Show patriotism for many years I 1 have carefully Ati clied the popular idea of pairott pa trott ism both as a sentiment and as a practical troth truth my conclusion is that there exists a great deal of misapprehension and I 1 eel feel prompted at thi this time of special ireci patriotic fervor to present ny my now I 1 invite and even challenge any of your readers who do not agree with me to provo prove that I 1 am in nor let thoro there is not in any by part of the bible even a sentence that requires or justifies patriotism 11 ad the sentiment called by this name like the word which hach ex ax presses it is probably of heathen origin ad the usual definition of patriotism is love of country it the man who F ks to lemn what this phrase means and to carry out its teachings in bis his life attempt attempts a hopeless task ath it is an form of selfishness and is L one cl the devils most successful device devices to deceive and mislead the human race mee ath it is in fact a delu aiva method of inducing a violation rio lation of the sixth commandment thou shall not killand ie is practically in opposition to tho cirit ta tk the e other nine ath ministers Mini iten aad and other who teach the thew co ordinate obligation of b religion and patriotism havo jno warrant warranting war in reason of Scrip scripture tura and the practice largely accounts for the diminished moral tase and tendency to skepticism among tho the P people ople ath the which sends missionaries to foreign nations to preach the gospel of peace and good will and the doty duty of self eoll surrender and obedie aeto to god andeits and rests ita its claims for sup up port on the value of the boom soul and nd at the same tim aves of and advises its members to en list for war occupies a posit position iob so absurd as to be essentially 11 geotes quo ath no man has right to lik his own life 1 which ie is a trust for or which an account aunt must most bo be except in the effort to bat hi ji fellow men ath the claims of the Sta teare inferior to the claim claims of 04 abild should bo be regulated by calir rok re thae tins and obligations WHIM to Ela loth tho the coat nud life aad prosperity of nations depends primarily and upon lith no government hu a right to make a training for war a fixed flied employment for its i an and a every man who thus devotes devot his life violates divine law and bis his happ irim fo for eternity ift tto mala tuam of f a navy except for police ampo ks euch such as roa ina lu to e it p press piracy or othir viola tiona of human and divine law can not be justified it follow follows that tho the study of the art of war in military and naval asa academies demies haa has a demor demoralizing alim 9 influence and that the tendency is to blunt the moral deception and unfit men who pursue it for useful lith it i Is a disgrace dis graca to chris tian people that men who ho have ex celled lied in tho the deceptive arts and b aia destruction of life limb and property invoked involved in war should bl hailed aa as benefactors treated with exceptional honor and often placed n high official positions this high estimate oat imato of tho the merit and proper reward for military nor or vice disparages self elf denying men find and women who consecrate their ivea to the effort to lift up and av save their fellow men and makes a false standard excellence it auces brute force above moral worth fosters worldliness and ow ideale ideals and ignores thu the fact hat that a man ia a to be bo judged by b y mind and heart and that bhat ho le thinks and how much tie e lovos 6 the true test of worth A nation that maintains a great army and navy to be india indis pen sensible sible for protection db regards the biblo bible requirement kud hamili gation the teaching of patriot iba in gullic schools echo obi Is illogical and aad d will lower the boue of citizenship with tho the coming generation tha the salutation offered a piece of bunting called the flag ie is a form of idolatry the true patriot inter prat love of country to signify y love for tho the people who are in it he will express this feeling fooling by a special interest in their welfare aud effort to oaks max them the purest lowest and happiest among the nations of tho the earth this 1010 we will necessarily expand into a worldwide lore love borall for all men havo have ft a oria beed nature nd d dutlay john 0 hagmeyer Hav Havi meyer mayer |