The evening times., 1898-10-10
THE CHURCH AND EXPANSION.

The attitude of the different ecclesias-
teal institutions toward the question of
territorial expansion is a matter of no
little interest. Some of the Protestant
gatherings have been enthusiastic in
advocating American control of all the
territory acquired in the war with Spain.
AS to the Anglican Church, the New York
Commercial Advertiser says:
The Bishop of Missouri, in his ser
mon before the trienniai conclave of
the Anglican Church in America, rep
resents the forward impulse of the
church in relation to territorial expan-
sion as the Bishop of New York repre-
sents it's intellectual hesitation. The
latter Is in the minority. 1t is not as
remarkable as 1t may seem to some
that the organized religious sentiment
Oh the country Is yoked with material
istlc coYetousness and senseless cray-
ing for the trappings and shows of
imperial dominion, far ahead of the
cool and reasonable middle-class feel
ing of the country. which is only grad
ually coming up to the front rank OF
eXpansionist sentiment
This IS familiar discovery of a con-
stant historical tendency on the part of
the Christian church. made In differ
ent ways in many different lands and
different times. 1t Is not to be ex-
plained wholly by the feeling for re-
liglous propagandism- 1t Is due in part
10 that profound instinct for social or
der. implanted in the primitive church
by the singular intellectual prescience
of the Apostle to the GentiIes. con-
hrmed by the union with the Eastern
Empire, and finally consolidated by or.
ganization under the Papacy.. 1t is
due In other part to the later develop
ment in many lands, both Catholic
and Protestant, OF national churches
IN which the sentiment of secular pa
triotism took peculiar fervor. and the
habit OF extravagant manifestation from
mingling with religious feeling.
1T Is not necessary to go back to Span
ish and French colonization of new lands
to show the ministers of the Christian
church in the very first rank of pioneers
OF empire. sacrificing themselves without
stint or regret and spurring the fiercest
seculars to yet fiercer energy and con-
quest and occupation. though the Jesuts
of Canada and the Dominicans of South
America Were scarcely less national than
Catholic in their zeal for expansion But
modern and Protestant countries prove
the point no less conclusively In modern
fTeHClT cOlOnlZduon In Africa and Asia,
Gallican missionaries. of a church almost
completely nationalizeG, went along With
or little ahead of the civic functionaries
OF the republic and the emissaries of
French manufacturers and traders.
Throughout Africa British missiona-
ries went before either explorers. travel
ers or colonists, and the church organiza-
tion has followed all with its Blessing
and material aid.
THE most vital settlements in North
America were made under religious stim-
ulus. and the gonfalon of a church none
the less national for not being establish
ed has gone before the American pioneer
all the way from the Mississippi to Ha-
| waii. AS soon as soldiers had subiued
| the Western tribes missionaries planted
among them made social centers for set
tlement. The North Pacific coast was
opened by missionaries and church influ-
ence was powerful In holding 1t for the
Union. Missionaries Americanized Ha-
waii and their sons annexed it The
church has been very trumpet of Amer
lean expansion for a century. 1t would
be strange indeed if it were backward
now"