The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-24
Or. CaIisch Delivers a Strong Sermon
on Our Duty Now.
THE RUBICON HAS BEEN CROSSED
The Hour for Discussion a. To the Mcr
us of the Case is Passed and We
Must Rally Around the Flag
of the Country.

Wrong. My Country sun iiV H'tu'
seek Ne the peace of the city whlther
have cxilcd YOU. and pray I'm her behalf
unto God. for an IFS peace VIII DC peace
unto YOU. jeremiah XXX" g.
Tho reaction has set IN. The pendulum
has swung back from impulse TO de-
liberation. Whatever may have been the
determining cause that led us thereto,
we stand now upon the brink OF that aw-
~ horror-a war between two powerful
peoples. ono hundred millions Of human
beings. uncvenly divided. are waiting with
strained nerves FOR the moment Wheh
a.. tense silence shall be broken by the
cannon's roar and the harvest OF death
hcsin. Almost one tenth OF the human
race will engage IN conflict. and by their
oU,n action invite into their homes that
fsfcful messenger whose coming u usu-
civ so much dreaded and guarded
against Aud now that the seriousness ana
The profound gravity Of the situation are
brought home 90 US many are beginning
10 doubt the wisdom OF the course tha'
brought g. Because doubt and discus
=, sion and distrust are becoming manifest
LEI us here earnestly and thoughtfully
consider The relations between the ciu-
zen and the state. with special reference
"a the pr, sencc Of such crisis
as Is upon MS. In the mint
of popular thought patriotism has
been coined into the phrase. My Coun-
try. Right or Wrong. My Country sun.
This sentiment let as take under con-
sideration. Doubtless you may readlly
anticipatc the conclusions that VIII be
drawn but possibly the statement Of the
social and economic reasons that Ie"o
thereto may be of interest and help 10
YOU. As with every other question OF
conduct i'm life the Bible furnishes a safe
and sure guide here also. and We VIII
find IL I'm jeremiah xxx, las above).
II is a basic principle Of social exist
ence that every gOvcrnmcnt-be n mon
archical. republican or Of cmpire-eXists
by consent Of the government. That con-
sent may not always be free and spon-
taneous. IL may be most reluctantly
and unwillingly given. 10 may even be
compelled by force. But IL Is there.
(see Spencer's Principles OF Sociology.
IL l. page 2l6-'0. and upon its presence
does the stability Of government rest.
In tho ordinary and peaceful course Of
events the individual may become dis
satisfied with the acts OF government as
they are being produced. His dissatis-
faction may find sufficient vent i'm mere
discomfort or in verbal objection among
his fellows and comrades or IL may d
sumo the proportions Of a rcmonstrance
unto the governing powers. II there be
sufficient cause. or N there be sufficient
weight added. either i'm numbers or au-
thority the governing powers may give
heed thereto and Boy removing the rea-
son thereof remove the discomfort II
the governing powers give no heed 10 the
remonstrance of the governed. but con-
tlnue the Objectionable procedure TIL the
patience OF the majority OF the governed
Is passed. then the governed re-
move the offending poWcrs-in cOnstitu-
cow. rFtIeTnHIN hE means
Of election I'm more limited governments
by force OF revolution
The Anglo-SaNon race possesses pos
siby the greatest power OF social self
restraint. and with IL the greatest freedom
i'm the expression or individual opinion as
regards the conduct of the governing
powers Here in America is especially
the ideal OF human government. He were
a blind and fatuOus individual indeed
who would not give his consent to the
form OF social cooperation as here eS-
tablishcd We have here even-handed
Justice. freedom. the uutrammelled con-
science the absolute equality before the
law. the unhampered privilege OF the
pursuit Of happiness and prosperity, the
splendid and blessed opportunities so
lavishly accorded by our institutions. ana
above all the freeman's sceptre-the bal
lot-whose proper use is lkened unto the
driven FliNN llti hf lll itN 'ttNtf'A aAAtN' t
sionless purity. and yet by whose noise
less accumulation wrong and falsehood
and corruption are overwhelmed as the
shaggy rocks OF the mountain side are
buried beneath the avalanche that sweeps
from the cloud compelling peaks down
TO the fertile plain below.
There Us a solemn and uplifting thought
in the spectacle that is presented TO as
in the bloodlcss revolution that takes
legislative and executive bodies when
after fun and ample discussion, the viii
OF the people is recorded and its man
date obeyed. But all this happens IN
times OF peace and IN measures that are
mercy political or temporary or are
nothing more than mere differences or
opinion as 10 how the government should
be controlled in It's financial or judicial
operations We all do readily cOncede
that In matters of opinion the expressed
will Of the majority should avail, even
though the minority may be convinced
Of its unsoundness and uncorrectness.
But In matters that are more vital and
profound In matters that touch upon the
very bases Of morality and of justice,
that have TO do with the accepted and
acknowledged laws OF humanity and or
truth. that deal with the conscience and
the inherent rights OF the human being.
must the citizen 10 these blindly follow
the path that his governmental leaders
may pursue? I am not speaking of such
conduct as may offend other nations and
vet be justified In the eyes OF the actors
BY the standards Of morality prevalent
among them. hut OF such acts as violate
the very fundamental laws OF morality
and OF Justice as dlsregards not merely
national standards. but the universally
acknowledged eNiones OF human conduct.
the very widest and most comprehensive
rules OF comic life. II nation does these
things and an individual thereof has sur
ncient moral knowledge 90 recognize the
iniauity. should that individual say "my
country right or wrong. my country
stlll." ana follow In the pernicious path?
Let ms presume that conditions in the
present crisis are reversed, that 10 was
the United States and not Spain that
was acting inhumanly and tyranously.
that on our part nOu-cOmbatant men and
sefcnceless women and children were
ncing forced 90 fearful death by starYa-
zion and disease. and We Americans. or
some OF ms. recognized the horror OF it,
would 10 DE our duty 20 support our ma
ton in the crisis OF an external attack
10 drown our Own humanity. blind tho
eyes OF Justice and make deaf the ears
of mercyy IL my country should enter
81 course that more than offends my
sense Of humanity. that ravishes my
conscience ana opposes all that I regard
as most sacred and beautiful. should /.
in the crisis OF my country's peril support
my country. give my fortune, my life, II
need be even IN a cause that / hold 20
10. frH