The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-02-07
"A PATRIOTIC SERVICE.

A very interesting patriotic service
was given in the Methodist church
asst Sunday evening. the occasion be-
ing the unwilling Of q service flag in
honor of the fourteen boys now serv-
ing their country, and who were mem-
bers or attenda nts Of that church.
A flag containing star for each SOL
der and the names inscribed under
meath. was presented by Mrs. w. C.
Brown in behalf Of the Ladies' Aid
Society. and was accepted by Rev.
Langdon in behalf of the church. The
large choir gave some patriotic selec-
tions, one of which was song writ.
ten for the occasion by Mrs. j. j.
Cass and given by a quartet Rev.
Langdon then gave stirring address
which was frequently interrupted by
applause from the large congregation,
even though it was Sunday evening
service. Rev. Langdon evidently be-
lieves that in contest between bar
barity and civilization the church has
an important duty to perform, and he
is not afraid to perform it. Below
we give summary of the address.
This is to be an all American SER
vice. We are anxious to know what
attitude the Christian should adopt
toward the war. 1t has been said
that the duty of the preacher is to
preach only the gospel. What is the.
Gospel. but the Gospel of Humanity s
needs? If Jesus were here and were
an American citizen, what would be
his attitude? Looking over his life
we saw that at times he resortei to
force. making a scourge Of cords he
Irove from the temple those who
would profane it. He said 81 came
not to bring peace, but sword. - 1t
is ever the duty of the Christian to
stand against all unrighteousness and
to plead for the weaker ones.
A hirty-centimeter gun may voice
the edict of God as truly as the notes
of cooling dove; man may give
his life for humanity in a bloody
trench as truly as upon bloody cross.
Jesus Christ loved Humanity. and it
| is because we love Humanity and
hear their cries that as a Nation we
are fighting today. Our Government
is not waging warfare of agrees
sion. We fight for the common peo-
pies of all lands. Why should the
preacher speak? We speak because if
the people fail to support the Govern
ment, the Government will also fail.
President Wilson, in speaking of
Americas cause for war said: "The
military masters of Germany denied
us the right to be neutral. They fill
ed our communities with vicious
spies and conspirators. They sought
to corrupt our citizens. They sought
by violence to destroy our industries
and arrest our commerce. They tried
to incite Mexico to take up arms a.
gainst US and to draw Japan into hos
tile alliance with her. They impu-
IDENTIFY denied us the use Of the high
seas and repeatedly executed their
threat that they would send to their
death any of our people who ventured
! to approach the coasts Of Europe.
This flag under which we aerve would
have been dishonored had we withheld
our hand. -
1t was in 1900 when the Germans
took part in the expeditionary force
that went to China to subdue the
Boxer uprising. that the Emperor
William instructed his troops to t'be
as terrible as Attila's Huns. Ad-
dressing his army later in the begin
ring Of this present war, he said
Remember that you are the chosen
PEG pie. The spirit of the Lord has
descended upon me, because am the
Emperor of the Germans. am the
instrument of the Almighty. / am
his sword, his agent. Let them per-
ish. all the enemies of the German
people. God demands their desrtuc
ton; God. who, by my mouth bids
you to do his will"
Rev. Langdon here quoted from
several of the leading ministers of
Germany. showing how they support
ed the ruthlessness of this war, and
advocating universal rule by the Ger
mans. Also report Of speech made
by the Kaiser at war council in
Pottsdam ia 1909: "Even now
rule supreme in the United States,
where almost one-half of the popula-
ton is either of German birth or Ger
man descent, and where 5000, 600
voters do my bidding at the Presiden-
tial elections. No American admin