The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-23

htraua-Vhetr voices tthheu tor Fehces
NEW YORK. Dec, 22.-MlnIsters in
nearly all OF the churches in this city
made references in their sermons to-
day 10 the Venezuela boundary dispute
and the possibility OF war between the
the United States and England. Dr.
ParlShurst, In the course OF his sermon,
In the Madison Square Presbyterian
church, said: 1T almost seems as
though there were Providence In the
way In which these Christmas days
| synohronize the year with events that
hre Just now filling our hearts with
| disturbances. and throwing an uncom.
| Portable shadow across the track OF the
| near future, Now, we do not care 10
beat about the bush in the matter, but
| prefer 10 20 straight 10 the mark by
saying that II christendom wants TO
make the religion OF Jesus, with It's
| Bethlehem, Its angelic choir and its
anthem OF peace on earth laughing
stock TO the ungodly and contempt to
| the heather, the best thing II can DO
| will be TO set the two foremost Christ
Ian nations OF the earth TO work blow
ing mp one Rnothers cities and blowing
out one another's brains.
"Unless we utterly nisconcelve the
| sentiments OF the ChristiRniZed masses,
| both here and on the other Eide OF the
| water, such an issue will be morally I'M
| possible. There will be no conflict that
| will 70 beyond the point Of messages
| and pronunclRmentos on either side, II
the church OF the Bethlehem Christ
comes out and records It's veto. Chris
tlRnity. both here and in England, is
too thoroughly an integral part OF M
| tional life for armies and navieS 70
| clash In warfare at the same time that
the churches Of the two countries are
numbering peace. This Is not the place
| 10 enter into a philosophical or histori-
| cnl exposition OF the Monroe doctrine,
only II 10 safe 10 say that this nation is
| not going 10 be drawn into On interna-
| tlonAl conflict OF arms TO the dishonor OF
Christianity. the encouragement OF
| civilization, tho destruction OF life and
| treasure and the decentralization OF our
| entire organic llfe-in behalf OF o doc.
| trine such that probably 90 per cent OF
q congregation as well informed as this
| would not be able 10 state intelligently,
and the other 10 per cent who can state
~ disagreeing among themselves as 70
| whether the doctrine is applicable 10
the present hltuAtlOns
In Christian Spirit
1--WE are not speaking disparaglpgiy
OF loyalty to country or patriotic re-
gard Cor our country's rights, but pa
triotld passions are incensed and can
easily be fired TO the point whore right
eouSness "a ignored and reason and bal
anced consideration tabooed; and that
10 the mischief OF inflammatory sheets
that make O paying Newspaper busi-
ness OF fanning the flames OF interna-
tlonal anlmOsity. ] wish for two weeks
that II would be a states prison oifenso
TO print newspaper headlines with any
thing larger than small caps II the
nations would first take up tho business
that belongs 10 them first. and II Eng
land and the United States would Join
hands In the rather moro gospel enter
prise OF rescuing pillaged and outraged
Armenlalns from the dirty, bloody grip
OF the Turk. these two brothered ma
tions would soon ind Themselves In
good Christian condition OF spirit to
settle that little question Of civil engl-
neering down In Venezuela In way
that would save both parties, not only
their pride and their heads, but their
Christian repute."
Rov. Charles II. Eaton. pastor OF the
church OF tho Divine Paternity,
preached q sermon on the wiekedness
OF war.
II was dopiorable. he said, that tho
day on which Christians were to cele-
brate the birth OF Christ and pro-
claim from every pulpit tho doctrines Of
peace, the nation should bo eagerly
waiting the ultimatum OF statesmen,
and muttcrings Of war should fill the
iand. II was deplornble still that the
two most advanced ofChrlstlnfi nations
which had done moBt to do away with
the possibilities OF war, were now appa-
rently rondy 10 throw away arbitration
and substitute conflict.
Without going Into the merits OF the
dispute, he would say TINT the principle
involved In the Monroe doctrine was
such that even statesmen had but nn
obscure knowledge Of II, nnd without
proposing 10 usurp any OF the functions
OF the Statesmen now considering the
dispute, he would say that there was no
higher power to determine the necessi-
ties Of war than religion. II religion
was useful In timeB OF peace only, he
said II could be Of no use at all, and he,
aB q minister Of the gospel raised his
voice In emphatic protest ngninst war
na means OF settling n dlaputO until nll
other means had been exhausted for
bringing about an nnIoable settlement
He believed the people would vlait
upon the hend OF any statesman or
leader who dared to bring about war
without first trying 10 arbitrntc, n swift
and terrible vengeance. God forbid. he
bhid, that n nation Rhould shrink from
war for fear OF deprocintlng the value OF
stocks and securities, hut God forbid, on
tho othnr hand that the nation should
pIunEO into war unneCCpnaTlly without
ilrst having tried every other means TO
bring nbout q settlement.
War Ia Wrong.
In the course Of hiB sermon on "clvlil'
zntlon'a Debt to Christianity" Rev, Dr.
Madison G. Peters. OF the nloomlngdnla
Reformed Church, raid; "war Ia cruel.
hateful. wTong. War is hell. Tho
political domagogioa who NJ this
will bO branded by the second sober
tholght Of the American people nH tho
criminals OF the Nineteenth century
WHOM thcBc men had nm opportunity to
nght for their land, when the stars and
stripes were trnilcd In the DUST they
een( substitutes. A war between Eng
ihtid and America would never he de-
l6rfnined until one or the other wont
into bankruptcy ar hnd no more mon Ia
Mn the ranks. An the preacher OF the
gospel OF peace ntd universal brother.
hood I call for arbitration blessed
nro the punccmnkpra.' pray TINT lGng-
land and America may look ncroas the
centuries nnd hear tho angels prOOlu.
nation pence On ehrtli, noOd Will 10
tunuiW