The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-05-30


and Rome also had their special parts
to play. 1t is not surprising, there
fore, if we find evidence in the record
of our own national career, that God
has chosen us for a definite mission
to the nations of the earth. It seems
providential that our nation was
planted in this new and unhistoric
land. In Europe the atmosphere was
filled with the sitting poison of alb
solutism, and it's soil was soaked with
the blood of unholy wars and perse-
cutions. Here, however, with it's free
dom from hampering traditions, the
land lay ready and open for the great
experiment in liberty and democracy.
Ever since our nation began its in
dependent career it has been an OBJ
ject-lesson before the eyes of the
world, encouraging the oppressed and
downtrodden in other lands to cast off
the shackles that have held them so
long. It inspired the French to de-
molish the structure of absolutism and
strive to realize the ideals of liberty,
equality and fraternity. Its leaven
has been at work in every nation the
whole world over. And today the
power of the democratic ideal is mani
Testing itself even in China, Persia
and India.
The text, therefore, sets forth not
only the mission of Jesus Christ. It
indicates also the peculiar national
mission which God expects US to full
fill. It is our special province to
stand before the world as the realiz-
ing guarantee and dissemination of
the responsible freedom and equality
which the gospel proclaims as the
birthright of all men. We can see,
then, why the colored sergeant's
words were not so inaccurate after all.
For what did he behold as he gazed
upon the flag? Did he see merely a
piece of red-white-and-blue bunting?
Would it not be nearer the truth to
say that the flag appeared to the in
stinctive eyes of his soul like beau
tiful veil through whose meshes
CLEANED the Banner of the Cross?
Would his words have thrilled his
hearers, would they thrill US as they
do now, if it were not that the Stars
and Stripes stand for the blessed
things which the text proclaimed to
the exiled Jews in Babylon, and which
Jesus emphasized with so grand an
expansion of meaning? Why, for
what did you veterans enlist in the
Civil War? Did you 60 because you
were drafted, or because bounty was
offered you? Did you enlist merely
because popular fever had infected
you? We're you actuated only by SELF
interest or desire to protect your
families? 1t is true that there we're
drafted men, bounty men, adventures
and "coffee coolers" in the ranks,
but that is not surprising. In spite
of the various motives that we're
operative among many, is it not true
that you were swayed by the highest
patriotic ideals? And am I not right
in saying that these are Christian
ideals also? It is because you yielded
willing obedience to these ideals that
it is an honor as we'll as a duty for
us to observe the annual day of me-
mortal for the service and sacrifice
which you rendered in your country's
hour of need. But is this all that
duty and gratitude demand of us?
What are we of this generation doing
with the heritage that has been pre-
served and transmitted to us?
There is call for us to render as
great service and sacrifice as was de-
manded in the days of 81. We must
wage war for our country now. This
war requires as much heroism and un-
selfish sacrifice as characterized the
days that are gone. Evil and unrest
are rampant all over the land. Class
hatred seems on the increase, people
here and there are setting themselves
up as better than their fellows, selfish
and greedy men are depriving others
of their rights or grow rich from the
proceeds of vice, and corruption is
prevalent everywhere. Think of the
conditions existing, for example, in
San Francisco and Chicago. Are
these merely the exaggerated imagin-
ings of magazine writer's? Why, the
half has not been told. Wherever,
therefore, a man raises the standard
of truth and Righteousness, there it is
our duty to rally and be ready to
sacrifice even our lives in the conflict.
In closing I would urge you to look
upon our country's flag in the sacri-
mental light. It is the most beautiful
national flag that the world possesses,
and it's colors are symbolic of divine
things. The blue stands for Gods