The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-03-20

ports 1.-The IIoly Bible. whose prInci-
pies are founded on the everlast.
ing laws OF truth: and the bible and
the flag would soon fade into the
mists of obscurity unless they sup.
ported the emblem of equality; for
without equality neither the flag
nor the Bible could long endure.
The Fraternal Order OF Eagles,
though often misunderstood. never
theless. supports our nation and
christianity. but we quarrel with
no mans religion and no mans
politics.
"The highest example of equality
Is the recognition of the right OF
another to worship his God accord
ing to the dictates OF his own
conscience. Why should we
quarrel about our faiths, and de-
clare that this Is right and that Is
wrong, when all religions are and
OF necessity must ever be fundamen.
tally one and the same. the worship
OF superior being, the Great Faith.
err of all, in every age adored by
saint. by savage, or by sage.
Jehovah, love. or Lord.
"Cuit wars with cult, and sect
with sect, while all unite to damn
the Independent worshipper yet
every man bends the knee or
breathes a prayer TO any God of
whatsoever name; every Egyptian
bowling. ut Isis Fanes; and every
Phoenician sacrificing unto Baal:
every Gueber worshipping his God
OF fire: and every Christian follow.
ing the sacred cross; every Per
uvian adoring the rising sun: and
every Evangelist agonizing ut the
mourners bench are members OF
the same Great Church. They may
ancredit their gods with different
attributes and worship them In di.
verse ways: but their faiths. when
stripped OF non-essentials, are one
and the same-their deities are
Identical. The sacred books OF all
the centuries. OF every race and
cline constitute the Holy Bible OF
humanity. All prophecies and
prayers are but the half-articulate
voice of the world crying for light;
the frantic effort of man TO learn
whence he came whittier he goes:
TO lift the veil that shrouds the
two eternities-to see and know.
I gather them together-the Old
Testament and the New. the Alcoran
and the yedas. the Northern Sages
and the Southern Mythologies: |
search them through: not to soon,
but to gather. with reverent soul.
every CLEAN of light that has been
youchsafed TO man. read the
revelations and ponder the prophe-
cies; listen once again to the
voice In the burning bush and the
mystic whisperingsl OF the Dodona
oaks; J. descend into the Delphic
cave, or stand with uncovered head
to hear the voice Of Memnon answer
to rosy fingers Of the morn; |
sit with Siddartha beneath the
Bodhi tree and follow the prophet
OF Islam IN all his pilgrimlngs: I
stand with Moses on Sinia's flaming
crest and listen TO the prayer of
Christ In the garden of Gethse.
name, then go forth beneath the
eternal stars-each silently pouring
It's stream OF sidereai fire into the
great realm of darkness--and they
seem like the eyes of plying
angels, watching man work out.
little by little, through the long
ages, the mystery of his life. .s,-
And the Fraternal Order OF
Eagles believes in exemplifying
towards all mankind n spirit OF
charity. was once waiting for
train In small Dakota town.
where everybody turns out TO see
the cars come In. A big clustering
fellow well filed with booze, was
making himself generally obnoxious.
and the village constable approach.
ed him quietly and tried to quiet
him. Instead Of subsiding. the
boozer whipped out big sLNsbooter
and begin 20 blaze away at the re-
preventative OF the peace and dig.
nifty OF the state The constable
threw his hand to his hip. but
instead OF pulling his gun. sprang
forward. ,disarmed the hoodlum.
cracked him over the head with his
own battery and sent him about
his business. The officer looked as
shamed after the melee rs though
he had stolen a sheep or scratched
his party ticket. remarked that
he had taken unnecessary chances.
What would you, have donef he
Inquired. Il replied that would
have filed the fellows hide 50 full
OF holes that IL couldn't be stuffed
with straw. We'll said he slowly. !
KUN rretty nigh doin II, but !
Just thought as how II t'want Jim
ashooting. but his jag. and then |
seemed 40 see his. kids ahanging
on the gate awaiting for him to
come home. and his wife aworrying
about him, and ] just couldn't do
Il. ! took chances for them? In
voluntarily removed my hat. I
felt that was in the presence Of
q God.created king. You're a
philanthropist,' ] said. I don't
know what them be maybe. Mr.
said he, but am glad Jim's gone
home alive, darn glad