The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-10-01
MOTTO OF IOWA
SERMON TOPIC
New Pastor Of First Methodist Prot
estant Church Uses it as Les
son for Loyalty to State
and Nation.

The motto Of Iowa, "Our Liberties
We Prize and Our Rights We viii
Maintain" was the subject of a SER
mon preached yesterday by the Rev.
:. G. Benninger in the First Methodist
Protestant church. The pastor drew
some conclusions in his talk on the
national issues, and found many rea-
sons why Iowa and America should
be fighting for the cause of democ-
racy. He said that there was differ
ence between fighting for the sake OF
lighting, and fighting for just cause.
There are perils Of peace greater than
perils of war, Rev. Benninger said,
and nation that enjoys luxuries and
soft living to the extent of forgetting
its rights and liberties is soon held
in contempt.
When nation can see a smaller
nation despoiled, women and children
murdered. and great nation lawless-
iy disregarding all treaties and rights
OF mankind and not be righteously
angry, such a nation deserves to
perish from the face of the earth.
When at home we can see people fore
ed by poverty into slum conditions;
when we can see thousands rolling in
luxuries while millions, because Of in
dustrfal injustice, are unable to main
tain themselves In state of physical,
mental and moral efficiency; when we
can see trade conspiracies by which
the necessities Of life are priced be-
yond the reach Of the average wage
Garner, and not be filled with indigna-
ton we ought to be branded as cow
ards and egoists. This sermon is not
to glorify war, but to show that under
existing conditions it is more honor
able to die for good cause than to
submit to injustice and tyranny. Our
text is both constructive and defen-
siye, and embraces the same idea as
our state motto. Our citizens should
every one work for the upbuilding of
the state along every line, and at the
same time be ready to defend our
rights. Iowa is great state, great IN
natural resources, great in achieve
NJ ent, great in her history, great in
wealth, and great in her institutions.
We may well be proud Of our schools,
and We must remember that democ-
racy without education is impossible.
1t is a social injustice that pupils
should be required to purchase their
own books, this expense should fall
on all citizens alike, for boys and
girls are being educated not for the
family but for the state. In wars
past and present citizens Of Iowa have
gone out imbued with the sentiment of
our motto, Our Liberties We Prize
and Our Rights We Will Maintain.
Many people, such as the l. w. w.
and other anarchists, mistake license
for liberty. There can be no liberty
unregulated by law. If you attempt
to draw a circle free hand it will be
unshapely, but If you place a peg at
the center and attach a string to this
you may draw perfect circle, and we
are protected in our liberties only
when men are willing to be held with
in proper bounds by law. The but
terfly has the liberty which many
crave, while they consider the lot of
the bee undesirable, but all right
thinking people admire the bee more
than the butterfly, even though the
Bee is held by sterner laws Of indus
try In democracy these laws are
self-imposed through duly elected rep
resentatives, and when laws are I'M
just and oppressive the people have
recourse to changing their representa-
tiyes or-revolution.
Our text says that every one work
ed and held a weapon. There were
no slackers nor German sympathiZers
among the people Suppose a great
vessel is wrecked and a number Of
people put off in lfeboat. They
have water and food enough to supply
them until they reach land, but some
insist on having more than their
share of food, refuse to pull an oar in
turn, and become disorderly Then
the one in authority points out that II
everyone will be satisfied with his
share Of food and will do his part in
propelling the boat and will maintain
order all may be saved, otherwise all
must perish. Thus 1t is with the ship
of state in America today. Everyone
must do his part"