3iI0JTEY AXD THE KIXGDOil. 263 



the other paralyzes it. God saved the nation during 

 the War of the Rebelhon; but it was not by a false faith, 

 which, with folded arms, rehearsed its confidence in the 

 divine decrees. It was by a faith which inspired sacri- 

 fice. At the time of PauFs shipwreck, it was revealed 

 to him that they were all to be saved ; but, nevertheless, 

 there were conditions with which they must comply, or 

 be lost. Their salvation was certain, but not necessary; 

 it was conditioned. I believe our country will be saved. 

 Its salvation may be certain in the counsels of God; 

 but it is not necessary. I believe it to be conditioned on 

 the Church's rising to a higher spirit of sacrifice. 



When the drum beat the nation to battle, a generation 

 ago, no sacrifice was too great; wives gave their hus- 

 bands, parents gave their sons. A Christian mother 

 had sent seven sons into the Union army. Near the 

 close of the war, the eighth, and only remaining son, 

 paid a visit to his mother, and, speaking of the war, 

 said: '^Mother, what would you do if one of the boys 

 should fall in the struggle?" Turning her deep eyes 

 upon him, she said : ' ' God has given me nine noble sons ; 

 one he has taken to himself, seven are in the army, and 

 I want you to understand, my son, that I only hold yon 

 as a reserve for your country's defense; and the first 

 breach that you hear of as being made in our number, 

 go quicklj^, and fill it ; and may God take care of you, 

 and I will take care of your children." Is it easier to 

 give one's flesh and blood than to give silver and gold? 

 We are engaged in what Lord Bacon called the "heroic 

 work of making a nation;" for which heroic sacrifices 

 are demanded 



And our plea is not America for America's sake ; but 

 America for the world's sake. For, if this generation is 

 faithful to its trust, America is to become God's right 

 arm in his battle with the world's ignorance and oppres- 

 sion and sin. If I were a Christian African or Arab, I 

 should look into the immediate future of the United 

 States with intense and thrilling interest ; for as Pro- 

 fessor Hoppin of Yale has said : " America Christianized 



