4 Sermon Illustrations on America

An old English picture represents a king, with the motto beneath, "I govern all;" a bishop with this sentence, "I pray for all;" a soldier with the inscription, "I fight for all;" and a farmer, who reluctantly draws forth a purse, and exclaims with rueful countenance, "I pay for all." The American citizen combines in himself the functions of these four. He is king, prophet, warrior, and laborer. He governs, prays, and fights for himself, and pays all expenses.

France tried to get on without a God in the time of her first Revolution; but Napoleon, for reasons of State, restored the Catholic religion. M. Thiers gives this singular passage in his history. Napoleon said, "For my part, I never hear the sound of the church-bell in the neighboring village without emotion." He knew that the hearts of the people were stirred by the same deep yearnings after God which filled his own; and so he proposed to restore the worship of God to infidel France. The savans of Paris ridiculed the proposal, laughed it to scorn, declared it was weakness in him to yield to a superstition that had forever passed away; that he needed no such aid to government; and that he could do what he pleased. "Yes," said he; "but I act only with regard to the real and sensibly felt wants of France." Negotiations were opened with the pope; and the Romish worship was set up, amid the enthusiasm of the nation. The historian utters this reflection: "Whether true or false, sublime or ridiculous, men must have a religion." Later, and with deeper meaning, Perrier, successor to Lafayette as prime-minister to Louis Philippe, said on his death-bed, "France must have religion." So I say to-day, concerning that better faith, which overthrows what Romanism sets up, which breaks the shackles Romanism binds on, which is the only security of national permanence,—America must have religion.

— C. D. Foss