The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-18
PEACE ON EARTH.
DR.. Parsons Sermon Preached Yesterday
on the Arbitration Treaty.

RSY. Dr. parsons preaoHou 9o'oe'
in Chestnut Street church to large CON-
gregation on the subject of peace, WIN
special reference to the arbitration treaty
signed last week.
The text was taken from st. Luke =,
14-"peace on Earth DR.. Parsons pre-
faced it by saying that the treaty OF
amity and goodwill between England
and America is o most suggestive anu
impressive spectacle, with results lar
reaching, not only to the nations inter-
estsd and all the world, but especially to
the interests Of the Church OF thirst.
Jesus was the Prince of Peace, and His
Kingdom on earth will be kingdom OF
paaoe. And this treaty is most signla
can't as pointing to that consumation.
War is the soourge of the world. war
is murder" said Gen. Sherman, "and
you cannot soften or refine ii" In the
war between the states five hunnreo
thousand men were killed in battle or
died from wounds or diseases In the
hospitals. And the physical wrecks OF
that great struggle still go halting along
our streets. And this Is not all tine
dreadful story-that will never be known
until the books of God are opened. Inc
time is to come when plen will learn war
no more and recent events prove INF
that time is fast hurrying on. week
ago one million armed men. steel battle
ships, mighty guns, strange and Internal
death dealing weapons, united IN she
testimony that the day was not near.
But week S time and single act of in
ternational friendliness hns discounted
all this. Should the other great nations
follow this good example these one
million men might be returned to the in
dustrial pursuits Of life, battleships go
out Of commission, great guns be dis
mounted, and the glad day so long ago
heralded by angels jubilee would be
ushered in. A glad day indeed when
e very gun is thrown down, anu
"When overy sound from its rusty throat,
ISIS wren's or a blue birds note"
This treaty gives hope for universal
peace because it is an alliance of the two
most powerful nations on earth. England
is very great and it is with no spirit of
boasting that say that the United
States is destined to be greater. We have
the territory, and In time will have an
equal population. Mr.. Gladstone says
that should the United States maintain
her present ratio of increase. in the year
two thousand she will have population
L
United States ON the side of peace, and
she will count as much as all of Europe.
This alliance means also the perpetual
supremacy of the English speaking
people and of the English speaking civil
ization. The English language is the
triumphant language of the day
The Am erican is composite man.
Ware you to get composite photograph
of him you would need many men to sit
for the picture The Englishman with
his sturdy manhood. This German with
is patience and Low g of home. The
Frenohman with his vivacity. The
scandinavian with his metaphysics. And
the Indian with his proud stolidity. And
back of all and as basis of all. the Yam
kee with his shrewdness and the cavilier
with his pride. All these clements and
physiognomies must enter into the COM
posise photograph Of the representative
American.
The Arbitration Treaty also proves
that the rivalries and jealousies Of the
mother and daughter countries are soon
/, ,f tho ST This hAQ not
always been so. When the colonies won
their independence from the British
crown, that crown Lost its brightest
Jewels Many years passed before Eng
lish statesmen gave up The hope OF
winning the American States back to
their allegiance. The war of eighteen
hundred ana twelve was little moro than
q second war for independence. And
then in the war Of the rebellion, the
sympathies of the aristocratic elements
of England were doubtless with the slave
power. But the great heart of the COM
mon people was with the North, and
England's queen, God bless her, was al
ways in full sympathy with the great re-
public in the supreme hour of her peril.
When Lincoln WAS laid low, Queen
Victoria sent her tender letter of condo
lence. And when Garfield awaited
burial, the most conspicuous wreath on
his bier was sent by England's queen
and the most touching despatch of all
was the message from England's
widowed queen to Americas queenly
widow. And what more fitting celebra-
ton of the sixtieth anniversary OF Vic
toria's coronation than day of jubilee
on both sides of the sea. in commemora-
ton of the ratification of q treaty OF
amity between the two great peoples.
Surely for every reason there ought to be
peace between US.
Commercially we are absolutely neoes-
sary to each ether. England IS our great
market, we send them five hundred
million dollars worth Of our products III
a year. While to Germany our next best
customer we only send seventy million
dollars worth. England and America are
the two great practical nations of the
would F,aoco y11ar contribute some