The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1917-05-31
PATRIOTIC SERMON
Rev. Father Willenbrink Delivers an
Eloquent Memorial Day Ser
mon at Catholic Church.
Church Decorated With National Flags
and Bunting A Very Large
and Attentive Audience.

st. Edwards Catholic church was
taxed to it's utmost capacity to care
for the large audience assembled
within its walls Sunday to listen to
a Memorial day sermon by Rev. FIR.
Willenbrink.. The interior of the
church was tastefully decorated with
flags and bunting and fragrant spring
flowers. Seats were reserved in the
front pews for the members of the
G. A. R.. and the Woman's Relief
Corps. Every seat was filled and
many stood up. Rev. FIR. Willenbrink
delivered an eloquent and highly pa
triotic sermon which was most att
tentively listened to and thoroughly
enjoyed by all who had the good for
tune to hear him. We take pleasure
in reproducing the reverend gentle
mans remarks in full:
Render therefore, to Caesar. the
things that are Caesars, and to God
the things that are Cod Matt. o.
ST.
Honored Veterans, Beloved Brethren:
1t is most commendable regulation
OF the Grand Army of the Republic to
annually attend religious services in
body, and thus to testify to the world
that you worship not only at the shrine
OF your country but also at the altar
OF God. 1t is public profession of
your faith in God, the Lord of heaven
and earth, the Ruler Of peoples and
nations, upon whom we ali depend
and from whom every blessing flows.
TO acknowledge Him as the sovereign
Master, to offer Him the tribute of
loyanty and alteration, is the sweetest
privilege of the intelligent citizen, as
it is also his first and supreme duty. :
Loyalty is the watchword of the
hour; loyalty to God, loyalty to coun-
try. These, the foundation stones of
great and lasting nation; these, the
two strong arms that must protect and
defend our beloved land; these, the
two mighty beams, reaching to the
skies, forming the ladder upon which
we must climb to our heavenly home:
the love Of God, and the love of fell
lowmen.
What nobler theme can TODAY en-
gage my lips, what holier sentiment
thrill our hearts, how better voice your
convictions and mine, how proclaim
more truthfully the teaching of the
Goldman, nailed to the cross for the
love of man, than to re-echo again and
again the first lessons taught us by
the banner of heaven, the Christian
Cross, and Old Glory, the peerless
flag of our nation!
And need we look for motives?
Gaze over this fair land Of ours
blessed as it is beyond any other coun-
try with the best gifts of God with
its wonderful beauty and bountiful
natural resources, its countless inland
seas and rivers and vast fertile fields,
teeming with food that might feed the
world; behold the towering mountains
piled high by the benefcient hand of
Providence, with untold wealth for
our needs and comfort; see the thous-
ands of happy homes and industries,
peerless boon Of liberty! What loyal
Son of America, considering all this
can refuse for moment, to bow in
greatful acknowledg cement to Him who
so blessed this nation; at the same
time, who will not feel thankful to
those noble men, who have laid down
their lives in it's defense that we might
possess and enjoy it; enjoy it, indeed,
bent under the iron heel of some des-
pot, but as free and happy beings, will
ing subjects to the laws of God and
country.
How very proper is it, therefore,
that we should observe Memorial day,
the beautiful festival instituted by our
nation to honor the noble warrior! It
is an occasion that bids us remember
the American soldier who in the dark
days Of the rebellion babe farewell to
home and all that was dear to him, to
go forth to battle and die, that, this
nation might live, that it might be
ours, that justice and equal liberty
might become the common property
of all the oppressed of the world that
seek refuge on these blessed shores.
Nor are we unmindful OF. the many
heroic deeds, so cheerfully rendered by
those who were left at home, especially
that of the patriots mother, who, by
giving the child Of her bosom to the
sacred cause, gave her all, and thus
proved again what we all have so well
HEARTFELT, -ClldC o. G1uS 1I1Ot1SIE . - uSaTC5
shrinks from no duty or burden, and
so resembles most closely Him who
chose the. bitter cross on Calvary's
brow, that salvation might come to us
all.
Grateful as we are, beyond question,
for these blessings to God and those
who have borne the heat Of the day,
perhaps not all of us haye4been able to
grasp the full meaning Of Memorial
day, until the. present hour, that bids
us listen to the bugle call from the
watchman's tower, warning that in the
distance danger is again raising his
ugly head to<wipe sweet liberty from
the face Of the earth. It is an hour
that must prove our unfinching loyal
ty, our undying devotion to our coun-
try's cause.
It is not ours to pause, to question,
to falter, but to obey the orders Of
IrightfuIy constituted authority, our
administration. So speaks to US the