The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-06-18


Although the Christian recognizes
his special allegiance TO the Heavenly
King and sets his affections chiefly
upon the heavenly home and feels a
broad kipship with the entire groaning
dred and tongue, he, nevertheless, re-
turning from visit abroad and pass
ing the Statue of Liberty in New York
Harbor, is bound to feel grateful to
God for America, and the torch of en-
lightenment which it has lifted before
the masses of humanity.
Let us not go to the unwarranted ex-
treme of some; let us not call this land
Of the free the Kjqsdom of God es-
tablished on earth Hbut let us on the
contrary realize that with all of Amer
icas blessings and enlightenment and
advantages everyway for both the
poor and the rich she is far from per-
feet! Let us, while approaching our
glorious land, and our wonderful bless
ings therein, rejoice that sHll bet
ter Government and still more favor
able conditions are part of the heaven
~ promise TO the world of mankind!
Let us rejoicingly continue to pray to
the Lord, "Thy Kingdom come; thy
will be done on earth as it is done in
heaven"
"Let Us Think Soberly."
St. Paul urged believers, Let us
think soberly," according as God has
granted to each measure Of his
grace. Hence the Christians rejoicing
is not boastful, but tempered with
moderation. He sympathizes with the
grooming creation in other parts of the
world and does not ignore the faults
of his native land, even while he does
not unduly magnify and parade them.
In all sobernesS. however, Bartholdi's
statue of Liberty Enlightening the
World is true to the facts Of the case.
to recognize the great influences which
the principle of liberty established here
exercises all over the world. When
Liberty was born on these shores,
rocked in the cradle of the Revolution,
it had not kith nor kin in any part Of
the world. Europe alone had civiliza-
ton, but not even it had Liberty Ev-
erywhere the barons ruled and the
masses, comparatively ignorant, re-
joiced to submit. Liberty and equality
and manhood were almost unrecog-
nized.
As L fpA,, 10
a stalwart youth, its influence and ex-
ample shook Europe and threatened to
overthrow it with Revolution as ac
complished In France. And when
finally better counsels prevailed arts
tocracy realized that its days were
numbered, unless concessions were
made to the liberties of the people. II
yielded with good grace, with the re-
suit that the monarchies of Europe are
no longer despotic, but limited, parlia-
mentary; the people have vote and
voice in their own government.
The blessings Of liberty came to Eu-
ropeans so slowly that few of them
probably today recognize how very diff
ferent were the conditions a century
ago, and how gradually the change has
come about The most advanced ma
lions of Europe have only quite re-
Gently granted suffrage to the people,
ana even yet it is under limitations
Nowhere is the standard of manhood
recognized as in this land All the
reforms of Europe of the past CEN
fury, directly or Indirectly, owe their
impulse to the example of America.
AS the sons and daughters Of Europe
by the thousands and the millions
bave come to these shores they have
learned the blessings of liberty and
the meaning Of manhood And their
letters to their brethren at home. filed
with their new conception of human
rights, have had leavening influence
upon the bureaucratic and monarchical
theories and institutions of the old
world. Yes, Bartholdi had it right!
Liberty has been enlightening the
world during the past century!
Gods Mysterious Ways.
1t is not for us to boast, but to think
soberly. Whence came the light of
iipSity . tOICH. we answer unat the
spark was divine. In a certain sense
and degree this spark and torch were
given to Abraham's natural seed, the
Hebrew nation. i'll the Divine Law. at
the hand of Moses. Later the antitype
of Moses, Christ, brought life and
Immortality to light through the Cos
per- message. OF our Lord it is writ
ten, He is the true light which light
eth every man that cometh into the
world" Our assertion, therefore, is
that whatever blessing there is in the
light which shines from Liberty's torch
is the light of the Gospel
Notice the language of our text, "The
liberty wherewith Christ hath made
us free" OF course man, originally
made in the Divine likeness, must
have had the love of liberty in his
very constitution; but thousands of
years of experience I'm slavery to sin
and death have considerably crushed
out the proper conception Of liberty
godlike liberty. 1t is to these sinners
or perverts from the Divine likeness
that the Lord Jesus offers the true lib
erty. Nots the effect that this Gospel
message had upon the early Church.
1t made them peculiar people" II
broke from them the shackles Of su.
DerStitjOn which firmly held their fell