Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-01-07
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. CORTLAND MYERS.
Theme: Uncle Sans Mark on the
World.

Cortland Myers, pastor of the Bap.
tist Temple, was appreciated, was
evident from the large audience
which filled every part Of the Associa.
ton Hall of the Bedford Branch OF
the Y. M. G. A. DR.. Myers theme,
also, was popular, being: Uncle
Sans Mark on the World" He said
among other things:
When I was asked to come here
and tell you something of my recent
tour around the world it seemed an
impossibility, there was so much &c
be said. Where shall man begin OF
end? Well, we crossed this CONT.
nent, which Is In itself enough fol
one tour for any man; we visited the
Hawaiian Islands, touched at the
Philippines, saw China, Japan, the
Malay Islands, Burmah, India, Cey.
lon; then through the Red Sea, past
Arabia, to Egypt, to Palestine for the
second time, across the Mediter
ranean, through Europe and Great
Britain and finally home to America
Gods own country!
The one thing that we noticed
everywhere in the world was that
there has been a tremendous amount
Of progress, and that the progress OF
civilization has been greater In the
last ten years than in the hundred
years previous; and that the greatest
element in this worldwide progress
Is the influence of American institu'
lions and ideas. The eyes of the
whole world are turned to the Amer.
lean Republic, the worlds purest and
greatest democracy. The civilized
nations of the earth are interested In
the things we have here, and they are
saying: "We must have the same
things as America; we must know
the principles Of the American denoc.
racy, and we must apply them to our
own governments.
In the past few years Japan has
adopted and applied the principles
of democratic government, and China
has awakened and is demanding the
institution of democracy, and God
only knows what is going to take
place there. The Empress of China is
dead, and thank God she Is, for
though she was a remarkable woman
worthy to be ranked with Catharine
of Russia or Queen Elizabeth Of Eng.
land in many respects, her policies
have been dealing death blows to
any chances for advancement which
China may have had in the past. We
do not know yet what the outcome
will be, but, in the province Of God,
we believe that mighty and marvellous
things are soon to happen in that vast
and ancient empire, and especially in
the next decade. Already the un.
heard of and we'll nigh inconceivable
thing has happened. AS the result Of
what has transpired, the Chinese PEG.
pie are demanding a constitution
and they will get it sooner or later
1t Is the same in India Lord Mimic
the Governor-General Of that colony
Is writing back t. England that its
$50, 100000 natives are demanding
representation and a greater share in
the government of their land, and all
the English newspapers and period.
icals are talking about the possibility
of mutiny on the part of the Indian
native army of 100000 men. which
will make Lucknow and the Sepoy
rebellion look like child's play. The
watchword Of the people is now
india for the Indians, with repre-.
sentative and constitutional govern.
ment!" Persia has caught the spirit
of the Western World a1d clamors
for similar rights. The Turks, the
Young Turks and all the Turks are
saying: 1--WE will have constitutional
government" and the Sultan knows
that they are going to have it, In
spite Of the fact that his promises are
not believed and his efforts to put il
off as long as possible.
Now the greatest, the most potent
Influence In all this worldwide agi.
tation for liberty and human rights
Is the American influence of which
have spoken. When we were com.
ing through the Mediterranean, we
met one Of those ignorant fellows on
constantly displaying their ignorance;
and he said to me: Have you seen
that picture back of you on the wall?
Well" he continued, that ia the
greatest and finest clubhouse in the
world" His mother told him to just
keep STILL but he went on talkiLe
about 1t, showing his ignorance, till
his mother Informed him that it was
picture of the home of the Presi.
dent of the United States; then had
my turn and / said to them: "Yas
that's right! That's the biggest club.
house in the world; that's the home
of the Big Stick" That big stick
has had wholesome influence over
the entire civilized world!
My friends, the one great mark
that Uncle Sam has pat on this world
and an around the planet is the prin.
ciple Of individual responsibility.
This is the mark of civilization, and II
is the mark, especially, of Christian
civilization. The mark of heathenism
is the clan, the tribe, the class, the
family. the bunch; 1t puts lot OF
heads together, and when 1t has them
all together, they don't amount to
much anyway; but the mark Of civil.
tzation Is the individual man, his
rights and his responsibilities. To
the citizens of this country of ours,
Uncle Sam says: you are citizen.
kings; you have a crown, wear it;
you have throne, climb up on 1t;
your have scepter, WELD 1t; you
have an individual responsibility, use
it," That Is the glory of a Christian
civilization; that lies at the centre of
1t, and 1t reaches to the very core OF
the religious life of the citizen: that
Is the fountain-head out Of which all
the streams of his life as a citizen
must flow; it is principle, more
over, which comes to us directly from
the teachings of Jesus Christ, and a
mans personal relation to Jesus
Christ Is what brings him into right
relation to Cod This is the heart of
the Gospel, and 1t is the secret of the
Christian civilizations of the world.
Jesus said. "1f man will do His will,
he shall know of the doctrine" If
you want to take the right path, you
will not be long in learning what the
right path Is. Mans condition does
NOT dpDpnd m tha uIJoction IF ,,,op,o