The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-12
DIR. ABBOTT ON "JINGOIsM.v
He Thinks "a Standing Army n Menace
and Condemns Aggression.
New York Times


Impressive services were held in Ply
mouth Church, Brooklyn, last evening. the
occasion being the annual memorial exer-
ef RSsRe aD NS
representing nearly all the Grand Army
posts in Brooklyn. attended in body. oc-
center aisle. The galleries and side aisles
were filled with members OF the church
and strangers. many of whom were from
The first address was delivered by the
Rev. DR.. Lyman Abbott. who aroused great
enthusiasm by his denunciation OF lingo
ing Of the part which Plymouth Church
In speaking OF the spirit which had pre-
cipitated the late war he pointed out that
IL was not love OF display, desire for ac-
QUESTION Of territory or greed. but noble
Il stand here tonight" he said. mot so
much TO speak to you as for you; not SO
nounce the spirit of so-called .jingoism,'
prevalent to a certain extent. The spirit
honor TO the flag. 1t is1this spirit which
would make war for wars sake. Ii sticks
Who " dsres aa sarRe + around
exactly rampant as yet, but many there
are who encourage II. I wish il under
standing army, nor an Increase in the
navy. But L am here TO protest against
the. spirit that seeks for bootless glory
the traditions of this country and Of the
Bible.
Way back in the Old Testament the men
were told to rely on a citizen soldiery. The
noblest battles recorded in the pages OF
history have been fought and won by a
cali i to You the Greeks, the HoIianders' the
English, under Cromwell; the Americans,
under Washington and the citizens of our
dear country who fought for liberty and the
right.
the traditions OF our country from the be-
citizen soidiery. 1t is right to have a
standing army, otherwise / should not have
invited a colonel in the regular army to
safety of the Nation we may depend on the
strong right arm OF the people. With our
tect our frontiers But we need nos fight
the Indians. i have the word OF Custer and
others OF his experience that every Indian
war has been causeless. 1t costs ten times
as much TO Kill an Indian as TO educate him.
DO we need spirit of war TO keep out
that England is building fortifcauons in
Halifax. But what of that. What kind OF
do they think we are to be frightened
STA, Italy or France will turn their guns
against us-countries who love Us and send
their people here? or have we anything to
SO near US that we could overrun IL COM
pletely before Great Britain could muster
corporaPs guard.
"'Jingoism' is foreign to the spirit of hero
ISM. To the best of my knowledge. not a
single man who breaches jingoism' ever
imperiled his life in the civil war. but, like
Falstaff. he ran away and afterward. cow
ard-like, Dragged Of his valor. There are
two ways of dishonoring this flag: One is
on the battlefield. where il never has hap
pened, and God grant that II never may,
and the other is by a greedy. dishonest and
unjust war.
I'VE are a wonderful and a mighty Ma
ton. Why should we go out and compel
other people to'come under our dominion. 10
share our prosperity? What is there for
TO gain; Our flag is symbol OF war. IL
has fioated in the tented field. pierced by
shot and shell until nothing was left but
the flying shreds but il is also a symbol OF
peace. forty inoividuai states settle their
by war, but by peaceful measures. IL means
that through this broad country there u
peace, safety and quietness."