The Portland daily press., 1898-09-26
OUR NATIONAL POLICY.
The Rev. DR.. Dalton Preached &
Striking Sermon Thereon.
He Fears tho Fate of Rome and Opposes
the Ideas of the Expansionists.

At St. Stephens church yesterday
morning the Rev. DR.. Asa Dalton
preached upon questions arising from the
late war, His text he took from the 2lst
chapter of st. Luke's gospel, the 10Th
and Goth verses: "And there shall be
sions in the sun and in the moon and in
the stars; and upon the earth. distress OF
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the
waves roaring; mems hearts failing them
for fear,s and for looking after those
things which are coming on the earth;
for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
He also read from the Psalter for the day
verses which had an even more intimate
connection with his sermon, since they
referred to the time when it becomes nee
essary for choice to be MADE, Wnen d
parting of the ways is reached.
Dr. Dalton introduced his subject IN
a singular way by an anecdote OF
former much beloved clergyman OF THIS
CITY, whose sea-faring friends brought
him home as tokens of remembrance.
ca many cigars that he smoked until his
health was impaired and his physician
babe him stop. He had reached the part
ing of the ways. The idea suggested was
that such times come to nations oucn
a time came to New England at the date
of the great temperance reformation IN
the firsy half of the century. Then was
crisis. Farming communities and citi-
zens alike were on the DOWNWARD ROAD,
but the people, in the words OF the
Psalmist. turned their feet to the testl-
monies of God.
With brief reference to the results OF
the victory of Israel over the Canaanltes
DR.. Dalton took up the illuminating his
tory of Rome, which he made the real
foundation Of his discourse. A simple,
sturdy people gradually enlarged It's ter
ritories by successive victories. 1t outgrew
its habits of economy and morality and
became infatuated with the thirst for
power. They improved Italy and they
conquered Spain, which they looked upon
much as we do upon. Cuba. Other ma
tions in succession fell under their con-
troll and while their riches increased, the
lust for power also grew until their own
military resources were exnausteu ana
they fell back upon mercenar1es. Whlie
riches poured into Rome they were not
the gain of the people who grew poorer
and poorer. The corruption which marked
the latter days of the Roman Empire was
the natural result of a career OF conquest
for the sake of spoils. Rome went down.
In similar way he briefly reviewed the
history of the nations which succeeded
the empire. Spain, for instance, at one
time had in the new world, which was
practically all her own.sa richer empire
than Rome ever possessed. But it was no
wiser than Rome was. The stories OF
Italy and Germany and France were not
unlike. They corrupted their own people
while ambitious to crush others. All
failed. All have found the pursuit OF
schemes of foreign conquest ruinous with
the single exception OF England. she
saw her error committed in dealing with
us in the last century and now so deals
with her colonies that it is often said they
are more English than England. In
Spain's colonies, as we know, her CIVIL
and military officials have f1eeced the
people over whom they were placed. Eng
land has learned to send her best and
, wisest men to rule her colonies She does
not put men in such positions because
they are the sons Of great politicians, l1y-
ing or dead.
Then the speaker referred to existing
European conditions. All the nations of
the continent are jealous of each other,
lotf r,rrIa nd
They keep up great armies and go as
far as they dare in their manifestations OF
hostility, Russia in China, France in
Siam and Germany, and also France in
Africa, but they all feel there is point
which must not be passed. Germany
learned this when the famous flying
squadron was SO speedily got together
two or three years ago. So long-as Eng
land keeps her navy in its present place
of predominance shes is safe. and she
needs no urging to do this. The reverend
speaker said if he was an Englishman
as he is an American he should be will
ing to give his last shilling to keep that
navy up to the mark.
Europe, said the preacher, is at the
parting of the ways. He spoke in most
interesting way of the changes the last
few years have brought. One modern
battleship could sink all the navies in
existence century ago. Therescan never
again be displays of bravery like that OF
Pickett's charge at Gettysburg. Smoke
less powder and rapid fire guns have put
an end to such things. 1t is a wonder to
him that our own country allowed itself
to fall SO far behind as it did. Our SOL
diers in Cuba, armed with ssold-fashioned
Springfields, were not able TO cope on
equal terms with the Spanish Mausers,
using smokeless powder. Why should
we have been SO far behind nation like
Spain. 1t was folly which must not be
repeated. Either we must follow policy
of peace or one of preparedness for war.
But these European nations cannot
always stand the burden under which