Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-15
PASTOR PAYS
TRIBUTE TO
own MOTHER
Rev. McMasters Says Real
characterization Must Begin
With Foreign Woman.
Text: Behold thy mother
John 1927.

The greatest work of Americaniza-
ton is to make the foreign mother
American, heart and soul: to extend
to her the hand of fellowship and bring
to full growth the love of country. was
the declaration of the Rev. d. McMas-
ters of the First Baptist church in his
sermon Sunday morning. during which
he paid tribute TO the mothers Of the
world. His Mothers day sermon fol-
"A friend once said to me she
thought no man should preach a SER
mon on Mothers day because he knew
nothing about women or mothers and
when he spoke of them either dealt in
silly compliments or senseless criti-
cism. My friend was right. Who but
a mother knows a mother? ! cannot
hope to speak i~ntelligently of moth
ers. but one thing | can do. | can
tell you about my own mother and her
influence on my own life. and since /
cannot help thinking she was the ideal
mother, the story may be a
Gave Husband to War
My mother was a little woman. born
mid the hills and forests of Pennsyl-
vanl in time to be Il young wife end
~ ~ ' wal fHIlt. Nnf'
was born an American. and when the
great war came her heart was with the
flag of her country. Her flag must
shelter no slavery and her Lord could
tolerate no oppression. so she gave her
husband and the father of her little
ones TO the great tragedy. During
these bitter years she farmed. suffered,
loved, and prayed for her country. /
DO not doubt that my father was a
brave soldier. but the Drawer of the
TWO was my mother. She was a patriot
and lnStllled a dcathless love of country
INTO the hearts of her children. Hers
was not a patriotism of flying flags
and martial music, but of the quiet.
toiiing, suffering, praying love of
country that would die and be utterly
forgotten for her convictions of right.
To her Old Glory stood for the highest
human expression of Gods righteous
ness and love. Oar country has mil
hons of such patriotic mothers. and
needs millions more. The greatest
work IN characterization is to make
our ~forelgn-born mothers American IN
heart and soul. No one needs the bless
ing OF the new world more than the
of the old world and no one
VIII appreciate it more. To bring 10
blrth III these mother hearts this great
Tor our country we must give
them, not the cheap. blatant. patriot
ism of the politician but the actual
DRESSINGS of a free manhood and wopl-
anhood. The mothers will ALWAYS be
at the cross when that cross
their dearest.
My mother was a Christian. Her
faith in God was higher than the
heavens and deeper than the seas She
had q book she called The Word of
God and it was jus; that TO her. In
TINS book God spoke to her and she
saw her Father moving in stately
grandeur amid suns and stars ar in
holy intimacy with his world. thread
ing forest isles. TO her God was
here. She heard his voice in the
thunder and in the birds sweet Gong,
saw his glory in the stars and his
smile upon the flowers. But God was
lncarnate in his great Son who was
her Mediator. Her faith always made
ME think of the flower that Just opens
its heart to sunshine and rain. Many
years have passed since I heard her
and many things have come be-
tween me and her beautiful faith. but
all my heart 7 believe my moth
faith is the highest achievement
Of the human soul. With it all things, |
heaven itself with all heavenly right
and joy. become certain and
without it all life fails. Her faith was
the deepest, most intelligent expression
Of religious truth l have ever found. I
believe | have never read or heard
any of the great minds who have writ
of these great truths that l have
had a feeling of sorrow for them
wished they could get into the at
nosphere of my mothers faith. There
s nothing strange in this. Truth is
Gods nearest is Gods best.
He speaks to the soul that needs him
most. Who needs God so much as
he mother? Spiritual skepticism is
lot only destructive but ALSO amateur |