New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-05
RAINSFORD ON EXPANSION.
THE RECTOR OF ST. GEORGES THANKS
GOD FOR DUTY MADE PLAIN.
.1srAKES Will. Re MADE IN DEALING WITH
THE NEW AMERICAN TERRITORY lie
SAYS. BUT THE PEOPLE WILL
LEARN TO KNOW THEIR

REAL SELVES.
The Rev Dr. William s Rainsford rector Of
ST. Georges Church. preached yesterday morn
ing on the subject OF expansion. He took for
his text. THY name shall be called no more
Jacob. but Israe.; for as a prince thou hast
power with God and with men. and hast pre-
siled." Or. Rainsford said in part:
believe God has called us to a new effort
ard new trial to-day. New ways and tasks and
them has dismayed many. Many true and good
men ale cast down. and their depression has
found frequent voice most prominently. l am
sorry 10 say. in some Of our time honorcd pull
pts The CRY OF encouragement and fear arises
MT from the poor and the ignorant men. hut
from the educated and intelligent among US,
from men TO whom we are accustomed to look
for words of soherness. They tell us the country
is N danger, that new policy of expansion Is
the beginning of the end Of her story Of great
ness. We are proposing to ourselves to hold
colonies. have dependencies. rule subject peo-
PES Lool; first al home" they cry. See how
We have failed there Listen to the story OF race
rot in the South, the pitiful condition OF the
indian In the West Note the failure OF munlc-
iral government everywhere. Mark the shame
an corruption in State legislation. Ana re-
Wondering all this. what madness is II to ac-
Cept new responsibilities and place on our
shoulders new burdens
CRITICS OUT or SYMPATHY.
do not wish TO he uncharitable. but it IS my
proves the men TO be out Of sympathy with
much that is most vitality alive in our time,
For first l think these pessnists have lalIeu
- note the great advance that has heeh maui
H. our people. They expect hiehIy ueNcl siS
civilization too soon. They have not Sa'VauiIS
marked the great advance ALREADY maj 80
! turn 20 the men who know. ed'h III i,tS 80
what he is talking about, when N's'' -. ~
ers IN such movements as are t'dI tN,~c,,,'
Hampton and Tu>kcgee, there ma I'oPe1ur-
H4.r. |
ross made ly our plain people give up " Ii'o''n
/ study those extraordinary contour Sc nv a.
C'h.eagH q few wears ago ana compare tns
lrr4r.ae ~ thousands there assembled win
similar great gatherings in England or fra.cs
If / would give consideration 70 ING "cNI Pm
os0phical thought Of the NNe Oh tHe puVsN'o-''
then ! Iist 4 really great man like Herbert Speh-
GER and from the study there SOUNDS VOICE
as emphatcaNy hopeful as from we HCn n,,l
where the common people meet. The great sym
rathctic phiI0s 1Yher j. as far from despair as
the colored genius Of Tuskegee.
But, secondly these dolefuI prophe's .. ~
day not only make grave mistake in their
Judgment OF the movements around then' Out II
seems 10 me that they are forgeuuI or the as
certaire1 laws OF God. What do mean by the
ase,rialucd laws of God? Let me 20 back for
moment 9, make my meaning plain. FOR the
SAL e argument admit they are correct that we
cannot govern ourselves. cannot clean our streets
cannot command honesty Of government In our
LEGISLATURES have not a. yet produced thor
ouch,y united people. Admit IL aI-What are
W. going 10 % about il? Leave theorizlns ABOUT
D j q
Does any man in his heart Of hearts really be-
Neve that the masses Of the people in this coun-
nv arr more ignorant. dishonest, impure. less
ratri0iic less manly-worse men. in short, than
ar peoples composing other nations? Few men
tax L. VII bc found ready TO say this. Then
on your own showing all you have 10 do is 10
arouse the good. organize the good give expires,
sion 10 the better element. and then We Will
compare not UnfaVOTably with other people
How are We to arouse organize ana educate
this waiting good-suppressed virtue OF the Ma.
.
God is plain.
VIRTUE WON BY STRIVING.
Let ne illustrate Men not by nature
o,eanly Cleanliness is won by painfully slow
degrees. The everlasting laws OF life make for
cleanliness. and So slowly, the conviction that
cleanliness is necessary produced in Itself
habit q cleanliness But men do not grow
ceanly suddenly. They only acquire these hao-
lis o.. cleanliness through the persistent punish
men;s which in thousand ways uncleanliness
yis.ts them with Now, challenge YOU 10 show
NJ single virtue that has not been Won III the
same way. And yet though won slowly the
fight with uncleanhness has been 50 actually
won that few would think to-day of cleanliness
being virtue al al. since il Is gradually beng
esteemed a. necessity.
Now for my application. How are We going
10 convince the Inhabitants Of our great land
that ali forms OF corruption evil. not only
in themselves. but are TuinOu T. all mat We
love most and threaten our very freedom itself?
! say again that the asccrtained laws II God
only point 10 way. Bring these deeds TO
the light. hold them up 20 tn day. name them
for what they are, trusting ever and always
that God lives in the hearts Of men. and that
In the end, when they and know. men Will
choose the good and fair rather than the evil
and the foul-that IS To say. the bulk OF men
Will for in the last resort this the teach
Ing Of Jesus ever. and His hopefulncss FOR HIS
enemies lay in this. that they really did not
know what they dd. Bring the deeds TO the
light and have DO fear. for the memorable law
OF God working IN the atom or in the planet -
Oh the side Of purity. liberty and truth
Now. perhaps some VII! ask why Il is that I
rejoice in IN, expansion II our land even though
that expansion comes 10 US with added burdens
and most unexpected duties. l admit we are
unpreparcd deIlore our lack Of civil Service.
! resent tn ignorance and conceit that makes
many who should be strong for high order OF
Civll Service languld or opposed 10 IT, And yet.
gauging. l think our weaknesses. rejoice In
this expansive movement because il VIII hale US
T. The light. because We can no longer hide from
ourselves or from the world the facts. because il
VIII help 20 cast down in Us that ignorant
pharsaical CRY, Lord God We thank Thee that
y. an. rlt 4s other men are" Tina; spiri, has
obtained too long Now sirs works u
be manifested as never before. The world is 10
see far more clearly than 1t has seen what We
are our institutions are TO be tested and tried.
Tie real inWardncss Of our civilization Is 10 be
made abundantly plain 10 all men they watch
our dealings with our dependencies
WORLD WATCHING THE WORK.
We have proclaimed in the face OF the whole
word that one nations method Of dealing with
So Jet peoples seemed 10 Us so utterly bsrbar-
that we. as neighborly nation. could toll
crate il no longer. The declaration was hon
estiy nude. Now the world is i'm
pIovori-nt Oh that barbarOus method Can any
man dream that i would have been a neigh
b0ry act To drive Spain out and then in our
splendid vessels. sailing away, leave defenceless
peoples % anarchy? ! remind you again. as /
dc months ago. OF the teachings Of Jesus To
d. so. J say would have been accurately to copy
the example o. those who left the wounded
On the h.eh road and passed by on the other
side. j. would have been 10 earn the curse Of
l. - !. .,a