Thank you for reading!
Posted on 08/10/2022 8:02:13 PM PDT by griffin
As a young kid, one night back around 1977 I was reading through my father's old Book of Knowledge set. I came across an excerpt from Edward E. Hale's book, "The Man Without a Country". At just under 10 years old I recall reading through this and how deeply it hit me. It impacted me so much that I wrote it down that very night and stowed it away in a special keepsake box.
After 45 years, I finally found that box and the my old treasure. Many times over the course of my life I have recalled that passage and the special impact it has had in my life. In many ways it has guided me through many tough times. I am sharing it with you all here tonight in the hopes that, in spite of all the garbage that is currently happening within our government, we all do not lose sight of our country and how very special she is. Lord bless you all, my fellow Americans. And may He grant us His precious grace in the coming days.
“..if you are ever tempted to say a word or to do a thing that shall put a bar between you and your family, your home, and your country, pray God in his mercy to take you that instant home to his own heaven. Stick by your family, boy; forget you have a self, while you do everything for them. Think of your home, boy; write and send, and talk about it. Let it be nearer and nearer to your thought, the farther you have to travel from it; and rush back to it, when you are free, as that poor black slave is doing now. And for your country, boy," and the words rattled in his throat, "and for that flag," and he pointed to the ship, "never dream a dream but of serving her as she bids you, though the service carry you through a thousand hells. No matter what happens to you, no matter who flatters you or who abuses you, never look at another flag, never let a night pass but you pray God to bless that flag. Remember, boy, that behind all these men you have to do with, behind officers, and government, and people even, there is the Country Herself, your Country, and that you belong to Her as you belong to your own mother. Stand by Her, boy, as you would stand by your mother..”
Edward E. Hale "The Man Without a Country"
Thank you for reading!
Good writing for a kid. Great quote from Hale.
Thank you.
Words to live by indeed.
I remember A made-for-TV version from the early 70s with Cliff Robertson playing Philip Nolan.
Thank you for this inspirational post.
By chance someone said this quote from Hale and I looked it up to remember to read it again. Good for when we feel helpless against the grinding gigantic machine of Leftist evil. We can do what we can do.
Hale:
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
Thank you!
And YES!!!!
“Hale:
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
...and the benefit to living in interesting times it to partake in all the “somethings I can do”! :)
I’ll need to look that up! Thanks!
That story stuck with me, too, from when I was little. Haunting.
Someone should send that to PDJT. He could use it in his rallies, Truth Social, or similar.
Kinda hard to separate country from government nowadays....but to think of all my family and friends and church family that I, as a sheepdog, would put it all on the line to defend....they, and you all, and the soil beneath my feet, are my country.
Haunting is a very good characterization for it.
This passage has haunted my life in a very good way.
During those 45 years when I could not find this hand written page, I tried to recall the exact phraseology and search for it on the interwebs...I recalled it as a poem. But finally I found it. Reunited, so to speak. :)
In what must be an ultimate irony, “The Man Without a Country” was originally published in The Atlantic which has devolved into just another commie rag.
That reminds me of my own handwriting. The Book of Knowledge set had it’s own place in my youth. I developed a unique radial fan design from an idea I got from one of those books all those years ago. I made a basic prototype to prove it’s worth. I’ve been sitting on it for all these years after watching the Japanese still every patent they could in this country during the 80’s. I’ll probably take it to the grave.
I think many of us back in the day all wrote like that. It is so similar to my own it is unbelievable.
Steal instead of still, lol. Go to bed already.
Someone mentioned that story last week, I hadn’t read it in decades so I did a search and found it.
Dang screen got blurry for some reason and danged if my sinuses didn’t start a heavy flow by the time I finished.
That Hale fella knew how to write.
yes he did.
In this day of ebay...if you can find a consumer use or product to make use of that fan....even if it’s just decorative, DO IT! Why not? Someone might likely like and buy it.
Would make a good hobby to occupy time if needed.
hmmm. Didn’t know that.
Shaking my head.
If I could only read cursive...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.