The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-07-17
children sing, not Deutschland uber

of German textbooks compiled by
American instructors for our public
schools in which a page or two had
to be torn out because they contained
an undue eulogy of the German kais-
err. We didn't have to tear out any
thing from our textbooks compiled by
our Lutheran educators because there
was nothing of an Objectionable char
acter to be torn out. Lutheran edu.
Gators are triple A Americans.
To return to the main topic. The
very fact that our children are reared
and nurtured in our Lutheran church
schools makes them staunch loyal
Americans. 1t is a we'll known fact
that no other Protestant religious body
outside the Lutheran church insists
so much on thorough religious train
ing as she does. What has this to do
with the matter in hand? Much in
every way Daniel Webster in his
famous Plymouth Grafton says: What
ever makes men good. christians
makes them also good citizens" Glad
stone, England's greatest prime min
lister, frequently said: Make good
conscientious christians out of your
children and Great Britain will be
we'll satisfied with them as citizens"
And our own George Washington, RE
ligion and morality are the essential
pillars of civil society" ~ . -s
And this is exactly what we
Lutherans, regardless of the great ex-
pense of maintaining schools and
teachers, are intoxicating into our
children. We are obeying the man
date of God: Bring up your children
in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord" He who is faithful to his Lord
is faithful to his government that
demands obedience of the citizens to
a country. .. t:, -.a.y ....s..
The Lutheran church demands to
be judged by her doctrine and her
duties to the government What are
our children taught? Here is the
catechism. In this is a Table OF
Duties. These things they learn
What does this table say? Read: "Of
civil government" s'of subjects" On
the basis Of this last text, for exam
pie, they are told: when the apostle
says: Submit yourselves to every
ordinance of man for the Lords
sake"-he speaks of the civil govern
ment, of the government under which
you happen to live. Our government
is republic and as you know the
best form of government, govern
ment under which we enjoy civil and
religious liberty. 1t is established
"by man 1T is a government of
the people, by the people and for. the
people" Now it is your duty, says
God, to submit to this government
i. e., to be obedient to it, to be obedI
lent to all that are clothed with author
ity-to high and low officials. What
should impel you to do this cheerfully
'for the Lords sake"-The Lord is
Christ Jesus, your loving Savior. He
demands this Of you. What does this
mean, "for the Lords sake?" II you
do not obey this would cast reproach
upon your Savior. 4 The enemies OF
the church will say: These christians
are evildoers. They don't obey the
government, they are not loyal Amer
leans. No, says the apostle" sub
mit"-"obey" God has instituted the
government. ''For the Lords sake"
FOR conscience sake you must obey.
Germany? Can young people SO in
CtIUCICu UO SAdShCASy FS/s~Ah tA/uNAAOA Gal
christians who are SO taught year in,
year out, be disloyal to the. govern
ment? .FE.>2 y
The unbeliever loftentimes sub
mits to- the government because of
necessity, because he fears the punish
ment due to violators of the govern
ment's demands, or because of a nat
ural love of country The christian,
too, possesses this natural love of
country, for
''Breathes there a man with soul
so dead
Who never to himself has said:
This is my own, my native land"
But in addition to this natural love
Of country he has a deeper reason
he submits for Christ's sake. he is in
conscience bound to obey the govern
ment because his Master, Jesus
Christ, wills it so. His faith in Christ
makes him truly faithful and patriotic.
Patriotism is part of his religion.
Such is the teaching our children
receive in reference to our govern
ment-such has been the teaching
for the last seventy years. And these
schools that so forcibly inculcate
whole hearted loyalty to our govern
,ment have been charged with foster
ing disloyalty. Truly greater in
justice is hardly imaginable! 'By
their fruits We shall know them,"
Our church-schools have been under
the scrutiny of the public for the
last SIXTY years. What kind of cit
liens did we rear? True, loyal
staunch Americans. The product of
our church-schools gave a good ac-
count Of themselves during the Civil
War and they are showing their
loyalty in the present national crisis.
Is it not true that the Lutherans
OF this country bear an enviable re-
cord for a scrupulous obedience to
the law and honesty in business? 1t
is furthermore true a notable fact
that no mob violence, instances Of
which have so married our national
life, has ever developed in Luther
an community, and the number of
Lutheran names on the criminal re-
small.
cords of this country is notably
Now is the time to call the atten-
ton of the American public to these
facts, not in the spirit of boastful-
ness, but "in the interest of truth
and justice" n"-E
What are we, the products of the
Lutheran church-schools doing how?
Sunday after Sunday we supplicate
the throne of grace for our president
and all that are in authority for divine
Guidance for the wa1fara Of O,1r CONN