The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-07-09
a FOURTH OF JULY SERMON
u STANDS for Patriotism and :. a..
Day We Celebrate" Should TAKE
Precedence Of All Others
Text: Ps. lao: God hath not deal,
so with any other nation" e'i


once more our people have come
to the day that celebrates patriotism
and the love of liberty. For tbougbt
tui men who are familiar with -.
rise OF liberty, the Fourth of Julv is
sun the golden day in the calendsr of
free institutions. This high dav of
the republic holds many associations
with the two Adams, with Hamilton
ana JEFFERSON, with Madison and
washington, and the holiday has he
come an urn that overflows with CO
cred and perfumed treasure Orr;ro
the first fifty years of the renublic
the Fourth of July was the one ont.
standing day, for Thanksgiving Dav
had not yet been made universal Dec
Grafton Day and Labor Day and the
birthday of Lincoln had not vet been
born. In Athens on the high dav of
the city the citizens arrayed them.
selves in white robes, and wore cir
dies OF blue. standing for civic purity.
Cleaning themselves from all CRIME
the men went forth carrying palm
branches, the marching children car
ried flowers. the maids and matrons
chanted hymns, the priests swung to
and fro the censor filled with incense
When the procession, representing the
strength and beauty of Athens. came
20 the votive altar of the Goddess
Athenae, they covered the white mar
BILE with flowers and perfumed boughs.
Not otherwise did Daniel Webster.
with reverence and increasing solemn
ity, anticipate the approach of the
Fourth of July. To the very last the
thought of independence day suffused
his eyes with tears and filled him
with a tumult of noble emotions. And
for all citizens of the republic today.
this approaching day of patriotism
and liberty should stir civic pride, the
love of country, and the renewal of
dedication of life and gifts to the
cause of the republic, that represents
today the highest hope of all the peo-
pie of the earth.
The Republic No Longer an Expert
nent
Today the president and the repub
lie occupy the center of the worlds
stage.
For years the world has risen up
and retired with the thought of the
republic as arbiter and friend of two
warning nations. Just now our Gun
try looms large in the worlds affairs.
II the presidents figure rises above
the other nations rulers, it is because
he stands upon the shoulders of great
countrymen who are supported by a
great country. Gone forever is the
thought that the republic is an expert
ment! What do you think about free
institutions and democracy" eXclaims
Carlyle. Il think that America is a
place where a few wise men discuss
problems and many fools settle them.
The English premier in 1850 gave us
forty more years, yet, what nation has
grown and prospered more? Govern
ment Is for the protection of life, Prop
erty. family. reputation and liberty.
But surely there never has been an
hour IN the history OF the republic
when the millions were so happy or
so prosperous. or when they possessed
in 50 large a measure their political
and Industrial rights. their social and
civic rights. What Democracy an
experiment? II is the other forms OF
government that are experimental
Autocracy is the government OF one;
the limited monarchy is the govern
ment by the few; democracy is the
government by the many. Today au-
tocracy is experimental; witness Rus
sia-the government may fall any day
Limited government and the aristocra-
cy are experimental Witness Spain
and Austria for them no statesman
knows what a year may bring torth'
A monarchy is a battelship that can
be sunk with a single bombsheh. Inc
republic is a raft and a dozen bomb
shells through each leg Of the raII
would not sink the whole. 1t is easy
10 destroy a government of but one
ruler. It is impossible to destroy a
government where all the millions
are rulers. The most conservative
and prudent and stable government Is
the government of all by all and LOT
all. History is full of the ruins OF all
the other forms of government. Inc
old monarchies already seem like an
Gent oaks. rotted out at the heart, and
no man knows what storm VIII Drlhs
them crashing down. At last the re-
public is avenged. She might even
have the right to turn her face toward