New Britain herald., 1924-10-15

country has acquired an underlying power of judgment and stability of action which has never failed 1t. It furnishes It's own answer to those who would defame 1t. It can afford to be oblivious to those who would detract from it, America continues it's own way unchallenged and un- afraid. Above all attacks and all vicissitudes 1t has arisen calm and triumphant; not perfect, but march- ing on guided In It's greatest deci- sions by the same spirit which guided Francis Asbury,
 Govt. Rests On Bible
 "our government rests upon re- |ligion. It is from that source that we derive our reverence for truth and justice, for equality and liberty. and for the rights of mankind. Un- less the people believe in these prin- ciples, they cannot believe in our government. There are only two main theories of government in the world. One rests on righteousness, the other rests on force. One ap- peals to reason, the other appeals to the sword. One is exemplifed in a republic, the other is represented by despotism. The history of govern ment on this earth has been almost entirely history of the rule of force held in the hands of few. Under our constitution American committed itself to the practical ap- plication of the rule of reason, with the power held in the hands of the people. t.
 . Long Preparation
 This result was by no means ac- comphshed at once. It came about only by reason of long and difficult preparation, oftentimes accompanied with discouraging failure. The abil- ity for self-government is arrived at only through an extensive training and education. In our own case it required many generations and we cannot yet say that it is wholly per fected. It Is of 8 great deal of sig nificance that the generation which fought the American Revolution had seen a very extensive religious re- vival. They had heard the preach Ing of Jonathan Edwards. They had seen the great revival meetings that were inspired also by the preaching of Whitefield. The rel;gi- out experiences of those days made a profound impression upon the great body of the people. They made new thoughts and created new interests. They freed the public mind, through deeper knowledge and more serious contemplation of the truth. By calling the people to righteousness they were a direct preparations for self-government. Il was for a continuation of this work that Francis Asbury was raised up. 'The religious movement which 1 he represented was distinctly a movement to reach the great body of the people. Just as our Declara- | tion of Independence Asserts that all men are created free, so 1t seems to me the founders of this move ment were inspired by the thought that all men were worthy to hear the word, worthy to be sought out and brought to salvation. It was this motive that took their preach CTS among the poor and neglected, even to criminals in the jails. As our ideal has been to bring all men to freedom, so their ideal was to bring all men to- salvation. It was pre-eminently a. movement in, be- half of all the people. It was not a new theory. The American consti- tution was not a new theory. But like 1t, 1t was the practical applica- ton of sn old theory, which was very new"