Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-12

strivings within him of an indomitable
resolve to overthrow tyranny.
When a man stands up boldly, In
the face of the enemies of liberty
there are no dissenting voices as to
his merits. And so we hear coming
up over the Pyrenees, the Italians
plaudit, ''Garibaldi was great! And
reverberating through and resounding
from the Alps Hungary's cry. KOS
suth was great and rolling in har-
mony with Atlantic pillows the praise
of the West Indie isles, 'Touissant
L'Ouverture was great While as
! long as there is in this land lover OF
| liberty. friend of humanity, round
! on round of acclaim will rise: Lin
coin was great Yet what did Ga
ribaldi, Kossuth, Touissant
| L'Ouverture, make himself but the
servant of the people.
| This week this nation remembers
again it's great servant Abraham Lin |
coin. His great heart beat in sym
patty with the shackled millions. He
threw himself into the breach; he
challenged tyranny to the battlej he
pleaded the cause he dashed away the
chains, he wrought great deliver
ance to others; and we do well to set
him in blaze of glory. While the
world pronounces his eulogy, and his
fame increases from age to age, we
confidently point to him as illustrative
of the Rotarian principle, and as ex-
employing what our Lord meant when
The said, whatsoever will be chief
among you let him be your servant
To-day the principal field of SER
vice seems to be in the army, fighting
that the world may not relapse into
the rule of barbarism; fighting that
might may not crush right; daring
the supreme sacrifice that righteous
peace may be assured to troubled
world. All honor to the champions of
Righteousness in the ranks. who by
their willing service are winning the
gratitude and praise Of all the coming
generations.
Let us pause to consider the duty
we owe these men, and the service we
can render them. Is it not true that
the great and blessed victory they will
surely win, will be in some part due
to the sacrifices and services OF those
who are forced to remain at home.
Just now I am thinking of singu-
lar and a wonderful instance of dis
interested service on the part OF a
great nation. 1t is nation which
has never fought save for freedom. II
is a people to whom extension of ter
ritory by force of arms would be most
repugnant. And yet this nation Of
which I am thinking has been attalnt
ed of sordiness, not because OF hel
deeds, but because sordiness is sc
much in the world that men did thinl
there could be a government Wlthou
! it. Out of their own hard hearts Eu
ropeans accuse this nation of caring
for nothing but hogs and hominy. LIE
us see. The Chinese government, pu
under indemnity by reason OF certain
events, found out something abou
this matter. They found out that thi
great nation of which l am thinking
refused to keep penny OF the in
demnity that belonged to it and de
voted the whole goodly sum to tn
cause of Chinese education. The
there was a fine island in the Carib
bean seattle Pearl of the Antilles
One of the wealthiest soils in tn
world. This nation fought for the lib
erty of the oppressed people OF tina
island, and occupied it with its gar
risons. Then did Europeans nudg
on one another and say, 'Adieu to Cuba
e. independence But when the war wa
It. won, and discordant elements and dis
be ease as we'll, had been subdued, the
r. this nation of which l am thinkln
r. marched her soldiers out of that beau
tiful island, and left the people FIRE
it's to govern themselves! 1t was ne
is thing in the history of nations. An
of now the nation which has neye
nv fought save in the interest of huma
liberty. and which has so strikingl
of demonstrated its freedom from tt
by common corruption. is again engage
he in a great war; and at the outset thel
M is given to the world the solemn de-
laration that she arms and strikes, n
ne for extension of territory, nor for r
is dress through indemnity. but sole
Iay for the worlds peace-solely that h
for man liberty may be assured! Who
not proud to be an American? Who
led not glad to contribute as he may
les the noble service America is rende
ary ing? And who does not realize tn
this American course is the road
,on respect, the confidence, and the hon
to of all the nations?
len HE who came not to be minister
!. unto, but to minister and who d
ub- clared that the secret Of chieftain
[bi- was service, once said, II am cor
We that they may have life, and that tn
may have 1t more abundantly.' He d
oys clared His mission to be that of brin
in ing more abundant life. There is
not sense in which every man may go
the his daily occupation with sinlil
idea, He may go to his field. his sto
ief- his Office, with the idea Of serving
ar may say, 4 am here. l am doing Il
ay: thing, that life may beN easier a
DER brighter And as sure as he does tn
in he is on the road to honor.
wn- FINALLY, the chfefest and best Of
ing possible illustrations is the hon
by which belongs TO Him Who sa
the whatsoever will be chief among "
With let him be your servant For this
,try what il written: Let this mind
tho in You which was also in Christ Jes