The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-07
culture: what golden reputation

:
ours today?
Our people sre pricely people.
And our history 10 as sacred ~ our
people are princsly. No people have
as long list of immortals as we.
Among them are our Henry. JET
ferson, Washington, Lincoln and Will
son. -
No ground is mere sacred than
where American liberties. rights and
honor were gained and defended.
Yorktown. Bunker Hill and the bat
tie fields Of Flanders are dedicated
to American valor.
Here We might inquire. what are
the making forces OF this splendid
country of ours?
1t has not been realized by stand
ing armies and navies. alexander
and Napoleon built on sword and
blood, but not America. Yet we are
some what military, as the Huns
can testify.
1t is not monetary accomplish
ment The Crosean and Lydian En-
pires spoke in the clink of silver and
gold. and amazed the world with their
Icorpulent wealthy. yet they were
poor in the essential OF a free and
happy people.
1t Is not mainly an intellectual
achievement. Athens was intellectual
but the Athenians did not enjoy the
liberty and privileges which are SO
peculiarly America.
If not these forces. what forces?
We owe much of this splendid coun-
try to the making influence Of the
American home. Governor Russell,
OF Massachusetts,. years ago came very
near being drowned when his boat
was capsized. He had to swim 4
mile before reaching shore. When
later. he was telling his mother about
his experience, she said, My SON:
how did you manage to do it." He
replied. # thought Of you mother,
and kept on swimming. That II the
manner OF the American accomplish
ment
We have, In our struggle for the
better things Of life; thought OF our
sainted parentage, mother and father,
and fought on until we have come to
this glad day OF our excellency. Ask
| our returning heroes how they man
aged to go over the top amid the
furies of the world. beat the Hun and
got back with democracy safe for the
. world They will tell you that they
thought of mother. home. sister.
sweetheart, the old church. the Stars
and Stripes, and God. and kept on
fighting.
The making force Of self denial and
sacrifice. When the government want
ed Henry Ford's assembly store In
! Massa chusetts. where he modified
his cars for shipment all over the
world, they said to him. We want
your warehouse and what rent do you
want" Ford wrote them, NO rent,
take t."
This is this spirit of America. We
don't count anything dear when the
, best things are at stake We will
pour out our treasury. our blood and
our life for our royal heritage for hui
manly. and for God.
Another making force in the life OF
our nation is God. The Lord God has
| always had place in our history
/ The fathers of our republic came out
here to this Western country seeking a
religious asylum. where they could
Worship God untrammelled. The ma
| ton has ever looked out beyond every
4 help and consideration to God in its
dire extremity.
In the beginning OF the grea. wal
! our President called the nation tc
PRAYER in the behalf of peace After
/ tho sinking of the Lusi.ania. when
caustie terms must be sent to the i'm
! i.erial government of Germany. by the
Wilson administration our President
, said "Gent1smen. let us pray" II is
a significant fact that after the church
I bells and the factory whistles oegan to
1 call cur people to prayer daily last
I spring the Germans never won an.
! other battle.
The Christian home. human denia
! and sacrifice, and God has made this
/ nation wha. it is
Our aim here in America has been
/ in line with the purpose Of God. The
! great aim of Christianity has beer
/ hun. anity and universal empire. Thai
! the brotherhood should be as broad
| as the race and all the nations brought
ts4ft4i,er IRE dominion of-9hrist.-
| The call Of the nation has been to
this end. The summons to Lester In