Evening star., 1924-09-22

ness are travelling in that direction.
But the spirit of America turns it's
face toward the light.
That spirit / have faith will pre-
vail. America Is not going to aban-
don it's principles or desert its ideals.
The foundation on which they are
built will remain firm. l believe that
the principle which your organiza
tion represents Is their main sup
port. 1t seems to me perfectly plain
that the authority of law, the right
to equality, liberty and property
under American institutions have for
their foundation reverence for God.
If we could imagine that to be swept
away these institutions OF our Amer
lean Government could not long sur
vive. But that reverence Will not
fail. 1t will abide. Unnumbered or
ganizations of which your own Is one
exist for it's promotion. In the in
evitable longing of the human soul
to do right is the secure guarantee
of our American institutions. By
maintaining a society to promote
reverence for the Holy Name you are
performing both pious and patriotic
service.
We Americans are idealsts. We
are willing to follow the truth solely
because 1t is the truth. We put our
main emphasis on the things which
are spiritual. While we possess an
unsurpassed skin in marhalling and
using the material resources of the
world. still the nation has not sought
for wealth and power as an end but
az a means to a higher lite.
yet Americans are not visionary,
they are not Sentimentaiists. They
want ideaiism, but they want II to
be practical, they want 1T to pro-
duce results. 1t would be little use
to try to convince them OF the sound
ness and righteousness of their in
stitutions If they could not see that
they have been justified in the past
history and the present condition OF
the people. They estimate the cor
rectness of the principle by the sue
cess which they find in their own
experience. They have faith, but
they want works.
1.-The fame of the advantages which
accrue to the inhabitants of our
country has spread throughout the
world If we doubt the high estima- :
tion in which these opportunities are
held by other peoples, 1t is only nee
essary to remember that they sought
them in such numbers as to require
our own protection by restrictive i'm
migration. | am aware that our
country and its institutions are often
the subject of censure. l grieve TO
see them misrepresented for selfish
and destructive aims. But i welcome
candid criticism which is moved by a
purpose to promote the public well
fare But while we should always
strive for Improvement by living in
more complete harmony with our
ideals, We should not permit Incl
dental failure or unwarranted blame
to obscure the fact that the people
Of our country have secured the
greatest success that was ever be-
fore experienced in human history.
The evidence of this is all about
US, in our wealth, our educational fa-
cilities. our charities, our religious
institutions and in the moral infiu-
ence which we exert on the world.
Most of ali, it is apparent in the un-
eXampled place which Is held by the
people who toll. Our inhabitants are
especially free to promote their own
welfare. They are unburdened by
militarism. They are not called upon
to support any imperialistic designs.
Every mother can rest in the asSur-
ance that her children will find here
land of devotion, prosperity and
peace. The tall shaft near which we
are gathered and yonder stately me-
mortal remind US that our standards s
of manhood are revealed in the adora-
tion which We pay to Washington and
Lincoln. They are unrivaled and un-
surpassed. Above all else, they are
Americans. The institutions Of our
country stand justified both in reason
and in experience. / am aware that
they will continue to be assailed But
/ know they will continue to stand
We may perish, but they will endure
They are founded on the Rock of
Ages