The times., 1897-07-05
NIFTY SHOULD RULE.
Religious Influence Ought to Be
Paramount in National Issues.

ltelISlOus IuIiUcHce Ou1DJ TO be
Paramount in National Issues.
christianity and Our International Re
latIous' was the theme OF tie morning
sermon ofthe Rev. TeuniS 5. Harnlin, d. D.,
pastor of the Presbyterian Church OF the
Covenant The large pipe organ back
or the pulpit was draped with the Stars
and Stripes, while Independence Day
was still further recognized in the con
gregational singing of America and
kindred selections.
In keeping with the topic Of the sermon
the Bible readings were extracts from
the Acts of the A postles wherein it is
recounted that under Peters preaching
the Holy Spirit fell upon all those that
heard the word, and again Paul'S declara-
tion to the Athenians before the statue
erected to the unknown God: Hun declare
I unto you"
IN expounding the Scriptural readings
the pastor saiu: Christianity in its ms
sionary work has curously enough taught
US TO look down upon those races which
have not our religious beliefs. This
feeling Of self-Superiority, OF PharaseeiSm,
is just beginning to leave US The great
est lessons that Christian nations have
yet to learn are the uniyersality of Gods
love and saving grace, and the ali-em-
bracing brotherhood of man. God is no
respecter of persons and the Split fell
upon all who heard the word
In his discourse proper DR.. Hamlin said
in part: christianity is commonly Tega Tded
as method os salvation for the individual
1t is thought Of as controlling the relations
of members OF the household, as affect
ing the reciprocal acts of employer and
employee, it is thought Of as cal ble Of set
Ting certain questions of sociology which
the common law and statute law have
independently struggled With in vain
While Christian principles Rave thus influ-
enced our intercourse with fcllowmen.
they have thus far had but little effeci
upon the intercourse of nations. Ia the
settlement Of tie disputes nd diffGsS;... -,,.>
between individuals force has long since
been relegated and now recourse is had t.
reason and the law But among nations
war is still the arbiter. Force WILL per
haps, ever be d method of decision but il
should be the last, and always the laSl
method. In individual intercourse the cx-
| ercise of force is now looked upon as leliC
| Of barharisTn. The savage outbreaks, as
| IN tNnCIlngS or III mon violence, put STAN
| upon q community which no explanation OF
| provocation can remove.
1.-The mere proposal for negotiating a
| general arbitration treaty between two
| OF the greatest nations in the world gives
| promise of great accomplishments; seems
| to point out that the day is notfar distant
| when Christian principles will govern the
| intercourse of nations. When international
| arbitration is again proposed the treaty
| should lie on a broader basis Not on
| political ha sis should it be, not on diplo
| matte basis, but this ChristaniZed lega
basis be taken: That all men are equally
| entitled to justice We have here ths
| foremost principle of the Declaration oi
| Independence, and let this be the foremost
| principle of the new treaty Of arbitration
christianity has undoubtedly Tnuldct
our civil institutions, but thus far how
little has it been applied to our interna
tional relations. Self-opinionation, so of
fensiye in an individual, is, when applied
| to a nation commonly regarded as q
virtue, and nistakably given the name o
patriotism. Self-respect is just as i'm
portant in nation as in an individual but
] while alive to our own merits let rs no