Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-04-21
3eTHE RE-BRTH
OF A NATION"
BY Rev. Burtis r. MacHat-
ton, pastor of the First Con-
gregational church. Deliv-
cred at Community Sing SER
vices Yesterday afternoon.

Text: John 1924. Except corn O
wheat fall into the ground and die, il
abideth alone; but if it die, it bringetl
forth much fruit"
I have been asked by the chairman ot
the Liberty loan committee to speak te
you on the subject Of the Victory loan
I make no apology to anyone for the
seeming diverting of your thots from re
hgious to patriotic themes. The Chris
tian who does not look upon his coun-
try's welfare as deeply religious ques.
ton is hardly to be placed in the cate
CORY of those who call themselves by
that sacred name.
When the Master said; Except corn
of wheat fall into the ground and die
it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth
forth much fruit" he was enunciating
a divine principle which belongs to the
life of nations as well as to the life OF
individuals. Except a nation dies to
itself, it abideth alone, but If it gives
up its selfish life in order that other ma
tions may live. it bringeth forth much
fruit The slogan, America Only,
died upon the cross of humanity two
years ago, but from that cross and its
death, America for the World" has
been resurrected to new life of broth
erhood and sympathy.
Prior to that declaration Of war,
there was an America Of selfish isola-
tion and moneyed ideals. That America
is dead. Today in her place is a resur-
rected America of worldwide service.
That America lives and moves and
has its being in the breast Of every true
citizen of this republic.
So, then, in the Masters message we
have the parable of noble national life,
life rising to its best thru crncifixion.
First-From the death of the old
America with its selfish isolation, there
has arisen a new America with truer
and more exalted patriotism. The com
paratige isolation which our nation has
hitherto maintained Is no longer our
privilege. Until recently we were not
recognized as one of the world powers.
1t IS only few years since Spain thot
she could treat us as an inferior power,
"a nation of shop-keepers," but Spain
found that she herself was a nonentity
and weakilng compared to the United
States. Our nation is now an adult
member of the great family of nations,
and we are beginning to take our part
In the larger affairs of civilization the
world over. What is needed under these
conditions is re-birth of patriotism.
W. NlHuS w
There are two kinds Of patriotism.
First is the variety which seeks to sep
arate ones country from all other coun-
tries, and set her over against them as
their rival Or enemy, and then glory in
her power to outshine them or overcome
them. The other is the patriotism which
seeks to identify ones country with the
interests of our common humanity: !:
haw H.. f-,@
helper of all the needy, as the champion
of the oppressed, as leader among
these who are working to extend the
boundaries of freedom and peace. The
latter is the only kind Of patriotism that
is truly Christian, for it is founded not
upon the selfish love of ones own mar
row borders but upon the Christlike
principle Of the brotherhood of man and
the Fatherhood Of God.
Second-Along with this broad toll
Grafton and consideration for other ma
tons. / ask you to place a safe guard in
me phrase. BE intensely and genuinely
American. There must be Il resurrection.
a re-birth of the genuine. intense Amer
lcanism of our forefathers. In order to
be Of value to other countries. there is
need to guard most zealousy American
principles and American institutions.
1t was TO found an American common
wealth that the men Of Bunker Hill and
Vauey Forge gave their lives. 1t was
for American ideals that the men cf
Chateau Thierry and the Argonne forest
fought against the barbarisn and al,-
tocracy of Germany. What are these
American ideals? A free manhood. ear
rylng in it the necessity Of the consent Of
the governed: the rights Of weaker m
tlons. and the sacredness and inviolabili-
ty of treaties
| am not ashamed to stand here on this
holy Easter day and advocate the rebirth
of the intense Ameriranism Of our fore
fathers as a stern religious duty. Touch
ed with the divine spark of liberty and
they gave US a nation
which Is the equation Of the highest civ
ilization, Of the broadest humanity, of
the pnrest and simplest religion, Of the
largest liberty. and of magnificent man
hood and holy womanhood.
Intense Americanism requires US above
Continued on Page Thirteen)