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CHRISTIAN PATRIOTISM
American Citizenship.
The term American as meaning a citizen of the
United States, appears to be now sanctioned by
common use. The inhabitants of Canada call them
selves Canadians, the people of Mexico claim the
name of Mexicans. There are British-Americans
in the north of Canada; Cubans are in Cuba, but
“ Americans occupy the domain of the United States.
It is understood generally that the people of the
United States are Americans, whether they were
born in Europe or in this country. The nalhe is
geographical, rather than political, and it is a trib
ute to the supremacy in the continent gained by
the United States.
The designation also intimates that our govern
ment is a Constitutional nationality, established in
Ain erica for the common welfare of native and
naturalized Americans. Probably it prophecies a
future people distinctly American and united in
language, customs, laws and liberties, governed in
wisdom and justice by the white race. It reveals,
also, that there is a general aspiration of the people
of this country to become great, and a profound
Conviction that their country will be among the
foremost in the further progress of the world.
All the facts of American history considered With
the situation in the present period, clearly and
forcibly suggest that a very high order of patriot
ism is required for the true development of the
American people on this western continent. It is
quite apparent that the genuine love of country
must be the ruling spirit in all places operated in
promoting the American advance. There is no
present threat of foreign war to stir otic American
blood; the republic is at peace itself, and the ac
knowledged Messenger of peace on earth.
The era now fully opened, invites American at
tention to American institutions, American policies,
and to the true character of American citizenship.
The latter is the work at hand, and it is the foun
dation of all the rest. The people of many Euro
pean nations, and their descendants, are here to
be Americanized into one type of citizens, under
advantages the most favorable for development.
One thing to be considered is that the choicest fea
tures of patriotism have been contributed by a
variety of nations. From the English came the old
strong British devotion to just law; from the sturdy
German his inborn love of Fatherland. From the
French the enthusiastic spirit which exalts the glory
of France; from the Irish that natural aspiration
for Home Bule, which goes with them everywhere.
From all countries—the Anglo-Saxon, Celt, Teuton
and Scandinavian—the elements have flowed into
America to make Americans.
Fortunately the American Revolution of 1776,
which was followed by the adoption of the Consti
tution of the United States, occurred opportunely to
give form, substance, and regulation to the spirit
of liberty which prevailed in all the colonies. One
who explores thoroughly the facts of the colonial
period, will wonder at the development of unity
out of the discordant controversial, conflicting ele
ments, amidst which the great Rebellion against the
corrupt English ministry began. Disagreement had
taken all vicious forms through the century preced
ing. The conflicts were commercial, religious, racial r
political and apparently irrepressible. But the op
pressions from abroad continued to fall upon all the
colonies alike, although with unequal injuries, so
that they found a common ground in an American
sympathy which drew them gradually, steadily and
so completely together at last that they won the
victory by their unity and in the same spirit adopted
the Constitution of the United States.
It seemed, in 1750, very improbable that the
scattered populations of struggling colonists occu
pying a narrow skirt of ocean frontage, who were
fretting each other with local hostilities, could
ever be united in one government which would ac
quire, occupy and control the best part of the North
American continent, from ocean to ocean, and do all
Conducted By GENERAL CLEMENT A. EVANS
The Golden Age for July 5, 1906.
this within a hundred and fifty years. The outlook
was just the contrary. The picture of many nations,
rather than one, was in the line of vision. Many na
tions, the English, Dutch, French and Spanish, all
at War, was in the superficial perspective. But mov
ing upon the turbulent waters of the colonial age
was the divine spirit which overrules the destruc
tive wrath of men, and brings to bear on human
events the best qualities of mankind, instead of the
worst. For it must be remembered that the greater
number of these colonists were inspired by their faith
in those liberties which were guaranteed by Magna
Charta, and by their love of country—and their
country as they saw it was the continent of America.
It is unquestionably true that the ruling principle
of the Revolution which controlled our ancestors,
was their devotion to human liberty, under laws
made by themselves. This was their common faith,
and America was felt to be their common country.
Georgia scarcely felt at the time the hard hand of
royal rule, but its people uttered the voice of all
in he memorable declaration that “The cause of
Massachusetts is the cause of us all,”
The Ruin of the Roman Republic
Dr. John Henry Hopkins, writing in 1867, on civic
righteousness, remarked that “Cicero ascribes the
ruin of the Roman Republic to the moral degeneracy
of the citizens, and particularly specifies avarice
as the vice which most of all brought the common
wealth to destruction. Now, in all this it would be
easy to show that the Christian Scriptures abound
in lessons of political wisdom. But the authority
on which they are placed is infinitely more exalted
because every act, word and even thought, is there
shown to be brought under the cognizance of the
Almighty; and the argument for civic virtue is
raised from earth to Heaven, from the doubtful re
ward of popular praise to the unerring judgment of
eternity.
“I know of nothing which tends more strongly to
shame the irreligious recklessness of our own age,
than to see how wonderfully the Bible is vindicated
by the maxims of true philosophy enjoining the
same virtues of piety, prudence, justice, fortitude
and temperance as essential to the true patriot and
politician; and condemning the same vice of im
piety, deceit, covetousness, venality and bribery as
fatal to the individual man, and no less fatal to
the public welfare. For this we are obliged to ac
knowledge that the morality of the Gospel is ap
proved by the brightest intellects amongst the
heathen themselves; and that he who refuses to
adopt it is condemned not only by the law of faith,
but by the plain maxims of right reason.”
Real Gold Bricks.
We often read of “gold bricks” made of brass,
and of people who are swindled by purchasing them.
But there are real gold bricks; at least, that is what
the miners call them. They are the retorts of melted
gobi, just as they are taken from the melting pots
in the assay offices and mine laboratories. The bricks
are sometimes square, and, while smaller, are the
shape of the house bricks with which we are all
familiar. The greater number, however, are round,
or the shape of the pots in which they are melted.
The gold of the bricks is that secured by scraping
the copper plates beneath the stamp batteries of
the mine mill. There is much quicksilver' with it
when it is first placed in the pots, the quicksilver
being thrown or sprinkled over the plates to make
the gold settle. The quicksilver evaporates when
the pots are subjected to the intense heat of the
“blow furnaces,” necessary to melt the gold and
reduce the particles to one huge chunk.
Gold of this character, which is known as “bul
lion,” is worth $lB an ounce, or $216 a pound, Troy
weight. In Western mining camps, or anywhere in
America, raw gold, or bullion, passes and is taken
in exchange for its value, just as coin. Banks buy
it and give coin of the realm in exchange. Many
miners prefer to sell their gold to the banks, and
receive coin in immediate exchange for it, rather
than take the time and trouble required to express
it to the mint. The larger mines, however, retort the
gold from their clean-ups regularly every month,
and ship the bricks directly to the nearest United
States mint, where it is stored away and marked
“bullion” till ready for coinage.
A RELIABLE HOUSE.
For thirty-six years the old, reliable Ludden
& Bates, Southern Music House has furnished pin
nos, organs, sheet music and all kinds of musical
instruments in Southern homes. During that time
over 22,000 Mathushek Pianos have been sold, and
are doing faithful service to-day, a record for the
Mathushek that intending piano purchasers
should consider carefully before deciding on any
other. For twenty years “Ludden & Bates” were
always good reliable, sweet toned pianos, the New
Scale S4OO Ludden & Bates sold under their club
plan at $287, cash or $lO cash and $8 a month, is
by far the finest instrument they have ever put
under the firm name. As a testimonial of the
value given under their club plan, 300 Ludden &
Bates were sold inside of four months. The firm
carries other makes, including Chickering, Crown,
Knabe, Weber, Estey, Lester, Ludwig, Schaaf, Ken
sington and Elgin. The Metrostyle Pianola Piano,
Estey and other piano players.
Headquarters and general offices in their large
four story building at Savannah, Ga., with hand
some and finely equipped stores at Jacksonville and
Tampa, Fla., Macon. Valdosta and Tifton. Ga.
The name Ludden & Bates “stands for reliability,”
and all things musical, from the cheapest that’s
good to the best that’s made. With a quarter of
a million dollars capital, the house is stronger to
day than ever. A good old Southern House, that
solicits your patronage.
All that in any life you know of or can imagine
that seems to you lovely and to be longed for, is
yours in the very longing.
—Mrs. A. D. T. WHITNEY.
“A man who appreciates himself at his true value,
and who gives his neighbors credit for being at least
as good as ho is, cannot be a victim of over-sensi
tiveness.”
When a, prominent congressman was told that a
member of the House of Representatives had in
sulted him, ho replied: “No gentleman would in
sult me, and no one else could.”—Ex.
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