Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-12-01

establish precedent applicable TO all future
disputes between civilized nations That
treaty was facilitated 10y an unrcsctve,l expres.
sion OF regret on our part for the ravagcS Of
these privatccrs. The terms were arranged
the arbitrators met; the decision was against
U.S. SJOuo,ooo wee awarded in satisfaction uf
all claims; we bowed to the decision, and at
once, without murmur. paid that vast sum
down In the same year the disputed island
Of San Juan was also awarded to the United
States, by the arbitration Of the Emperor of
Germany; and thus two claims, which few
| years back would have led to bloody and
fraticdal wars, and would have dclugc,l whole
pages of our history in blood, were decided by
impartial tribunals, whose award involved no
humiliation OF disgrace. Never, my brethren,
had the sun OF England shone with purcf
glory. Never since man was had nations taken
a noblcf step to remove the unutterable horror
and guilt Of internecine war. Never was It
more conspicuousy shown that not only
without dshonor but consistently with the
most chivalrouS courage aud the lohicsl
glory, not only without disaster, but with the
most permanent benefit Christian nations,
like Christian men, might regulate their inter.
course IN accordance with his sermon on the
Mount, whom all Christians profess to worship
rs their Saviour and their Lord II war at the
very best he fruitful always Of ruin and OF
horror; II the most successful war be only, as
the greatest of living generals has said, "a
splendid misery; II charity and righteousness
he better, at all times, than blood and FIRE
then ran the clergy have noblcr function in
Christian politics than the promotions Of His
teachings who said, Blessed are the mcrci.
iul for they shall obtain mercy" Blessed are
the pcaccmakcrS, for they shall be called the
children OF God"
III, ii. A.
the world.wi peace within the limits Of the
Kingdom Of Christ has not yet come to pass as
prophecy foretold-that Christian kings 20
out to battle and Christian hands are Redeemed
in Christian blood. 1t is enough to reply tha,
the reign Of peace will not be until the hearts
Of men bow down, and the thoughts ofmen are
brought into confession OF the Christ; that the
plea Of justice and right obtains in each gener-
ation.a a wider and more respectful hearing, and
that hgh.handed and savage acts Of cruelty do
not mark the DEGREES Of princes or attend the
wars of our time, while justice, mercy and
generosity are dispensed to poor and unfortu-
nate, TO slave and captive, to prisoner and
felon, to dead and living, because men have
| hoih ,niist iHt Hc VI HCl WI
earth for which lie died (as well as for their
life in hcaven) is precious in His sigh, and,
therefore, should be sacred in the eyes of men,
Of whom it shall be required.
II religiorvhe real il must have direct bear.
ing upon the thoughts and lives Of men. The
lcaven Of the Christian faith working in the
mass of men alone can give a wholesome
nourishment to their social needs. The re.
ligion of the New Testament is set forth to
pervadc the thoughts, principles, politics,
hopes, fears and purposes Of mankind-and by
the religion of the New Testament we do not
mean on the one hand the sacerdotalism which
would place the priest of the altar over the
free conscience of men-nor do we mean on
the other the tyrannous bitterness of sects and
parties which divide the great body of truth
and recognize no bond Of unity save in a feeble
sentiment The primitive faith and apostolic
order subdued the Roman Empire, and how.
ever men may obscure them by selfwilled
shibboleths and party watch words, they lie
firm and deep in the foundation of national
security. They must enter into the calcula-
tions of those who administer the common
wealth. II the spiritual ears OF ruler and
people be deaf to the voice of God speaking in
the soul of man; il there be no disposition to
recognize the divine will in the eternal prin-
cples Of morality; il the impulses Of passion,
the rule Of expediency and the interests Of
gain be their guides-then shall the gueenly
mother Of noble thoughts and generous actions
remove her royal gifts and transfer to others
more worthy of her inspirations, her goodness
and her loving care.
The gospel of Christ will make manifest its
power to train the multitude for worthy citizen
ship when angry controversies about non-essen-
tials shall be laid aside. A breahth of charity,
for all who name the Holy name, and cath
olicity Of interest for the redemption Of the
great world, if by any means it may be saved
these must be the moving temper and the
controlling spirit Of the religion which speaks
from the pulpit of the great principles which
"make nation great and keep it so.
1t is not for the minister of God to go into
the dusty arena Of party struggles-but it is
his bounden duty to understand as far as his
ability will permit the great principles of social
order and interpret, as opportunity may offer,
the standards of righteousness.
1t is the duty Of the Church to bind on the
conscience of men the obligations of citizen.
ship-rendering unto Caesar the things that are
Caesars, no less than unto God the things which
be Gods.
The prophets of old dispensation were high.
minded patriots. The Son Of Man paid tri.
butte and gave not shadow Of excuse to re.
bellion against the political fortune which God
had been pleased to send His countrymen.
st. Paul was proud Of being Roman citizen.
"Our citizenship is in Heaven" "See that
lye play the citizen worthiy Of the gospel Of
Christ" he wrote to the Christian people Of
the Roman colony Of Philippi. Before the
Sanhedrim he could say without hesitation,
SIN all good conscience l have played the
citizen before God unto this day" And as the
first book Of the Bible tells Of the first living
pair whence sprung our race, and tells how
man fell from his holy estate, so the last book
unrolls the vision Of the favored apostle Of love
and sets before us the state of man redeemed.
1t is holy city, the heavenly Jerusalem, the
commonwealth Of all the good and great Of all
time and places, the city Of God, the perfected
idea Of holy craftsmanship which the gifted
mind Of St. Augustine grasped and pictured in
words Of strength and beauty, contrasting il
with the torn stases Of a corrupted world be.
cause it is an unity in itself.
| In agreement with all conceptions Of good
government must be the performance OF the
personal duties Of citizenship; for nothing short
of moral inhexbility to wrong in the hearts Of
men constitutes the prosperity and very con.
tinuance of national existence. Dull of under.