The New York herald., 1873-11-24
The Pulpit on Spain and Cuba.

The Pulpit on Spain and Cubn.
Among the best-considered utterances that
have yet come from the pulpit touching the
relations Of Spain and Cuba to the United
States, and the possible conflict with one or
both growing out of the Virginius massacre,
are the words of DIR. Fulton, of Brooklyn,
uttered yesterday to an immense congrega-
tion While he has no apology to offer for
that savage butchery he makes on able
and eloquent plea for that sturdy re-
publican who now presides over the
destinies Of Spain-Castelar. He, the Doctor,
says, deserves our support. He is the first
Spaniard who, for centuries, by the brilliancy
of his imagination and his direct way of
putting things, has won the applause of
Europe. He is centuries in advance OF his
people DR.. Fulton compares him to Moses
but his task is herculean one. ''Romanism
and slavery" says the Doctor, ''are one-one
combining against education and develop
ment The influence of Romanism makes the
government Of which he is the head weak,
and plots his overthrow In Spain there is
no Sabbath" and the Doctor adds, the con-
verts in American missions there work on the
Sabbath as they do on week days, and if they
did not they would lose ALL The Doctor charges
our government and people with conniving
at the slave trade in Cuba, for without our ac-
quiescence it could not prosper there. He
arraigns the Catholic Church as the cause of
the troubles both in Spain and in Cuba by its
Withholding the Bible and a free pulpit and
common school education. At the same time
he cautions Americans against the cry for an
nexation, which cry, he says, is full of mis-
chief If we had Cuba we could not govern
it nor hold it without trouble and great loss to
ourselves Our true policy is to take Havana
and hold it until Cuba comes to her senses
and is ready to unite with Spain in guarantee
ing religious and civil liberty and in uphold
ing good order. And we, as Christian peo-
pie, the Doctor thinks, should embrace the
present favorable opportunity to give the word
of God to the people of Spain and Cuba.
DR.. Scudder, of Brooklyn, illustrated the
power Of word sent forth with authority by
the preparation that is at present going on in
all our navy yards and arsenals since the gov
ernment said "Prepare" for war and if the
exigency shall arrive and the interests of
humanity call for it the word Forward" will
be uttered by and by, and who shall be able
to measure the forces that shall emerge from
that one word when uttered by Congress?
The Doctor used this illustration to enforce
the power of Gods truths and the danger of
neglecting to heed them.
,of <lo 1oI Al.
hard times that are possibly before the work
ing people Of these cities, and the trial and
sentence Of William M. Tweed, Mr. Frothing-
ham referred to the Virginius massacre,
which, he said, showed an utter disregard of
the feelings Of the civilized world and OF inter-
national pledges and common decency. It
was the deed of savage men, inhuman, cold
blooded and heartless. Nevertheless, Mr..
rockingham believes that if affairs in Cuba
can be settled by anything but the sword
they should be.
Rev. Z. G. Sweetser referred to the recent
butcheries in Cuba, and declared it to be the
duty OF all nations to unite and put stop to
such outrages against humanity. While he
would not advocate war, still he called upon
England and the United States to tell Spain to
let Cuba alone, and that they will protect it
and stop all such butcheries in future.
Mr.. Talmage must have had spell of deep
piety on him yesterday, or been in vein of
dry humor, when, in the same breath of prayer,
he prayed for the editors of morning con-
temporary who have been ridiculing or
abusing him lately, thanked God that court
and jury had been found in this city to convict
and sentence ''the ringleader ofmunicipal cor
ruption," and prayed that all our difficulties
with Spain might be brought to o peaceful,
amicable and honorable adjustment His
sermon was of the purely gospel sort on the
obstacles in the way of salvation.
So far the pulpit on Spanish Cuban
American affairs. Another number OF minis
ters, utterly ignoring, or for the time being
forgetting that such countries exist or that
troubles are brewing between them, passed
them over and went straight to such themes
as burden-bearing, which DR.. Cuyler set forth
before his Brooklyn congregation. He en-
couraged those who have burdens too heavy
for them to bear to cast them all upon Jesus,
who is able to bear them and who cares for
His people; and, as the greatest, biggest,
blacklist burden is sin, the Doctor especially
commended those thus burdened to bring
it to the -bearer-Jesus.
Mr. Beecher lifted up an old theme in o new
dress before his people yesterday suffering as
the interpreter of moral truth and as great
moral force acting through the imagination.
While amply illustrating his subject with his
torical incidents, he did not forget to tell the
congregation that the great and living truth
is that the life Of God is brought down under
natural law in the person of Jesus Christ.
And this life is the manifestation of the
human life thus cloistered.
Rev. Henry Powers contended against the
idaa lLoI faar is nanncanru clnIaao,at In