The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-14
SERMON ON CUBA LrBRE.
The Rev. Davies, of NObIesviIle, Be-
lfeves War Is Coming.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
NOBLESVILLE Ind, March 13-Dr.
John M. Davies, pastor Of the Presbyterian
Church, delivered AZ lecture in his church
tonight on sour Relations to Cuba" In
his lecture he said in part:
THE cause of the continued difficulties in
Cuba between Spain and her insurgent sub
jects is the general effect of the superior in
fiuence of the civilization of the United
States over the two millions SO of the in
habitants Of Cuba. Castilian ignorance and
unprogressiveness are in direct antagonism
to the elevated intelligence commercial
progress and civil freedom of the United
States. Those in the island mostly adj
vanced and susceptible to this influence
from our own country the past quarter of a
century have gradually developed an I'M
dying repugnance to the low order of Span
ish civilization until it has manifested itself
in formal determined effort to throw off
the Spanish yoke and erect government
similar in spirit and form to our own, The
bravery, sacrifice and perseverance of this
struggle stand in the intelligent admiration
of every freedom-loving nation of the
world. In this struggle the attitude of the
United States is one of unquestioned SYM
pathy. It could not be otherwise. An
otherwise attitude would be subversive of
all for which the United States has stood
before the nations of the world in all it's
past history. The Cubans are now doing
what the American colonists did in rejecting
the supremacy of Britain on this soil in the
Declaration of Independence and in the rev.
dictionary war. Cuba is as divinely the soil
of the Cuban as the American soil was that
of the colonistS. In the providence of God
and in the light of the Bible the people that
occupy country are it's rightful sovereign
rulers and not some distant nation that uses
1t simply as means to enrich its treasury,
as Spain uses Cuba. God gave the various
parts of the earth to the inhabitants that
till it's soil, promote industries upon it, de-
velop it's commerce, advance intelligence,
conduct religion and establish homes, and
He also gave the people the inherent right
to govern themselves. No nation has q
divine right TO make a vassal of another ma
ton. 1t is no surprise in this view that
Cuban instinct to self-government, intensi-
fed into a formal determination by the ex-
ample of the United States, should have
generated a sympathy in this country with
the Cuban insurgents
while the Cubans are so near us, almost
breathing our breath, there never will be
peace, COulSutUSnt anu prosperity III the
island until the last vestige of Spanish rule
has disappeared forever and the life of the
people strengthened and. developed by the
assimilation OF the freeness and dignifed
national character that have made us in
ternally strong and powerful among the ma
tions of the world. The United States, to
be true to herself in honorng the influence
abroad of her free institutions and moral
&y~lyo 70 fhn y1anT1 nf he
triumphant colonial struggle to win indie
pendence, true to the feeblest desire of any
king-ridden country to break the shackles
of oppression, can occupy no other high and
just ground than that of loyal and active
sympathy with the Cuban patriots. The
generous unanimity of Congress last week
in placing s50,O0O,0OO at the disposal of the
President was ostensibly to protect the
honor of the United States, but as these
strained relations have developed from the
sympathy of the United States for the Gu
bans there is the premonition in the act
of Congress that Cuba will be free at an
early day. If the result of the investiga-
zion of the court of inquiry into the pitful
disaster to the Maine will not bring to the
surface casus belli, the trend of the dis
position in this country leads to the recog
milton of Cuban independence. That un-
questionably will be the rightful outcome of
the continued difficulties and atrocities in
Cuba Our confidence in the President is
supreme, and he will do the right thing at
the proper time. 1t is clearly the duty OF
every patriotic American to encourage and
elevate the force that makes great in
the worlds nations. Our power apparently
is only in it's infancy. That force is our
Christianity obtaining expression through
the forms of our representative govern
ment The beneficence of free principles in
national life has been so illustrated in the
career of the United States that thrones are
tottering everywhere as the luster of our
flag falls upon them. This influence should
be elevated and extended that it may ac-
complish its end to the uttermost parts Of
the earth"