The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-06-30

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Il
the going out from this peaceful an
prosperous city of those companie
of brave men, our friends, and neigh
bors and kindred, in answer to tn
summons of the'nation.
The task of defending this vine
yard has suddenly become a life ant
death matter to certain men who
having taken serious account Of thei
obligations, have placed thereto
their signatures and have taken thu
solemn oath of the soldier.
This act was deeply emphasized
before the eyes of thousands of the
men and women and children o.
Owosso Saturday morning when ar
hour after sunrise we babe farewell
to our soldier boys. The hearts o,
the people we're stirred too deeply
for much cheering. 1t is we'll. Their
| hearts ought to be stirred and we
ought not to let this day Of Sabbath
worship pass without an earnest eff
fort to think of what is our part as
well as theirs in the service that shall
keep the vineyard Of our America
safe and fruitful.
There are three splendid impulses
out of which the security and enrich
ment of our nations heritage have
come. These are the impulse of pos
session, the impulse of loyalty and
the impulse of remuneration in per-
sOnal service.
By the impulse of possession, we
have all helped to make our nation
rich and powerful. BY the impulse
Of loyalty, we have recognized the
right of the whole people to claim
whatever you or I can render as our
share to make more secure and more
Of worth the common lease of life.
But the impIise o.; possession and
the impulse of loyalty come to a yet
higher expression in the impulse of
remuneration. BY this deep call of
the spirit do men find themselves
commanded and they obey.
When such an act is actually IL
Illustrated in the midst of a commun-
ity like ours by hundred forty men,
we would be strangely dense and
hard of heart if we did not feel our
selves moved to the depths by it.
How shall we share with them in
this experience?
First, let us honor them. That Is
no small compensation in xhe lease
of life to receive the honor, the re-
spect, the "well DONE of our fellow
men. From the president of the
United States as we'll as from the
humblest citizen of Owosso is lifted
today testimony of honor and con-
fidence in the boys of the National
Guard. Let us give them evidence
of our confidence and honor not
merely in a demonstration of fare
we'll but as often as opportunity Of
fers let us show that our eyes are on
them in pride and loving trust.
Let them know it, I say. Write to
them in that spirit. Make their hearts
strong with the words of your faith.
For such messages as these, the boys
who have never been under fire before
will prove themselves heroes because
of your faith and mine in them.
Second. let us help them to bear the
burden of renuncistion in whatever
way we can. In the hour of the ma
tons unpreparedness these men, many
of them all unprepared for the burden |
involved, are springing into the breach
They and their families must not suffer
Nor must this problem be left to the
generosity OF the few. It belongs to
the whole state and ought quite rightly
be solved by legislative provision.
Meantime there will be ample oppor-
tunities in every community for those
fragrant and blessed deeds of thought.
ful kindness to the lonely wife or par.
ents of the far off soldier. How con.
tagious of all the virtues is heroism!
The newspapers all over America are
preaching the gospel of honor, appre.
citation, helpfulness and good will in
response to this one great act of the
huuuIcu tuousduo mcu, Iue ICdC6 ull-
tia of forty eight states
Third, There is greater demand
upon us than that of honor and of help
fulness. After all why should these
men go and not other menu Because
they are members of the militia2 That
is, is it right that they should 90 be.
cause they volunteer to go? Yes, it is
right that they should go since some
one must go and others will not or can
not CO. But am convinced that there
is nothing right or just or democratic
in the volunteer system. 1t Is & prem
ium on sel6shness and cowardice and
unworthily bestows special privilege
of immunity upon the unpatriotic
How long it has taken a great free ns
ton of individuals such as we to see
that we have been following the wrong
PATH The universal right of citizen.
ship ought to carry with it the uniyer
sal duty to help preserve that citizen
ship. And this universal duty should
also lay upon the government the duty
inseparabl, from it. that of training
our youth in the physical, moral and