but that we must arise above
simply selfish interests, and ease, and
sectional, and party prejudice, and be
citizens first, and business men, men
of ease and partisans second. But
that we may arise to this demand we
must have a conscience so enlightened
by the Son OF Righteousness that 1t
will noG be mere whispering of our
breast, but derived from God, 80 10
would be more rational for us to seek
peace and happiness In the rack, In
prison or in death rather than In do
ing wrong. Then we will have that
moral fiber that w'll not only forbid
US to stoop to that which is low, but
will enable US to stand for right In
every time of need.
Christ is the captain that calls US to
this front ranks, and every impul 70 OF
love OF humanity, country, home sand
honor call us to volunteer.
What a grand sight to see this ma
tion enlisted ''to keep step with a
perfect heart" for life's battles with
Christ as leader; TO see each individ-
ual arising In the moral atmosphere,
like some moutain peak, rejecting
the glory of the Righteousness OF
Christ; to see our nation with the
Christian armour on, willing and dar-
ing to sacrifice all II need be, but
conscience and principle.
Oh May we ever remember that our
life blood is the nations life Elood !;
our conscience the nations con-
science; oLr courage the nation g
courage; our Righteousness the ma
tion's Righteousness. Yea that the
currents that make for the exaltation
or degradation of our county are in
our natures and characters; and that
no fountain can rise higher than its
sources, and that the source of our
nations moral torce Is our hearts.
The blood OF heroes secured unto US
this government, its institutions and
privileges, and because Of this pur-
chase price they are too sacred for
base or selfish ends. The blood of
Jesus Christ secured unto us Chris
tianity and all the blessings that it
has given unto US, Christian homes,
laws, literature, nations; and likewise
Concluded on Eighth mage