The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-10-11

known throughout Christendom that
that year, bciween May and Novem-
Der, will be the mountain Of Christian
advantage, the Alpine and Himalayan
height Of opportunity overlapping all
others for salvation. Instead of the
slow process of having to send the
gospel to other lands by our own Amer
lean missionaries, who have difficult
toll in acquiring the foreign language
and then must contend with foreign
prejudices, what grand thing to have
able and influential foreigners con-
verted during their visit in America
and then have them return to their
native lands with the glorious tidingsl
Oh. for an overwhelming work Of
grace for the year 1892, that work be-
ginning in the autumn of 1889!
A BIG PEACE MEETING.
Another opportunity, if our public
men see it, and it is the duty Of pulpit
and printing press to help them to see
it, will be the calling at that time and
place of great peace congress for all
nations. The convention of represen-
tatives from the governments Of North
and South America, now at Washing
ton, is only type of what we may
have on a vast and world wide scale
at the international exposition Of 1892.
By one stroke the gorgon Of war might
be slain and buried so deep that neither
trumpet of human dispute or of arch
angels blowing could resurrect it.
When the last Napoleon called such a
congress of nations many did not re-
spond, and those that did respond
gathered wondering what trap that
willy destroyer Of the French republic
and the builder of a French monarchy
might spring on them. But what If
the most popular government on earth
Il mean the United States govern
ment-should practically say to all
nations: On the American continent,
in 1892, we will hold a worlds fair,
and all nations will send to it speci-
mems of their products, their manu-
features and their arts, and we invite
all the governments of Europe, Asia
and Africa to send representatives to
peace convention that shall be held at
the same time and place, and that shall
establish an international arbitration
commission to whom shall be referred
all controversies between nation and
nation, their decision to be final, and
SO all nations would be relieved from
the expense Of standing armies and
naval equipment, war having been
made an everlasting impossibility.
All the nations Of the earth worth
consideration would come to it, mighty
men of England and Germany and
France and Russia and all the other
great nationalities, Bismarck who wor-
ships the Lord of Hosts, and Gladstone
who worships the God of Peace, and
Boulanger who worships himself. The
fact is that the nations are sick of I
drinking out of chalices made out of
human skulls and filed with blood.
The United States government is the
only government in the whole world
that could successfully call such
congress. Suppose France should call
it, Germany would not come; or Ger
many should call it, France would
not come; or Russia should call it,
Turkey would not come; or England
should call it, nations long jealousSof.
her Overshadowing power In Europe
would not come. America, in favor
with all nationalities, standing out in
dependent and alone, is the spot and
1892 will be the time. May it please
the president of the United States, may
It please the secretary of state, may it
please the cabinet, may it please the
senate and house of representatives,
may it please the printing presses and
he churches and the people who lift
up and put down our American rulers!
To them l make this timely and SOL
smn and Christian appeal. Do you
1ot think people die fast enough with
out this wholesale butchery of ware
Do you not think that we can trust to
and consumptions and
apoplexies and palsies and yellow fe-
7ers and Asiatic choleras the work of
Killing them fast enougha Do you
lot think that the greedy, wide open
avs of the grave ought to be satisfied
f filled by natural causes with hun
lreds of thousands of corpses year9
DO you not think we can do something
,etter with men than to dash their life
tut against easements or blow them
nto fragments by torpedoes or send
hem out into the world, where they
iced all their faculties, footless, arm
ess, eyeless? Do you not think that
women might be appointed to an cas-
err place than the edge Of grave
rench to wiring their pale hands and
weep out their eyesight in widowhood
nd childlessness9 Why, the last
,lory has gone out of war.
There was time when it demanded
hat quality which we all admire
amely, courage-for a man had to
tand at the hilt of his sword when
be point pierced the foe, and while
70 was Staying another the other
night slay him; or it was bayonet
barge. But now it is cool and de.
iberate murder, and clear out at sea
can be hurled miles away
nto a city, or while thousands Of
rivate soldiers, who have no interest
n the contest, for they were con-
cripted, are losing their lives, their
eneral may sit smoking one of the
est Havana cigars after a dinner of
uail on toast. 1t may be we'll enough
Or graduating students of colleges on
day to crate about the
oetry of war, but do not talk about