Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-06-26
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FLAG OF THE NATION.

By Rev. S, 7. Will


Thou hast given a banner to them
that fear Thee, that it may be dis
PLAYED because of the truth. Psalms
4O:4
On the one hundred and thirty
fifth anniversary of our national en-
sign, it is well to consider two facts,
suggested by our text, namely, that our
national banner, like Israel's of old, is
a God-given emblem to men that fear
Him, and that it is to be displayed be-
cause of the truth for which it stands.
No student Of the philosophy Of his
tory will for c moment deny that the
discovery and colonization Of North
America was directed by the guiding
hand of Providence, neither will any
one dispute that the Declaration of In
dependence and the formation of our
government were the actions of men
who stood in conscious fear of the
Lord. Each Of the original thirteen
colonies was established on distinctive
and dominant religious principles. Each
of them sought to know the will of
God, and to do it. In all their dis
cussion of the problems of freedom and
in their reasons for independence our
fathers made their appeal to God and
His truth was written in their hearts.
They looked to Him as their leader and
defender. When liberty came they rec
ognized God as its authOr-giver, so that
the emblem of our freedom was a God
given banner to those who feared Him
and did all in their power to make His
will supreme in the earth.
When George Washington, Robert
Morris and John Ross prepared and
presented to Congress a standard for
the Continental troops and the new
Union of States, every detail In our flag
was made symbolic of truth in its
breadth and beauty and as the proud
herald Of those fundamental princi-
pies our national banner has been dis
played for 132 years.
In the first place, it is the banner of
the Union, the Union of States into a
solid national compact; the union Of
effort to free these States and defend
them; the union of hearts loyal and
true; and this idea of national union
emblazoned on our banner is expressed
in the field of blue on which shine the
stars Of the several States. To destroy
this union would be to reverse the prog
ress Of our history and make void the
struggle and sacrifice of our fathers.
In the second place. it is the banner
of liberty. These States were united in
the cause Of freedom. The struggle of
their common enemy forced them to
unite their efforts in the struggle for
common liberty. The recognized liber-
ty as one of the inalienable rights to
be bestowed by the Creator, and in
the cause of their liberty and the lib
erty Of their children they have pledged
their lives, their liberties and their
sacred honor. Yes, it is the flag of the
freei
In the third place, it is also the ban
ner of bravery. Never in the history
of the world did more heroic men place
themselves upon the altar of patri-
ottsm because they feared God and
recognized the justice Of their princi-
pies, they were willing to sacrifice life
itself. As we look upon the banner to-
day and remember that it was made ex-
pressive of brave and patriotic men,
it recalls the heroic struggles of the
revolution. The red signifies it is the
banner Of the brave.
In the last place, it is the banner of
peaceful possession. Wherever it floats,
our flag is the symbol of sovereign rule.
1t stands for national oWnership-not
Of any party, large or small, but the
ownership of all the people; and as
such it is the pledge of peace. For
back of the flag stand the people, and
back Of the people is God, whose truth
is displayed in its signs and symbols.