The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-09
LESSONS FROM THE MAINE"
REV. DIR. GILBER1'S SERMON At
TRINITY mr. E. CHURoH.

Large Contribution Made Which Will be
Devoted to the National Monument
Fund.
At Trinity Methodist Episcopal
church yesterday morning DR.. Gilbert
spoke, according to the invitation of
the national monument committee, on
the Maine disaster and a large contri-
button was made to the monument
fund The official board had already
pledged at least $25.
In the course of his remarks DR.. Gill
bert dwelt on the necessary connection
between patriotism and the growth of
religion. Patriotic sermons ought not
to kill but foster piety. There is the
larger religion-not limited by church
walls. DUTY is the grandest, sublim-
est word in religion. Heroism is relig-
ious. The Hebrews were secular as
well as religious heroes as We're the
Christian martyrs, the Huguenots, the
Covenanters. We need not go to Leoni~
das, Balaklava or Waterloo for heroes.
Keenan,, Pickett, the Black Regiment,
the men of Andersonville, will furnish
examples nearby. Sigsbee and Dewey
are right at hand-as splendid heroes
as ever lived. Some quiet men in this
church are in the same list, whole regi-
ments of militiamen who never expect
ed to go to war when they Joined their
troops are showing their heroism. 1t
is an incentive to all moral heroism.
War has vast evils, bloodshed, car
mage, devastated homes. But there is
another side. Great qualities are de-
veloped. Men now view rightly the
sacredness of life. They do not hold it
cheaply as do the Chinese. Yet in view
of duty if man be derilict--what shall
it profit a man if he lose his soul He
who saves his life thro' cowardice shall
lose it, They do not fight as beasts or
savages; nor With mere brutal instincts
but with moral discernment of great
ends and with convictions of truth and
liberty. War like money can be used
by bad men for bad ends, but also by
good men for good ends.
America has been sneered at Her
flag was not seen in foreign PORTS But
she had a tremendous latent power in
reserve. How quickly she gathered a
navy and how soon won one of the
greatest sea fights in history.
Oh, 10 .l,o
thing more than a grasping avaricious
spirit. Her people are more than Yam
kee pigs" She is not dominated by q
commercial spirit. At awful cost to her
self and no prospect of any gain she
goes into this conflict for the good of
Others. not of her blood. Let Weyler
scott if he will at our inefficiency He
has been splendidly answered.
Our marines show magnificently our
national courage. Just to be on a war
ship is to be in the crater of a possible
volcano. Though now there are no board
ing parties or saber-fights and the
few do the actual fighting, yet TIC be be-
tween decks in an engagement, not
knowing when shot or shell may pene
trate, magazine explode mine or tor
pedo destroy and they sink or be blown
up must be great strain.
When the men of the Maine went to
Havana they knew their danger The
government gave them no insurance on
their lives. Threats had been made.
Riots had occurred in Havana. Some
fanatics might conspire against them.
Spain resented angrily their coming.
DeLome had eXasperated both nations.
Spain attributed the prolongation of
the war to the recall of Weyler to u.s.
She took the visit of the Maine as a
piece of hypocrisy and not courtesy, a
menace to her sovereignty, and en-
enlargement to the insurgents.
Captain Sigsbee, his officers and men,
knew that if war were suddenly de-
cared they might be quickly dispatch
ed. They knew the harbor was full of
mines and torpedos and under military
control. But they went-under simple
duty.
They had to deal with no ordinary foe
but one-as the murder of Canovas,
Marti the Cuba journalist, and General
Maceo, testified, still resorting to as
sassination. They had to face people
as cruel as willy. Back of them was
their history as to the Moors, the Jews,
the Inquisition, the Armada-back Of
them Pizarra Cortez. Alva, Velasquez
and Weyler. They took their lives in
their hands but they went.
They had reason to go. The United
States consul and citizens needed pro-
lection and the starving must be fed.
On the night of that tragedy what
magnificent discipline and training was
| exhibited. The officer saluting as he
reported the explosion. Others going
down to flood the gun cotton and never
returning. What pathetic significance
| in that order for all hands on deck and
no answer but silence! How solemn the
| command to abandon that loved, proud
| and needed ship. Think of the awful
ness of that sudden death to nigh 300
men-a moment here, the next in
eternity!
| They died not in glorious battle, but
| in performance of duty, under orders.
| Mcpherson fell on the field and Lincoln
| by an assassin's bullet and both were
martyrs. These men represent US in
| our ordinary moments of waiting. The
| investigation showed how faithful they
had been to every detail-no neglect in
even the smallest particular. They
| were faithful in that which was least.
| They went to their judgment and ac-
| count with no blame on them.
They were common men. 1t shows of