The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-03-28

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a HE Sign of the Cross, or
- - Christ symbol, so widely
displayed on Easter day,
is an emblem which
holds a more prominent
r. 7 place in American her
aldry than is generally
GA known. It has been
identified with our his
tory as a nation from
the beginning, and forms
three of the prime elements In the
flags of the United States navy. A
red cross in satire is typical Of
guardian; blue satire cross means
danger; while blue Latin cross sig
nifies the service. devotional or church
flag. The last mentioned flag came
into being Immediately after peace
was declared between north and
south; and ever since 1856 1t has
been accorded precedence even over
the national banner, on certain occa-
sions. 1t is the only pennant which
at special periods can and does float
above the Stars and Stripes.
The flag is triangular in shape and
white in color, upon which Is blazoned
in blue Latin cross. Just before di.
vine service commences on board
ship of war the Christ emblem is
thrown to the breeze. Its white back.
ground is symbolic of purity; the blue,
or azure, signifies virtue and godli
ness, and the cross is emblematic OF
the Savior of mankind.
Chaplain Evans of the United States
steamship Minnesota writes as fol-
lows: THE flag (service) flies proudly
above the national ensign during d.
vine service, and proclaims to all in
sight that the only true patriotism Is
that which has God as its author and
which can be sealed with the stamp
of approval by the incarnate God-His
Son. To the chaplain whose heart Is
in his work, Sunday is his great day.
There is always a celebration Of
Holy Communion at a. m. BY the
courtesy of the admiral this is held
in his after cabin. to which all Off
GERS and enlisted men have ready &C.
cess. Communicates of all Christian
bodies are invited to attend, and there
is always a good attendance. At
1890 a. m. the bugle sounds church
CALL the church pennant is flown
from the mast, and the ships bell is
tolled Then the official divine serv-
ice is held. OF necessity the altar
is a portable one, the pews consist
ing of the mess-benches, with chairs
in front for the officers. The service
never lasts longer than fifty minutes.
and consists of prayer. song. and
short, plain talk. Sunday afternoon
there is Bible class, and every eve
ming there is a prayer meeting. At
$50 on the Sabbath the band gives
sacred concert for one hour, always
closing with Onward Christian Sol
diers' and 'Adeste Fideles.'
From the foregoing extract from
Chaplain Evans letter It will be seen
that the standard bearing the Cross of
Christ is granted official recognition
and pre-eminence by the federal gov.
ernment at stated intervals. This
may 6OSIn LTluS INCONSISTENT W0en
It is remembered that our Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution
Of the United States do not recognize
any religion. Yet 1t does not appear
so strange when the evolution Of our
continent and republic is taken into
consideration; and we are confronted
with evidence of how numerous were
the Christ tokens in the various flags
which floated over land and sea ere
the Stars and Stripes became the su-
preme emblem of the western world.
Even the alphabet of the navy de-
partment in which peculiar her
aldic emblem form charge upon
single flag. the letter IN" is a white
satire cross in blue field; a golden
Latin cross is the letter r." while a
red satire cross is the letter "V."
This further indicates how the Christ
symbol. the cross. has woven itself
into the heraldic and patriotic es-
sence of the history of the nation.
The cross OF Jesus was indeed early