--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Cowley, Moses F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 19 number: 2 published: 1915-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Cowley, Moses F., "Patriotism—Instinctive and Intelligent," *Improvement Era* 19, no. 2 (December 1915): 110–112.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1902unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1902unse start_page: 110 end_page: 112 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1902unse publication_year: 1915 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Patriotism—Instinctive and Intelligent Patriotism— Instinctive and Intelligent BY MOSES F. COWLEY Patriotism may be defined as a love for one's country that gives an unreserved and zealous support to her institutions and interests. In relation to the history of the development of civili- zation, as characterized by wars and struggles, this word has a most profound significance. The forms of patriotism may be classed as two kinds : instinctive and intelligent. Both contain one fundamental element in common, which is self-sacrifice, with an unqualified devotion to the cause of the many ; but other charac- teristics make a marked distinction between them. Instinctive patriotism is that patriotism impelled by the emo- tions of man, regardless of his better judgment. These emotions may be love, fear, hatred, ambition, or a desire for aggrandizement, each or all of which may appear on the surface in the form of love and loyalty for one's country. It comes by pure instinct alone. Hence, the object of this kind of patriotism may be right or wrong, as it sees only the cause of the party possessed by it. One zealous patriot has expressed it in these words, "Our Coun- try ! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right, but right or wrong, our country." As one of the underlying causes of the gigantic war now- waging in Europe, I suggest this misdirected patriotism. In the seventeenth century, Louis XIV, of France, vigorously prosecuted a policy of establishing a greater and more glorious country, dis- regarding the rights of his neighbors. This policy reached its climax in the career of Napoleon Bonaparte. He declared, "What the French want is glory and the satisfaction of their vanity." Was this kind of patriotism lacking to uphold him in his burning ambition? Let the hundreds of thousands of dead who pas- sionately gave their lives for his cause answer this question in awful silence. Germany, also, has lived by the same national idea, which obtained a powerful inception under Frederick the Great, in the eighteenth century. Expressive of our treatment of this phase of the subject, he proclaimed after one of his victories, "Happy are they who, having secured their own advantage, can look tran- quilly upon the embarrassment of others." ♦Winning address at the Utah Agricultural College for medal given bv the Sons <>f the Amenoan Revolution. PATRIOTISM INSTINCTIVE AND INTELLIGENT 111 The history of England, Russia and Austria is similar, each nation being' imbued, more or less, with the idea that God is shap- ing her political and commercial destiny, that each one must live and triumph, incurring, if need be, the death of her national neigh- bors. What a reflection upon an all-wise, all-merciful and just Deity! Thus the present theatre of war presents to our view the result of the workings of this kind of patriotism. Its contempla- tion horrifies and awes our senses with intense solemnity. What the end of the world would be, should this kind of patriotism be the impelling force, one dare not think ! Rather let us devote our thoughts to that patriotism I have termed intelligent. This patriotism represents the word in its truest sense, involving also man's emotions, but guarded and di- rected by a keen intellect and controlled by his underlying better self. It means unqualified and true devotion to one's country, only when his country is incessantly struggling for the triumph of principle. Indeed, it recognizes and supports only the funda- mental and basic principles that allow equally to all mankind the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is the only patriotism that shall invariably endure to reach a praise- worthy goal in the course of human events. America represents this patriotism, the first great victory of which was the Revolutionary war. That war was a trying battle for principles. Those principles for freedom and righteousness may be summed up in the word virtue, for which the Father of our Country unrestrictedly dedicated his life. In the words of Phillip Freneau : "O, Washington, thrice glorious name. What due rewards can man decree? Empires are far beneath thy aim. And sceptres have no charms for thee ; Virtue alone has your regard, And she must be your great reward." The spirit of the Revolutionary war was not a passionate and an unwise antagonism against the mother country, but rather the sacrifice of everything to realize the enjoyment of those principle3 that are deep-rooted in the soul of true character. I desire to mention a person who, to the casual thinker, performed a shame- ful mission and died an inglorious death : but to him who in- terprets correctly the motives that actuate brave and honest hearts, he represents grandly the spirit of that age. Tn his last words, uttered amidst circumstances that would tax the strongest soul to the core, Nathan Hale voiced the spirit of intelligent patriotism in its truest form: "I regret only that 1 have but one life to lose for my country." And why? Because his country was testing the power of principle, and she must win. 112 IMPROVEMENT ERA "There are no points of the compass on the chart of true patriotism," says Robert Winthrop. "It is altruistic and philan- thropic, allowing- no discrimination between peoples. It draws the line of demarkation only between right and wrong'." After nearly a century of advancement, we were again con- fronted with a grave situation which threatened to rend our na- tional heart in twain. How fortune blessed us with a powerful and calm man who successfully championed these fundamental principles of human happiness is an epoch of history indelibly stamped upon the mind of every American child. However, it may not be amiss to relate an incident which portrays strikingly the broad, comprehensive, and untainted patriotism of Abraham Lincoln. It occurred at the close of the Civil war. The return of the boys in blue was being reviewed in front of the National Capitol, by President Lincoln, and thousands who rejoiced in the victory of the North. Old Glory waved proudly in all her beauty. Suddenly there appeared in an upper window of the White House little Tad Lincoln waving enthusiastically an old Confederate flag. What an apparently unfitting thing ! Lincoln's gaze rested upon the sight. He was deeply touched. Immediately he smiled meaningly and waved a gesture of approval. Cheer upon cheer arose from the multitude. Thus the great man, actuated by nature's reconciling inspiration of love had caused a pronounced revelation of this altruistic patriotism which knows no bounds. Today we are called upon to express ourselves as to the stand our nation should take in view of the delicate problems that de- mand careful and wise action. What shall be our attitude ? Real- izing the position our country has ever maintained, we have no alternative. Having been endowed with a heritage which is the fruit of over a century of national growth, we cannot afford to fail in pursuing a course impelled and controlled by an intelligent patriotism for principle, a course that will inevitably lead to a destiny that, when the eternal scroll of history shall be unfolded, will distinguish us as being a nation among nations, the leader and the greatest power of the world, in bringing all nations into con- formity with the plan of the Infinite. Individual patriotism is essential to united patriotism. LTnited patriotism is essential to power. Let every individual who claims true American citizenship dedicate himself to a whole-souled de- votion for these fundamental and basic principles as the guiding force of his civil life. Do this and we are secure in leaving the ultimate outcome to the providence of a just God. LOGAN. UTAH