Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-23
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H AMERICANS.
CREED
(By Bliss Carman of tie vigilantcs.)

ct believe in the United States
of America as a government Of
the people. by the peole, for the
peole: whose just powers are
derived from the consent Of the
governed; a democracy in a re-
public; a sovereign nation OF
many sovereign states: a perfect
Union. n n inseparable; es-
tablshcd upon those principles Of
mainly for which American pa
triots sacrificed their lives and
fortunes. l therefore believe it is
my duty to my country to love it,
to support it's constitution, to obey
its laws. to respect it's flag and to
defend it, against all enemies"
In this brief n simple form Mr..
William Tyler Page has set forth what
ma very truly be considered the es-
sentials of every Americans belief.
1t embodies in a crucial and memoir
able formula those fundamental
principles on which the nation was
founded and on. which alone it can
be maintained. Its phrases are al
ready famous household words,
blended nowsinto a definite creed,
AS a national profession of faith, it
is desirable, and indeed necessary,
that h creed should be made known
to every man, oma and child in the
country, and become as familiar as
h Star Spangled Banner Ii shou d
be Il common decoration on the wall
of every school and library and home
throughout the land,
No country. particularly no democ-
racy. can grow and develop and reach
It's highest perfection unless its citi-
Zens have a clear idea of what its aims
really are, and a deep sentiment for
is welfare n honor. A nations
aims and ideals are just those aims
and ideals which all it's citizens hold
by common consent to be for their
W good. And it is only by realizing
these fair and Just ideals in it's daily
life that a nation can help humanity.
But a mere profession of faith alone
can avail nothing, If it is only re-
peated and got by vote. An open
profession of faith is good, but it is
only good if the faith is really there
behind it. 1t must not only contain
truths, but it must be true every time
we say it. If it lacks conviction, if it
does not express u answering and
deepest feeling, it is no NOR thar
foolish chatter. These words which
We're. in every phrase, struck off in
the white heat of impassioped pa
triotisn, must sink into our hearts and
minds and instil there their noble
conception of a just and loyal ma
tiOna. ism. va
This means that the creed has a
truly religious influence or bearing, as
well as ar educational one. Else it is
not a profession Of faith, but only a
string Of felicitous words. And words,
we know, have only power owe our
lives when they represent impassioned
convictions. Words are like paper
currency; their face value is easily
seen, but their worth depends. on the
pure gold Of spiritual sincerity be-
hind them. /.
More than this, any profession of
faith will be vain, however clearly it
may be expressed, and however sin
power and put into practice in daily
living. 1t. must find vent in deeds as
we'll as in words. A creed Is only a
declaration of what we believe we
ought to do. 1t is the basis of our
code of conduct, the rule by which
we must live, the standard Outright
to which all our institutions and GUS
toms must be made to conform. 1t
Is by no means enough to cherish our
faith in secret. No mere passive be-
Lief a save us. Our creed must sink
into our heart and enrich our inner
life; it must also quite as truly get
into our blood and be enacted cour-
Iageously every day, SO that our lives
and our common national life may
reflect and show forth to all men some
likeness Of these truths regarding life
and society and government, regard
ing honor, justice and loyalty, which
we hold to be essential and beyond all
r~efutaiion. ~