The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1912-07-27
I rincples More
han Life
Pathway Of American History Written in
Blood and Sacrifice.
IFE is dear to all Of US. and the

eoAOAS RANANSARhNl,t etAS - q Sr~N~-i
treasure than life. Somehow or other
1t seems that all great principles have
made their way up over the sacrificed
lives of martyrs in the right. The
pathway Of American history Is writ
ten In the blood and sacrifice OF the
fathers from Plymouth Rock to now;
30 of the Church. The torture and
the stake have been the steps to the
freedom of religion from the shackles
OF religious tyranny. What a wonder
full path the path Of history is! When
man or woman loves principle
more than self or life, there will be
an effort to establish 1t. Had not the
founders Of our State and Church
stood for the principles Of free gov.
ernment and conscientious action in
religion, neither our present glorious
State or Christian civilization would
ever have been attained.
Religion is nothing without the
truth. Ancient history shows that
all teaching, philosophy and worship
were false and vain without revela-
tion. All the progress Of modern
times in the greatest nations of the
world is due to the presence and spirit
and influence of the truth of revelation
and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So,
when this is committed to us with this
Injunction, go We into all the world"
1t Is not for us to question expense,
labor or results. Our work and mis-
sion Is to act. This refers to women
as well as to men. And, indeed, this
experience Is essential to the develop.
ment Of a true disciplineship in each
individual man or woman Hence we
urge upon laymen and laywomen to
identify themselves with this noble
cause. First, for the sake Of the
truth, for the sake of the kingdom of
God. that it may be spread abroad
upon the whole earth. And then, Gee.
ond, for the reflex influence upon
yourself. This kind Of work is ne
cessary for the development of the
truest kind Of religious spirit. II
we are not working for others or for
the kingdom, we grow selfish and dim.
inish our personal enjoyment Of relt
gion.
Barriers to Success.
Activity is as essential in religion
as in physical and mental growth.
Loving life and loving self is our
greatest barrier to success in all I'm,
dertakings, and as well in religion.
Had our fathers and mothers in the
life of the Christian church of the
State loved their lives more than the
principles for which they stood, what
would have become of civil and reli..
gious liberty? Now we can look all
prophets, and apostles, and coming
down through centuries we find along
the pages of history the lives of saints.
patriots and martyrs that went out on.
the altar of principle. Men and women
Of the twentieth century, the principle
Is the same. We must take an active
part In the development Of character,
patriotism, church work, and the
spread Of the Gospel If we are to save
the nations, the Christian church, and
even our own lives. Principle must
be elevated over life.
This is the greatest and most mo,
mentous age in history. If we ars
ever going to ave the world, 1t must
be now. Over the graves of patriots,
heroes, prophets, martyrs, apostles and
missionaries may be written these
words: "They loved not their lives
unto death. Patriots bleeding, wound.
ed, suffering and thirsty and faint lay
all day and night on the battlefield or
behind prison walls that you might en-,
joy goodly country and prosperous
and happy life and home. Saints and
martyrs have gone to death with songs
and prayers on their lips that you and
/ and coming generations might have
the truth.
Shall we not be true to these things?
Shall we not maintain this noble char
acter as a sacred heritage? This Ia
ii. ! measure OF heroes and saints.
These are the men and women who
have made history. They are the an
cestors other nations and ages worship
as deity Shall not We stand, then,
where they stood and for the same
thing for which they stood? Shall not
we Join the great Christian forces, and
start on in fhis splendid life? WIN
we let all of this burden fall on others?
Shall the work cease, or will we rally
to the rescue? What is your response
today? Morals, truth, religion and the
world need the missionary spirit more
than anything else We need 1t in So
niety, politics. the world and the
church. And perhaps more than all In
the Individual heart and In the home.
we must quicken the Christian church
and Its members until they reach the
spirit of sacrifice and Of forgetting of
self. Men and women who will rem
resent great religious interests and
stand for them in the great moral and
religious issues Of this century. are
needed.--Rev. J. M. Reimensnyder,
%. D.
Coda Handlwork.
lfpg n X. i.