The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-09-28
THAT BLAZING CROSS


the newspapers heralded the fact
that, standing beside the other man.
moth floral tributes on the lawn Of
his old home, as the body Of Warren
G. Harding passed, was a beautiful
cross of red roses with a beautiful
heart of white, and on the arm the
letters X. X. K, a tribute from the
largest secret fraternity in America,
the Knights Of the Ku Klux Klan. I
say, all America stood amazed, for
the report had gone forth that mighty
political powers would seek to pre-
vent the placing of that floral offer
ing among the others on that lawn.
But it was placed there and there it
remained.
And now that Warren Harding has
crossed into the land where the Sun
goeth not down, it might be well to
remind America that this great
President had a very tender place in
his heart for this great American or
ganization, and on at least two occa-
sions gave those who sought its
downfall by unjust methods to I'M
derstand that he would not join them
in so cowardly an undertaking. And
so it was fitting that, standing ma
jestically back among it's fellows, this
blazing cross of red roses should bear
silent witness to his fidelity and tell
to the thousands who looked upon it's
whitening petals the story of the love
for and appreciation of such man
by such an organization. And it was
fitting also that even the foes of that
organization and of those American
principles for which it triumphantly
stands today should step back, nor
dare to lay their hands upon that
cross.
Indeed, there must be a sickening
dread within the hearts of those in
fiuences and forces that have con-
tested every inch of ground over
which the Ku Klux Khan has come, as
they see the organization winning
first place among all the secret orders
of America and gathering like an
avalanche against every un-Ameri-
can ideal that brings it's blot and
stain to the pages of our swiftly max
ing history. And that dread must be-
come a panic indeed within the heart
of these forces as they realize that
the loved ones and friends of Amer
ica's departed President count them
selves honored that this mighty null
titude of Americans should bring
their flaming cross and plant it by
the body CT their dead.
Gentlemen of the Ku Klux Khan, I
urge you to stand true to every ideal
and standard of life that is American
that you may be worthy indeed to
take your place in the leadership Of
the life Of this mighty Republic, to
which glorious heritage God has I'M
doubtedly called you. You have faced
mighty foe, a foe that fought your
country before it fought you. You
have faced an enemy that dispises the
ideals and principles that are Ameri-
can. You have fought through and
up until at last your banner is plant
ed on the hills and your blazing
cross flames afar. The nation looks
to you for mighty revival of Ameri-
canism, true and undeiled. It is
your happy heritage to defend the
ideals. for which your fathers died on
bloody battle fields. I call upon you
to stand true, to make good, to be
clean and honorable, to live lives of
recitude and humble service.
And if thus you live and thus you
forge forward, your blazing cross
shall light the way for mighty men of
leadership within this Republic and
you shall hold aloft their hands while
they, in the name of the Christ who
died upon that cross, leads this Re-
public forward to victory. And when
their forms shall lie within the dust
from whence they came, your blood
red roses shall wither on the mound
that marks their sleeping place and
America shall lift it's hat as it passes
by.
This writer has stood outside the
door Of this organization and has
prayed that God would lead it to the
hilltops of a mighty opportunity for
service. Undoubtedly, God has led.
Your multitudes have gathered from
sea to sea. Your hosts are marching
from shore to shore. You number
your crusaders by the hundreds of
thousands. God help you to serve, to
bless, to benefit, to build up, to
achieve and to battle ever for our ma
tons salvation from those insidious
forces that seek to suck the very life
blood from her heart.-Bob Shuler.