The sun., 1916-11-26

sin. And there - such . thing - ma
tional sin. These national or climatic
moral qualities arc what develop the
individual. The viii to power when It
becomes an Obsession in Q nation hurls
that unfortunate nation into ruin. but
when the will to power 10 governed by
principles Of morality and guided BY
intelligence II becomes q tremendous
energy which urges . nation forward
for good.
II the church stand aside from these
momentous spiritual Developments II
might a. well close its doors.
I believe that God 10 interested In
human life in it, entirety. I believe
that every man must be spiritual and
moral, and that II will DO him no harm
II occasionally he exhibits a CLEAN OF
intelligence. not only in his church but
In all other relations. For this reason
I am not willing because am q
preacher to surrender one iota Of my
duties or my rights a. q citizen and q
man.
And since there have been public
references to my status "a an Amerl-
can citizen and even limitations that
I, as n born In the land Of the Maple
Leaf, have possibly been Influenced by
British environment. I would say a
personal word.
am an American citizen. Every
drop in my veins on both sid Is New
England Yankee. My people came to
this country In the Mayfower ana tho
| home Of my ancestors in Massachu-
sets has for go years been In the
| possession Of the family and It still
| remains.
was born In Nova Scotia. In a coun-
try composed almost entirely Of set
tiers Of New England stock. ! was
cared among a people whose ideals
md principles were those OF an
America which they believed to be
,cxt to the kingdom OF God.
There are a million Canadians In
| his co%untry-a million Americans IL
| Canada. 1t Is a fair trade. The Amer
| cans In Canada are neither hyphen-
atee moi neuters. neither are the Cana
dams in America. James j. Hill and
| Simon Newcomb were none the less
GOOD Americans for the fact that they
were Of Canadian birth. nor were
| Charles NJ. Hays and Sir William G
Van Horne less loyal Canadians be.
cause they were born In the United
States.
At the age Of IS I FIRST came to thi,
cuuntry, later I became q naturaltzec
c.tizen and for twenty-one years o.
NY mature manhood I have been IL
the service Of the United States as d
minister Of the Gospel in several OF
her great cities.
' As man and citizen, then, l claim
the right to speak TO my fellow clti.
zens and fellow men. As a minister
would defend my right to express
opinions on political and moral ques'
lions from the pulpit. I point to the
precedent established by spiritual lead
ers throughout the ages.
Martin Luther was a great states
man who laid the foundations of a ma
ton, %expounded great political prin
ciples and created a language for
people.
John Knox had his part in tho build
ing of Scotland: Cromwell was soldier
statesman and preacher; the inHuenc,
of the minister Of the Gospel Is show
In the entire political and social fabri
Of our civilization.
Should the voice Of Roger Williams
founder and builder OF Rhode Island
have been silenced for uttering tn
principles OF American political an,
spiritual liberty? Jonathan Edward
and Cotton Mather were not DUN
when they felt that what they nigh
utter from their pulpits would be
guide to their fellow men. Should job
Witherspoon. Presbyterian ministe
and a signer Of the Declaration Of In
dependence. have held his peace in tn
days which tried mems souls2
As long. then. as I believe that IN
spirit OF God is in the world L sha'
} hold that the pulpit should speak fear
lessly on all great questions whic
touch the lives OF men and affect tn
ideals Of a nation.