Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-13

pose worked through them and over them
/ to great providential ends beyond the
| foresight of their minds to perceive, bu
| rot beyond the faith of their hearts to
! include. Thus only can great states be
founded. Even so profane a writer as
| Rousseau perceived this profound truth,
for he said Never was a state founded
that did not have religion for its ba-
SIS"
The underlying reasons upon which
this proposition rests are clearly dis
cerned by the thoughtful mind in a
movement of devout reflection. Good
states are enduring institutions. They
cannot be great If they are no more
than temporary expedients. Such rs
human foresight devises to meet the eX-
| igencies of transient conditions. They
must therefore be framed under the
guidance of a superhuman intelligence
and shaped under the guidance of a SUI
perhuman intelligence and shaped under
pressure of that providential wisdom
which runs through the ages Otherwise
they become merely political meteorites,
thrown off by the heat of human pas
sion and moving in lines of human ca
price to a speedy and final fall.
St John saw in apocalyptic vision the
New Jerusalem-the final government
earth by the suffrages of men, but de-
scending out of heaven by the power of
I God, and every worthy government de-
rives whatever is best in 1T from the
same sources. Men who ignore the di-
| vine providence found no lasting COM
monwealths The venerable DR.. Frank
lin perceived this truth. When appeal
| ing to the national convention when
framed our federal constitution, that
prayer should be offered Tor divine Ill
| rection, he said:
"J have lived a long time, and the
| longer live the more convincing proofs
I see Of the truth that God governs
| in the affairs of men. And # a sparrow
cannot fall to the ground without HIS
notice, is it possible that an empire can
rise without His aid? We have been
assured i'm the sacred writings thar eX-
| cent the Lord build the house, they Ia
| bor IN vain that build it. 1 firmly be-
lieye this, and I also believe that with
out His concurring aid we shall sue
| coed in this political building no better
: than the builders of Babel
| such undoubtedly would have been
tho case IL God had not guided and
guarded the fortunes of the infant re-
public. About that time the French ala
| try their hands at building a govern
ment without God and worse than Ba-
bel a veritable bedlam they made OF II.
! The faith of our forefathers created
! the commonwealth that composed the
original federal union. and by faith they
/ subsequently, fashioned the wonderful
nolitical structure which shields and
shelters this amazing civilization which
now fills the north American continent.
They builded far wiser than they knew
as every master builder does who erects
snv permanent structure anywhere. He
who does not build more wisely than he
knows builds without God and without
| hope-buiIds foolishly and futilely
! We look upon the results which have
/ followed their labors and often attri-
butte to them q sagacious- foresight
which they never claimed and we imag-
inc that their president plans from the
/ first contemplated all that has come to
pass. But most Of what we have in
herited as the fruit of their toll they
never so much as dreamed Of. Their
very greatness cnsisted in their sub
lime cnfdence that they made Prvi-
dence their ally, and in due time their
iunfaltering devotion to daily duty would
work out under God wha ought
l to be achieved by them. They are hon
/ ored today for that persistent cour-
age with which they lived and died in
this simple but sublime faint. They pro-
bounded no ambitious theories of gov
eminent warranted to meet the needs of
all the future. but they reverenced the
duty that was nearest them and dis
/ charged IL as the surest and best way
to serve their own and all future gen.
erations Like Abraham they spread no
map before their feet. but responded to
the cali Of God and went out. not know
/ ing whittier they went.
If they had addressed themselves to