Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-03
FUTURE CITIZENS
ARE URGED TO DO
THEIR FULL DUTY
MI Edgar Wilson Says Question of
obligation Rather Than Privilege
Is Paramount.
NATIONAL SUNDAY Is OBSERVED
rhose Seeking Naturalization Are Spe-
cial Guests AT Special Broadway
Service.

aOn Tuesday We will celebrate indie
i ,.,dence day. We have inalienable
rricbts which must be respected and
~ AT the same time we have IN
Il .o,oded obligations which must be
mlflled. The great question before
ns today. as citizens OF these United
states. is question of obligation
-sfher than Of privilege. An undef1led
srne-tcanisu demands the fulflment
\ n our obligations, rather than the de-
sanse OF our rights" stated Or. ]. Ed
"a Wilson. yesterday morning at
broadway Presbyterian church in his
4 sermon on "Cudefled Americanism."
National Sunday was appropriately
observed az Broadway. DR.. Wilson
/ sad extended special invitations to at
/ ,end 10 those seeking naturalization
Ne himself. Is a native son of Can
sda.
DR.. Wilson took as his text: And
,be chief captain answered, with a
4 great sum obtained / this citizenship
and Paul said. But I am a Roman
born" found in Acts 22:27.
Il The sermon follows: Our text is
\ dialogue between two men. One is a
chief captain: the other is his prison
\ Or One is a man in authority; the
HI
\ son of the Roman empire by adop-
| ton: with a great sum he obtained
his citizenship. The other is a son OF
4 the Roman empire by birth; he was
Roman born.
\ ~Now. the chief captain, the man in
authority. the son Of the Roman en-
pire by adoption, may be called ma
tionalized citizen. His prisoner, the
man in chains. the son of the Roman
4 empire by birth, may be called
\ free-horn citizen. The Roman empire
was his native country. And as a RO-
man born citizen he had certain in
alienable rights which had to be re-
4 spected, even by those in authority
over him Those inaHenable rights
we're personal rights-nOt the rights of
the city. or the state, or the nation;
but OF the Individual in the nation. He
was free-born. And it was not lawful
4 10 scourge a Roman citizen without
trial II was not the privilege Of any
man 10 bind a Roman citizen in
4 thongs. He was under the protection
4 Of Caesar; and he had a right TO APP
peal TO Caesar. The commander who
4 bound him had the same right; but he
had obtained il with a great sum of
money.
Two Classes Here.
| These two men are representative
Il of the citizenship OF these United
l States OF these there are two classes
Those who are American born; and
! those who have obtained their citizen
! ship by immigrating to this country
4 Now, whether we are American born
or not. we have certain inalienable
! rights which must be respected. 1t is
not lawful for any one TO interfere
with our religious devotions; TO de-
stroy our property; 10 besmlrch our
| character; TO employ our children; 10
boycott US in our business. This is d
free country. But, we must not for
get that, the moment our liberty in
lterferes with the freedom Of any other
spersOn-the moment our freedom of
speech. or of action. or Of conduct
robs any other person OF his freedom
Of speech. of action, or OF conduct,
that moment We are called upon to
Submit TO a higher power; for there is
lno power in this land but Of God; and
the powers that be are ordained of
lGod. Therefore he that resisteth the
power withstandeth the ordinance of
God and they that withstand shall re-
ceive 10 themselves judgment. The
law Of the state is greater than the
law Of the citizen; the authority OF
society is greater than the authority OF
the individual; social justice is greater
than personal liberty.
/ Ever since the day when the Dec
laration OF Independence was adopted
on the evening of July 4, 1916, by the
| Colonial congress, Liberty has been
our great national watchword. II has
| been the main theme in the pulpit, on
the platform. on the stage, and in the
press. Poets have sung OF It; orators
have decorated their climaxes with IT,;
painters have given expression 10 II
on canvas; sculptors IN statues; au-
ithors in books; agitators on banners.
They have prophecied: Give us the
liberty OF the press, the liberty OF the
ballot. the liberty Of worship, and
the kingdom % heaven will come.
1 Heaven Still Tnaftained.
But the kingdom OF heaven is not
iyet come. Satan is not yet bound,
lnor cast into the abyss. What Rabbi
Nathan Gordon. OF Temple Emmanuel,
Montreal, Canada. calls The Mes
lsianic Age, is still delayed. When
tasked: What is your attitude to-
wards the Messiah? DO you still look
flor Him?' Rabbi Gordon replied: No,
I've believe rather in a Messianic age,
lHhen the brotherhood OF man shall be
Ian accomplished fact. If I had a for
l;une,' he continued, I would spend It
ia sending men into the uttermost
Parts Of the earth teaching brother
Food. fellowship and social service
| Wen, the brotherhood Of man IS
lot ypt an acCoD, DIighad fact. the