The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-01
RELIGIOUS LESSON
OF PATRIOTISM
Rev. Mr.. Simpkin DiSCourSeS
Upon Lessons Drawn From
Recent Exercises.

The topic of the patriotic sermon at
Phillips church last evening was THE
Religion of Patriotism" A good program
of music preceded the sermon, in which
Mrs. Bessie Browning, Miss Claudin Holt,
Misses Edith Walker and Austin. Mrs
Dangerfield. Joe Brown VIII Shields and
W. 3. Mccartney participated The mes
sage of the evening was addressed to the
need for emphasizing the lofty side OF
patriotism. which is found alone in the
altruism OF national life.
warm tribute was paid TO the men
whom the nation has been hOnOring in
the public exercises of the past few days.
The stalwart company of those who died
to make men free said ParsOn p. 4.
Simpkins, the pastor, "Or who lived after
the sacrifice of war TO give their best
to making freedom an exalted privilege IN
the sacrifice of duty is deserving all the
lavish praise of a free people which reaps
the harvest of what they sowed in the
scarlet burrows of devotion.
But, after all, the generous heart of
our America glories not in the achieve
ment of that wrath so terrible which they
poured out.
I'VE pass by that which was the first
result of their doing in victory to re-
member the motive and the spirit of that
they wrought.
Instrument of God.
ct believe their service furnishes an
example of religious patriotism. for at
the very heart of all they wrought and
endured there was this conviction: That
the national life was a providence and an
instrument of God making liberty in the
earth and holding the practical side of
the eternal truth of mans brotherhood
close enough for all mems reading and
understanding. They toiled not that their
fOemen might know defeat. but that in
victory liberty as an organized spirit of
life and service might not perish from the
earth.
Patriotism is not an essentially Chris
ton virtue. The nations on the other side
Of the NaZarene's life knew that intense
devotion, which makes sacrifice for coun-
try a mad joy TO the lover of his land.
cover against Balaklava stands Their
mOpylae. The answer to Flodden Field is
yOndet in a hundred places where men
dared gladly TO die for the homeland.
Long ere we came into national life to
strew flowers over the sleeping heroes Of
our pride, Greece lived to gather from far
places the bones of her heroic dead and
in costly caskets of cypress laid them to
them usie of her matchless eloquence to
rest in the soil Of their own dear land.
Patriotism often Differs.
mo one who has read the literature Of
the last two years to catch the Samurai
spirit of Japan. as shown by her sons in
the late eastern conflict, can oVerdraw
of the mikadO And yet il is true that
patriotism differs from patriotism as one
star differs from another star in glory.
The pagan patriotism that is but an
enlargement of the savage defense of
tent and wife and flock from the ma
rauder is not ideal. The admirable devO-
ton to ones nation that makes a fatal
istic sacrifice of life for it under any
condition of war is little better.
THE only patriotism that is truly reli-
81
sages that have qutckened the race in the
struggles upward, is that which finds
the national glory in the ideals of serv-
ice and sacrifice. The cheaD emotion that
is effervesced in the roar of mo-
ment's applause at a finely turned SEN
tence or the flash and glitter of a parade
is too shallow TO be Of value. The true
patriotism is that which is the QUIET
perhaps matter of fact, attitude rooted
in a full appreciation of all ones land
means as an instrument of God in the
earth, and its flower is in the alert readi-
ness to find either dying or living for it
i'm lofty motive. glory of life. The
religious patriotism is essentially that
of humanity and brotherhood. The mar
row view of Greek and Roman that found
all other life barbaric having nothing in
common with its own ideal and destiny
was unworthy.
The Wider View.
THAT wider view lying in the plain
assertions of the declaration and consti-
tuition which makes man the fun man
everywhere is but a platform for altru-
istie sacrifice to make the leveling up of
true progress the end of our labor
And this is undeniable-that the spirit
which led the fathers to endure and pay
the price. which led the men of the last
generation to give themselves in the con-
flict glorious for freedom and union. was
(iOd-bOrn. inspired by the Christ message
and ideal. And much. therefore. of the
patriotism of our history has been relig-
ious. because of the motives that shaped
the years. The great error lies in think
ing that this patriotism is only found
amid the thunder of battle and in the
places of wars sacrifice. The fact is that
the lack of patriotism is seldom there
But in the quiet days of peace, the temp
tation is to forget that in the common
things of the days. in the simple duties
OF citizenship. in the things of market
place and office. of school and home
there must be the same core of devotion
to an ideal of service rather than an. idol
of selfishness. For by the thing that
makes the warp and wool of simple liv-
ing, the mosaic of the fretted days, there
can be spoken most truly that love which
purifies and saves that devotion TO hui
I. til.