Norwich bulletin., 1916-11-20
CENTRAL BAPTIST PASTOR
 SPEAKS ON PATRIOTISM

SPEAKS ON PAT RIOTlSM The New Idea in Patriotism Was His
 Topic at the Sunday Evening Ser
 vice.
 At the Sunday evening service at the Central Baptist church Rev. Joel B. Slocum. D. D., spoke on The New Idea in Patriotism. In part Rev. Dr. Slocum said:
 That i- the new idea in patriotism: to bear one anothers burdens-in- ternationally. The old idea has been to bear one another's burdens nation ally. If you will look up the word patriotism in the Standard diction- ary, you will find this definition; Love and devotion to one's country; the spirit that originating in love of country, prompts to obedience to its laws. to the support and defense of it's existence, rights and institutions. and to the promotion of it's welfare"
 In that entire definition there is no mention made of the other fellows nation. But it is because I believe the day is coming when patriotism will be regarded as something greater than mere love of ones own country that I venture to ask you to consider with me the theme of the evening The New Idea in Patriotism.
 In the first place. is there a need for a larger and higher patriotism than the world has hitherto known? For answer I have only to refer to the fact of the present international conflict that is enga ging nearly all the nations of Europe and involving prac- tically the whole world. The need cannot be disputed. Well then, is Not so much of demand as one could wish. But here and there a voice is raised. It is somewhat significant, possibly 8 little amusing that some of the nations that at present are en- gagged in the great war and are ad- vertising themselves to be terribly shocked by the awful sacrifice that is being made and are pleading for an international appreciation of the value of human life. are the same nations that little over two years ago boast ed of the glory of war and in the of ficers' mess rooms lifted their glasses to toast The Day''-the day when they would meet their enemies and crush them. These very people have grown very conscientious, all of a sudden, as to the need of a new val uation of human lives. All the same, their professed desires should be re- garded as an indication of the drift of public opinion in the direction of an international patriotism.
 Why is it desirable that nations should put this new note into their devotion to their own countries? Be- cause economically, socially, educa- tionaIfy, and religiously, each nation I is bound up with all others in the great structure of international life. Formerly it was the idea of the trime and later of the nation-to utterly destroy the other one. it's enemy. And l that same spirit has characterized this present war. From the viewpoint of the entente allies Germany and its all lies must be crushed-not simply subdued. From the viewpoint of the central powers England, especially, must be hopeless1y broken and for ever shorn of it's power.
 In the old testament history there I is often revealed this vindictive spirit. | In one of the Psalms attributed to David it is declared: Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land." That. by the way, would be a discouragingly large con- 1 tract in our day.
 sBut I cannot help feeling that the world has made some progress in the l application of the doctrine of broth erhood. t-
 1 Or, am I wrong and is it true that 1 the old conception of patriotism is
 good enough? Surely there can be 1 no wrong in cultivating love for and devotion to ones own country and all i that that involves. But the question 1 is, has not the time arrived for a 1 larger mission of each individual na- l ton than simply developing its own l life and conserving it's own interests l My insistence is that that time has arrived. There is, grant,, no imme- diate prospect of the new patriotism going into effec tsoon. It would, ot course, stop the war; and I do not prophecy one way or another in re- gard to that. But it is time that the nations should begin to gee that they | exist not as mere ends in themselves; l that they are not to continue to plan and execute wars for the extension ot I their own commercial interests as op- posed to the material progress of their l neighbors whom they regard as their | enemies. It is time that every na- ton that calls itself Christian should I realize that it has 8 mission outside of itself. That it must do it's part in l the great work of the world, As an i economic transaction. the taking over of the Philippine Islands by the | United States was a poor bargain l but as a piece of missionary work in l helping weak and ignorant people | 1t win ever remain one of the most beautiful events recorded on the pages ! of our national history. The same I thing Is true in the matter of the pro- l lection that we gave to Cuba A na- ton has accomplished only part of its sacred mission when it has developed I it's own resources. educated and pro- tected it's own people. It owes a duty I to all other peoples in the sisterhood I of nations.
 This, then, is the new idea in pa-
 triotisn, to make one's own country
 glorious in its shops, in it's homes,