The Portland daily press., 1895-12-23
"PEAcE ON EARTH.
The Subject of DR.. Dalton's Sermon on the
Trouble With England.

DR.. Dalton preached to large congre-
CATION yesterday, his text being the an
gelic salutation, "Peace on earth, to men
good will" His sermon had special
reference to the trouble with England.
Dr. Dalotn said that the season seemed
to be specially suggestive of the thought
of peace Before the time of Christ, war
was the rule, and not the exception, and
it was the coming of Christ that in time
made war the exception and not the
rule. Little by little the change was
brought about. Private war ceased, and
wars between great nations are becoming
less frequent. Of course they have not
ceased, for there are still occasions when
nations must take up arms.
We are to consider the question of war
with England from lower as we'll as
from al higher standpoint. Within 81
hours after the declaration of war an
English fleet would be off this coast.
The time when war vessel would meet
war vessel has past, and the ocean battles
are now between fleets. Portland would
be exposd to the first blow. and would be
burned for the third time by the Eng
lish. In the end it would be the worse
for England, for the burning of Portland
would arouse fierce desire for ven-
geance throughout the country. Possibly
England might burn three or four ma
rine cities and there would then follow
long war.
With Congress rests the blame for our
exposed condition. Had the money
thrown away every year on creeks and
rivers that are dry summers. been appro.
priated for harbor defences, we should
have nothing to fear. Congress should
have given us navy, but did not. The
lesson is plain. If war does not come the
country should be made ready for posi-
BILE war. Threatened on every side, with
dependencies in every quarter of the
globe Enlgand has been compelled to
keep up an enormous army and navy, and
can strike at once sharp and strong.
1t is also question whether this is
are in which the Monroe doctrine is
irsolyed. DR.. Dalton said he did not
beliey that it is involved. We should
make sure that England is not in the
right in this matter. He spoke with regret
OF the rising war spirit all over the coun-
try and of the enormous loss sure to fol-
low the war. England will be fearfully
damaged as we'll as the United States.
England will, of course, know in ad-
vance of the declaration of war that it is
to come, and her fleet will be on the way
to Halifax, there to be massed for a de-
scent on this coast. In the end we should
be able to give back blow for blow
But there is another side to the ques-
ton. The advance of the English speak
ing nations has been little short of mar
velous and unless that advance is check
ed by some great war like the one con-
templated as a possibility, it will be pos
sible In another generation or two for the
influence of these nations. to reach all the
| world, to bless but not to conquer as
did the empire of Rome. Civilization
has advanced with the advance OF Eng
land, Ireland, Scotland and the United
| States, and there must be no hating in
the majestic forward monarch. great
war would effectually check an In fluence
| that would be extended and not re-
stricted.
He could not believe that war is under
the circumstances even possibility. 1t
would be a crime against civilization
DR.. Dalton spoke of the influence of
the season when the coming Of Christ is
| commemorated, and trusted that all men
will remember that peace on earth was
| His mission.
At the close of Che morning service DR..
Dalton was asked to repeat his sermon
| next Sunday, and consented to do so.
| He will go still further into the question
and will also be able to speak with the
fuller knowledge that the week may
| bring of the great question at issue be-
tween the two nations.