fertilizers: — agricultural, intellectual, etc. 181 



anticipate just about what I would say here. So I will limit 

 mj'self to a single sentence. 



Accept first the fact that all that makes up the moral sense of 

 man, — heart, conscience, and all, — are as real as are fields and 

 gardens, and there is not a word that I have said about fertilizers 

 for the soil and for the mind that will not apply here to moral 

 culture. 



Now I will speak of *' Political Fertilizers." Not in any narrow 

 sense, but with a meaning broad as God's design in founding 

 nations do we claim the right to use the word " political." I use 

 it in connection with that sentiment in man which is the root of 

 patriotism, which determines governments, invests them with 

 authority, reveres them, and demands that by allegiance to high 

 ends they be worthy of reverence ; defends them, and claims from 

 them defence against oppression and wrong, with a wise and true 

 polity for their government. 



This sentiment the Great Designer placed in man and gave to it 

 its commission, — made it as distinct in its nature and as well defined 

 as is the moral sense or as is the intellect, — indeed made it as real 

 as are the fields we plough. Whether or not this sentiment or 

 faculty in man produce for the world rich results is determined by 

 identically the same law that determines whether the soil and the 

 human mind shall yield a rich harvest. It must be developed, 

 nurtured, fed. 



Let it be nurtured by generous purposes, early inculcated in our 

 homes, in our schools, in our colleges ; by the voice that heralds 

 progress ; by the inspiring idea of mission ; by the spirit of self- 

 sacrifice ; b}' Truth revealing her glories and her rewards ; by 

 Justice holding aloft her scales. Let this sentiment be thus nur- 

 tured, fed, fertilized, and it must yield the fruits of patriotism, 

 followed by national prosperity. 



But let none of these forms of appeal be made, with their 

 quickening power, and behold the results ! The fruit is narrow 

 party spirit, bitter in proportion to its narrowness ; contracted 

 ideas of citizenship and of nationality ; lack of sympathy with one 

 another and with oppressed humanit}' ; loss of faith in fellow-men ; 

 mean suspicion ; a sneer at unselfish devotion to one's country. 

 How marked the contrast ! 



Great poets, too, — great in their humanity, their patriotism, their 

 insight, and their power of prophecy, — nurture this sentiment. 



