Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-14
4 SERMON ON SPAIN.
What That Country Has Contributed
to Civilization.

uou OuuutIy LIDS UUltlIpu9Ou
to Civilization.
AN interesting Discourse Delivered
Last Evening at Vance Memorial
Cnurch by Rev. Chas. B. Austin,
the Pastor-Said Spain Was En-
titled to the Hatred of Mankind
and That the Destruction of the
Maine Was No More an Accident
Than We're the Treachery OF
Judas Or the the Assassination OF
Julius Caesar Accidents.
Last evening Rev. Charles B. Aus
I'D, pastor OF the Vance Memorial
church, at Altenheim,, preached an in
teresting and forceful sermon in regard
10 the Spanish nation and people, ana
IN his remarks referred to her al
legged part in the destruction of the
United States warship Maine He de-
clared that the blowing up OF the
Maine is one OF the blacklist acts in
her long catalogue of crimes against
civilization The subject of the SER
mon was SPANS Contribution to
Civilization. In part, it is as follows:
In this time OF the rapid succession
OF startling events, which have cul-
minated in a tragedy of the sea, which
is full of promise IN the results that
must flow from it, the question may
well be asked, What is the world S
debt to Spain? That fair land of TO-
nance, of chivalry, of poetry and song,
containing a race of people Of hign
spirit and passionate pride has fixed
upon it in this awful crisis the eyes
OF the world
How much has it done for humanity?
Highly favored by nature in its posi-
ton and resources, as we'll as in the
vigor and intelligence Of its people,
Spain to-day holds an unenviable posi-
tion among the nations of Europe. A
land that is equal in area to France,
as we'll located and resourceful, it has
squandered its patrimony, lost its
proud position among the nations, and
now faces the penalties OF the out
ragged laws of God. That kingdom,
which of mountain ridges and plateauX
is capable of sustaining large popu-
lation, yet it has not half the num-
Der of people it contained in the days
of Rome With mineral riches prac-
tically inexhaustible, worked from a
very early day, it is still one of the
most favored and fertile countries of
Europe. Stories of its fabulous
wealth come down from remote an
tiquity. When Scipio captured New
Carthage there fell into his hands PIG
golden bowls, $4,000 pounds of silver,
and an immense number of silver yes
sells.
When merchantmen from the east
ern states Of the Mediterranean re-
turned from Spain they look back
anchors of gold that they might thus
economic in their freight. Spain
has from her very position felt the
shock Of many an invasion and war.
In the blood of her people are strains
of Iberian, Celt Carthaginian, Roman,
Vandal, Gath and Arabian blood. Her
ancient pride was derived from a Ro-
man source. Her austerity, persever-
ence and passionateness is of Moorish
origin. Teuton's influences were in
wrought into the constitutions. The
first people We're Iberians, then came
the Celts from France. In 1000 3. e.
there was an infusion of Phoeniclan
civilization, followed by Greek. In 10
B. c.. after 200 years of war with the
Romans, the subjugation was COM
niete. When Rome dissolved, tho
German tribes from the north came
down. The Arabian conquest early IN
the eighth century was brief and brill
liant Then came rapid develop
ment in commerce, arr, science ana
literature, in which students Hooked
from all parts of Europe. But Spain
did not keep pace with the rest OF
Spain in other matters.
1t is true that in discovery colonial
ton. adventure, in much Of her his
tory outside of Europe, the nation eX-
hibited many virtues, such as courage
endurance and foresight. Such names
as Columbus, Magellan, Cabot Yes
pucius. Xavier and Layofa are lnsep-
arably linked with Spanish clvlilza-
ton. The Spanish language, sprung
from the Latin, became one OF the
most extensive in the world, and was
spoken exclusively in most OF the
South American countries, Mexico, por-
tions of Africa and the Philippine Isl
ands.
Her flag fioated over a large por-
t;on of the Western Hemisphere. in
the sixteenth century the empire OF
Philip the Second attained to magnlh-
cent proportions His power for time
- ~roota,. than that of Napoleon.
From that dizzy height Spain fell, per-
hans because of her greatness ltselL'
and the wealth from the distant iands
that flowed into her Golfers introducing
Injury that was fatal to natlonal NE
In mart it was due to the many wars
which sapped the land of her people.
Rut the old liberties were destroyed.
Between the reign of Ferdinand and
pbilin the story of Spain is dark as
night. Absolution in Church and state
was carried to the bitterest cruelty.
Snain we'll nigh annihilated herself,
her population dropping to eight mill
lions Such judges Of history as
brake. Cavendish, Hawkins, Rawlelgh
and sydney regarded the Spaniard as
a child of hell. Uunder the baleful IN
fuence of the Inquisition, that proud
nation went backward for Zu0 years
After a war against the Moors, last
ing nearly eight centuries, they were
finally expatiated, not as religious
crusade altogether, but from spirit
IF greed which envied their posses
sions of the richest province OF Spain.
Then followed the persecution OF the
Io,,e INV which 40 900 of her valuable