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Show Highest Patriotism Not Exemplified in Spirit of Internationalism By CURTIS D. WILBUR, Secretary of the Navy. IT IS no more necessary for all churches to unite in one organization than it is for all people in the community to live all in the same house and eat at the same table in order to achieve unity and brotherhood. brother-hood. Loyalty to one's own home is as vital as loyalty to the community, com-munity, so the Christian Endeavor movement teaches loyalty to the church as well as loyalty to Christ, and finds in loyalty to the individual church no inconsistency to the loyalty to the fundamental principles of getting together. And we find that the churches are getting nearer together. As the young people who are met together in Christian Endeavor conventions and in the co-operative efforts have reached positions of authority in the churches, they have and always will continue to cooperate. co-operate. In this spirit we look for greater unity. This is the day of consecration and I ask you to consider our nation and its flag. Under that flag no human being need despair nor suffer injustice, but there are those with us who are decrying patriotism and nationalism and lifting up internationalism as a higher and better patriotism. The brotherhood of men is said to be superior to the obligations of citizenship. This seems like loyalty to Christ, but when Paul dealt with the spirit, he said, "But if any provide not for his own and specially for those of his house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel." It is impossible for a man to be loyal to mankind and not loyal to his own part of mankind, his family and his nation. If he hasn't the spirit of unity with his own people he cannot have the spirit of unity with all men. |