The herald., 1898-04-25
eT1HRIN0 PATRIOTIC ADDRESS
ny REV, B. z. EOWARD
SERMONS IN OTHER PULPITS
Rev. J, r. Jones Talks on Religion and
War-Timely Topics Discussed
at Various Churches

crowded out to the vestibule and the stag
and boxes hung with immense flags. Ih'
Battle Hymn of the Republic" was suns
as a solo chorus at the opening OF the ser
vice and the "Star Spangled Banner NJ
the close. The applause was enthusiastic
when the speaker closed his peroratior
with the quotation of beautiful poem
"Stand BY The Flag
1.-THE independence of Cuba is not the re-
suit of political spasm," said he. 1T !:
the inevitable issue of the logic of hun
dred years 1t is the consummation II
this western hemisphere of a century oi
expansion. It is the last word of modern
civilization to Spains medieval colonia
policy. The nineteenth century has beer
the century of republicanism. In January
1900 the new world contained but single
republic. Today, in all this western
world, Cuba and Porto Rico, with a wee
Dutch colony in South America. alone re-
main as wretched remnants of degraded
and suicidal colonial system.
"In 1900 the American republic occupied
but five per cent of the territory of the
hemisphere; the remainder was held by
European powers. Today there are nine
teen republics instead of one. Slowly the
clutch of Spain has been loosened from her
colonies, until but two per cent remains,
and that but hardly in her strangling
grasp.
Surrounded on all sides by governments
which are republican, lying in the very
current of modern civilization, imbued
with the spirit of liberty, almost within
sight of the shores of a democratic nation,
the mightiest on the earth, whose history
began with a revolt against the very op-
preston which is destroying Cuba, is it any
wonder that this people should rise up in
revolt and demand the right to which every
people is entitled. the right to life, liberty.
and the pursuit of happiness?
"But those who criticise our government,
while admitting the right of Cuba to re-
volt, deny the right of the United States
to interfere with Spain in her warfare with
her colony Granting that Cuba is justi-
fed in revolution, how are we justified i'll
declaring war? 1t may be that in the
history of nations cumulative precedent
cannot be found to justify the intervention
of this country in favor of Cuba. But
questions of morals cannot be determined
by precedent, and God Almighty's justice
does not get it's sanction from codes of in
ternational etiquette. There are prin-
ciples of eternal right that refuse to be
measured by the rules of political iE-
trigue. There are laws of humanity that
will not be bound by the green withes of
petty proprieties.
'sIn her conduct of this campaign Spain
has violated every principle of civilization.
Grant, for the sake of argument, what we
will not grant as fact, that Spain has
not transgressed she canon of interna-
tional law, she has nevertheless broken
every law of decency and has degraded
war for the subjugation of a rebellious col.
ony to a relentless determination of it.
Not content with practicing her hellisl
horrors upon her own children, she has in
terfered with our commerce, disturbed our
national peace, and, Turing them into her
harbor. she has murdered our helpless sea-
men. For all this she offered what repa
ration? She has coldly suggested the
appointment of an arbitrator who shall
set a price upon the blood of our brave
sailors.
Accident may be met with indemnity, but
shall foul murder be compromised for mere
cash? Shall we make merchandise of
crime and like hucksters hawk the blood
and bones of our murdered dead about the
streets of Spain? do not believe in a war
for vengeance or for conquest. 1t is true
that no shedding of Spanish blood will re-
call the breath of life to the mangled bod
les of our slaughtered boys, but when the
treachery of Spain is not satiated with the
rapine and butchery of combatants and
she would glut herself with the flesh of
peaceful nation; when intoxicated with
blood and drunken with carnage she lays
her polluted hands upon innocent citizens
of a friendly government; when horrible
warfare degenerates into vicious crime
and protracted horror and the court of
Spain adopts methods that would shame
the courts of hell, then it is time for this
nation to rise in the majesty of strength
and righteousness and say by the Eternal
God of Justice this thing must stop.
1t is not Cuba, it is not Spain, it is Amer
lea who stands this day at the bar of God.
The Lord God of Hosts has laid on this
nation solemn charge to which we dare
not longer be recreant. Nations as we'll as
men are intrusted with missions, and peo-
pies as well as individuals are chosen for
manifest destiny. When the history of the
world is read by our childrens children in
The ages to come may their hearts be up
lifted with holy enthusiasm as they read
Of this war which is the initiative of a new
era when men no longer moved by lust
Of conquest or revenge, but by principles
Of humanity and justice to sacrifice for the
oppressed and doWntrodden not their own
and let this nation be honored in the rec
1rds of the race as the messianic nation of
he earth.
'"This is not the time to moralize on the
horrors of war or to cry for peace at the
of self-respect and duty This is
lot the time to exploit a watery sentiment
alism or to exhibit maudlin weakness
If national conscience. Peace is not the
highest glory of nation Her holiest pos-
session is justice and moral rectitude. Let
here be first righteousness, then peace. I
1now that it is written, love your enc
nies.' but no law has issued from the Inns
# God that enjoins man to espouse their
principles or to become a partner in their
,rimes. Does the command to love our
enemies compel us to betray our friends
,r to abandon the just cause of the weak?
love that is not founded ON justice is not
worthy the name.''
FORGIVENESS