The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-02-15

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but would have been a pitiable lack
of reasonable self-defense.
Again the cause is not only right
eous in its original, but also in it's
ultimate aims. The aims of the allies
is none other than the political sal
walton of the popular governments of
the world. The world is not a safe
place for democratic governments so
long as there is one powerful auto
cracy among them. The nations must
, be saved.
That salvation is to come even as
personal salvation came, through
vicarious suffering. Even as Jesus,
the innocent, bore the sins of the
guilty in his own body on the tree,
SO innocent men and nations are today
making atonement through vicarious
suffering for the sins of guilty nations
The salvation of nations, as of men,
is purchased at an awful price. Our
noble sons, following the example OF
Our Lord Jesus Christ, are cheerfully
paying that price in order that the
world may be made "safe for DEM
ocracy."
Mr.. Mather fought good fight,
not only in the sense that the cause
lin which he was engaged was most
righteous one, but also in the further
| Al .cI, liner
him was a high and noble one. When
he received his second lieutenancy 1T
was a great disappointment to him
that he was not made first lieutenant.
Many with equal training and less
ability had received the higher COM
mission. But, in letter to his
parents about that time, Mr.. Mather
says Eve are not in this war for
money nor for fame, but we are fight
ing for our country and humanity"
A motive like that which, subordinates
all personal interest to that of great
cause, constitutes our patriot a
national hero.
He fought a good fight. This pro-
position is established by the facts,
as l have said, that the cause was
righteous and that the motive was
pure. The second proposition is
equally true. He had finished his
course.
, 1t may not seem that his course was
M hot
, day he would have the privilege Of
fighting on foreign soil was never
realized. He was disappointed in his
Expectation of coming into direct
combat with the enemy. If these
hopes were in the line of his God
given course then that course was not
finished.
But it is not possible that his mis-
sion in this great struggle may have
3 been otherwise? 1t may be that his
= great task was to inspire, by his noble
r life and his heroic service, a null
{ titude of other young men of this and
| other communities to spring to the
colors in this hour of their countrys
deep need. His mission may have
been to cure slackers rather than to
kill Germans.
Again his greatest service to his
country may have been to help those
VINO stay at home the more cheer
fully to do their "bit." Many grumble
because they are asked to give to the
Red Cross, the Y. Nj. C. A, the
knights of Columbus and many other
similar objects, or to invest in Liber-
: ty bonds, in War Savings Stamps OF
even to pay their Income Tax. How
: small such grlmblers must seem in
the light of the magnitude of his
sacrifice. If this were his God-given
task, then he has finished his course
We may paraphase the lines of the
: Immortal Lincoln and have in nut
l shell, the message of the hour. "The
world will little note, nor long re-
: member what we say, but it car
. never forget what he did," 1t is fol
a us, the living, rather to be here de-
!. Dictated to the great work which he
t who sleeps here has thus far so nobly
. advanced. 1t is for us rather to be
dedicated to the great task remaining
e before us; for which he gave his las
n full measure of devotion;-that W,
n here highly resolve that this deat
$ shall not have died in vain;-that
a this nation, under God, shall have {
. new birth of freedom ;-that nation.
t of the people, by the people and fol
S the people, in spite of the tyranny o
n Prussian militarism, shall not perish
5 from the narth