The Tupelo journal., 1911-07-07
True
Patriotism
By REV. DAVID F. NYCREN
Pastor Of Swedish Baptist Church
Hinsdale. III.

0QSI 90 OF ShitSblhdo ~ o.
WI find many persons who revive
their allegiance to religion, SO We find
a strenuous attempt on the part OF
many to resuscitate their sleeping pat
riotism, which they express In a great
measure by fire and smoke, the her.
itage Of u warning ancestors.
| would first say that this ought and
ought not be so, all depending on
what we mean with patriotism. Ii
patriotism be of the right kind, we
would indorse it. If to be patriotic
means to be loyal, not to a mere sell
fish cause, but to a general high ana
noble cause, then we indorse It. Our
dear ~. 8. A." though large, is not
large enough. We would have the
whole world. nay, more, all the
worlds; yea. the heavens, too. AS
true servants we would be interested
In all the possessions of our Master.
Christianity does not encourge par
ticular patriotism In opposition to gen.
eral benignity. II it did, 1t would not
be adapted for "the world" The du-
ties of the subjects of n state would
often be in opposition to those of the
subject of another, and men might in
flict evil or misery upon neighbor ma
tions in conforming to the Christian
law.
Christianity is designed to benefit
not a community but the world" The
promotion of the interests OF one
community by injuring another-that
is, patriotism in opposition to gen
eral notwithstanding utterly
rejects as wrong.
Still would not a doctrine Of gen
eral patriotism be rational? We would
answer in the Affirmative. And Chris
tianity Toes not appear to encourage
the doctrine of being a citizen of the
world" and of paying no more regard
to our community than to every other.
That O to the natural and virtu-
Gus feelings.
II it were put in practise, 1t would
destroy confined benignity without eff
fecting a counterbalancing amount OF
universal philanthropy. Who indeed
shall support and cherish and protect
a child If its parents do not?
That speculative philosophy is vain
which would supplant these dictates
by doctrines of generai philanthropy.
1t cannot be applicable to human al
fairs until there is an alteration In the
human constitution. Not only religion,
therefore, but reason and nature, re-
ject that philosophy which teaches
that no mar should prefer or aid IN
other because he is his countryman.
his neighbor or his child,
This is an idle system of philosophy
which sets out with extinguishing
those principles of human nature
which the Creator has implanted for
wise and good ends.
He that shall so far succeed in prac-
Using this philosophy as to look with
Indifference upon his parent, his wife
and his son, will not often be found
with much zeal to exercise kindness
and ~benevolence to the world at large.
But to cherish and support our own
children rather than others; to do
good to our neighbors rather than to
strangers; to benefit our W country
rather than another nation, does not
imply that by so doing we must In
jure other nations, or strangers, or
their children, in order to do good to
our own. Here is our point OF dis
elimination which we will enlarge
upon presently-a point which vulgar
patriotism and vulgar philosophy ave
alike overlooked.
l dare lot stop by saying that the
right kind of patriotism would be to
do good to my nation, and by doing
this, not to do any menace to other
nations. That would just simply be
changing the Golden Rule to nothing.
BY having this kind of an idea
would say: DO nothing unto Others
Then a person In order to be q gen.
eral patriotic" would need do moth
ing"
No, our Christian way Is better; 1t
is the best. do into others, ETC."
That makes a man take off his coat,
turn up his sleeves and go to work!
Not only SO good that n does no
harm; but so harmless that n must
do good! Not only a negative in re-
gard to not doing harm; but so strong
a negative that n becomes a posi-
tive.
In the second place, / would say,
not that 1t ought, but positively that 1t
ought not be SO, in regard to the way
we show our patriotism. As we have
mentioned this expresses itself in a
great measure by fire and smoke, by
noise and a general disturbance; this
being the heritage Of our warning an
cestorS.
The spirit of true patriotism does
not find its expression in boosting of
success In wars which were fought be-
fore we were born.
Reason and experience both forbid
u.s." said the father of our country,
ito expect that national morality can
prevail In exclusion of religious prin-
ciple."
To be true patriots Is to bring the
gospel to every creature, beginning In
Jerusalem, u own land. and then to
the uttermost parts Of the earth.