Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1917 — Rev. Fleming Preaches Patriotic Sermon at Presbyterian Church. [ARTICLE]

Rev. Fleming Preaches Patriotic Sermon at Presbyterian Church.

The Presbyterian church was decorated with flags and a flag was' given to each person who attended the services Sunday evening. RevT Fleming delivered a patriotic address, extracts of which are here given: The text was Eph. 6:13; Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. After rfeferring to the wisdom and duty of preparedness he said in part: “If the army of the United States is to take part in this great world war, then she must fight for American ideals. If * the cause of the war had remained as in the beginning there would have been no place or reason for the American nation having anything to do with it. There was no people, even in Europe, who cared enough for the man and woman who were assassinated to care to avenge their death and it could not arwise any fighting blood on this side of the Atlantic. If that were the only cause for this war then the historian could never have given a justifiable cause, but it has narrowed down to a great struggle of free peoples against kings. It is, particularly, the same thfntgr that inspired the American Declaration of Independence and for which the war of the revolution was fought. That was for the independence of the American colonies but this is for the’ independence of the world. That is the reason why there is a place for the American army m this conflict and why America is ready to take her place. The slow pace by which mobilization goes forward, is no indication of a want of patriotism. The real situation has not yet photographed itself on the consciences of the masses ana when it does we will see some of the same fiery patriotism that inspired the Boston Tea Party. . In the war of 1861 and 1866 the army of the north freed the black race in our south land and that was the stroke that gave liberty to Wads men everywhere. The America® nation will do as much for the freedom of the white race and for this cause the government is ready to exert its every resource. The German empire has violated principles of humanity, principles which are world wide, and upon which democracy roust either stand or go down. . These are the principles which the foreigner, who comes from the *and of oppression, has seen in our statue of liberty which stands in New York harbor, toe thing that attracted him here mid which has made minions of them patriotic American citizens. The speech of President Wilson before congress, which wffi go downin history as one of the greatest speeches ever delivered, and the act of congress declaring Germany at war with toe United States is the heaviest blow that ever struck dynastic thrones. The febele peoples, whose ngbte have been so inhumanly disregarded, humanity everywhere and the *6od ol nations ned the United States, not only to help bring victory to toe side of right, but in the final wind-up. America is needed in toe last-court of justice tfaat will fix responsibility and shape the future. :■>