Arizona republican., 1917-05-28
IN THE Al TAR IF SERVICE"
 BY REV. w. {. BUCHANAN

This led to the call that caused you men to leave your homes and loved ones and offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to your country.
 We have met here today in memory and in honor of the men who laid their lives upon the altar to be consumed for their country's sake Their blood and tears have Watered the roots of the violets of peace and caused them to burst forth with their fragrance of union and peace In tender memory, men of suffering and men of peace, may you go to the graves of our be- loved heroes and your comrades and smother them with Gods flowers of peace and love.
 May we ask the question, Why is progress made only by the way of suf- fering? Why does life come only to those who die? Because it is Gods law The mineral kingdom must sur render itself to the vegetable kingdom and the vegetable to the animal and the animal to the spiritual in order to sustain life. The Master Sufferer the Master Hero, has taught us this great principle through his life and death
 Christ's thoughts were not centered upon self, but upon others; he came to help others. he lived for others, he died for others. he is living today at the right hand of God for others. Our Suffering-our presenting our bodies d living sacrifice-ouT fighting the bat ties of independence-wilI be of little help to us unless we possess his love. Paul says: If I bestow my goods to feed the poor and if l give my body to be buried, but have not love (do not think of others) it profiteth me noth- ing" In these words. Paul gives us AL 1tr-1 and be spent for others; We must die that real life can be had. It was this very principle, men of many battles and summers, that created this beau tifu flag of our country.
 There is no flag in all the world that presents the unselfish principles of Christ like our own beloved Stars and Stripes Well may we say that the blue woven in her fabrics is em- blematic of our brave manhood and womanhood; that the white is typical of the pure and unselfish ideals of our country; and that the red represents the blood our forefathers shed when they laid their lives upon the altar of sacrifice during the Revolutionary War. Because of the principles our flag represents and because we believe God has assisted in the formation of such a flag may it ever wave over the land of the free and the homes of the brave.
 We are proud of our country; We are happy in her union: we rejoice in her power and we boast because of her unbounded wealth in right and free dom as well as her wealth in lands and gold God has been good to us in hid ing and he asks US to use this wealth to the salvation of our beloved coun- try and the redemption of the world. Where much is given much is re- uured. This great country was founded for the great purpose of standing before the world in it's un- selfish manner as it is today and holding up the principles of Jesus Christ.
 Men of the G. A R. and women of the w. R. C. we are proud of the sac rifices you have made for your coun- try and your God: and may you re- member the God of Abraham and Ja- cob. and the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has seen all and will reward you openly for your good works Since you are no longer able to lay your bodies upon the army altar of sacrifice, may you remember God calls you to present your bodies and your souls and your all unto him.