The herald., 1898-03-27

scendants of those ancient traficker:
whom Christ drove out of the temple.
A war for the independence of Cubs
and the alleviation of her suffering peo-
pie will be holier in the sight Of heaven
than any medieval crusade against
Islam. All Christendom so pronounces
it in advance. "Amen!" will be re-
echoed from most of the two hundred
thousand pulplts in this country today.
The attitude of the church in the con-
flict has already been foreshadowed by
the leading divines of both Protestant
and Papal denominations. We have al
ready in these columns noted the patri-
otic utterances of many. Rev. Lyman
Abbott, pastor of Plymouth congrega-
ton, was the latest to deliver himself
touching the duty of the hour. In his
last sermon he took occasion to say:
The Bible stands for absolute truth,
and the minister who believes In the
Bible must state truths at all hazards
of misapprehenson. The Bible does not
require peace at any price. There are
times when combat is necessary, and
the man who has not some soldierly
elements in his makeup is lacking in
the fundamental elements of divine
character. The history of the world
would be much poorer than it is if there
were no records of war on its pages.
Then it would have no Paul, no Crom-
we'll, no Washington. Christianity
does not emasculate men. Christians
are peacemakers, but they are not to
stand for peace a; any price. and they
recognize that there are some things
worse than war, horrible as It is.
When congress appropriated $50, 900 900
and gave President Mckinley absolute
power to spend it for the nations de-
fense, we proclaimed to ourselves and
the world that we were in close peril OF
a great war Whether we are to have
a war or not, the question is pre-emi-
nently and profoundly moral one, and
the prophet may not be silent, however
much he would.
With the spirit which wishes for war
for wars sake have no sympathy. If
it be possible, live at peace with all men.
This is the first and fundamental prin-
ciple; but if the sword be given to us we
must take it. A nation is trust or
SdIllZeU ~ pFOltci IT'S CltlZeHS
from assault without and Unjust
ice within. When the time comes
that it cannot protect its citizens
without war, it is recreant if it does not
buckle on it's sword. Three times in our
national history did we find 1t impos-
sible to live in peace with all men, and
not to the utmost bound of eternity
shall we look back on Bunker Hill and
want the record wiped out, nor shall
we confess as crime the battle of
Commodore Perry.
America should stand for freedom in
other lands as well as in her own.
A Cuban may not be better than a
Spaniard, but war is going on there
which has violated all the principles of
international law. Perhaps the time
has come when we cannot live at peace
with all men longer. We are a great
nation, at least big one. We have
held our equipoise in an hour of great
provocation, but If do not misread the
heart of the American nation. there is
a possibility of an explosion. Standing
in a Christian pulpit committed by it's
past to peace, I am compelled to utter
these words. This great nation be-
longs to the community of nations, and
when the time comes that they declare
this internecine war with Cuba must
cease, We must say Amen.