New-York tribune., 1898-11-28
SERMON ON EXPANSION.
STRONG PLEA FROM THE RECTOR OF
ALL ANGELS CHURCH.


In All Angels Church. Eighty-irst-st. and West
End-ave, Yesterday morning. the Rev. Dr. 5. DE
Iancey Townsend. :he rector preached a sermon
in which he took strong ground In favor Of terri
torial expansion. HIS text was THY kingdom
come"
Dr. Townsend spoke OF the settlement OF this
country anu the variety OF the settlers, ana saio
further:
II Is not recorded that this incursion in re-
sponse invitation from the har ny
such invitation. Certain II was that the snGne g
came whom it was Inevitable II was reItGrau9n i
every age Nearly every foot OF soil had to be
batiled for and eternal vigilance ana eternal Eaior M
conquest Then thirteen scattered colonies were
compacted by external attack upon thSir sell
majority OF them fought for self-preserVatl0n; ana
few Of them dreamed that they were hghtne
for the preservation OF others. and the most pro-
photc OF them never iS9ked 9ey2d ad t' Fey Know
they were being used TO build up a world-power-a
composite naton-to which. from its comp9os,e
and It's unprecedented resources. was 20 be an
instrument without parallel FOR ne bringing h IIe
What wonder then that they formed Constitu-
ton which. surprising the wisdom OF their ances-
destiny they themselves did not discern? They DID
not lind slavery inconsistent with tner Cons,ita- u
ton but when the throes or tnaI 'NpLIls,Un GUM S
upon US when the whole Nation was groaninE anI
'ayaiIng in the birth pangs 90 91uS S fgnf s frS r9
trae the plans Of Almighty God. because the fan,
did not provide FOR such Il contingency az aho'n''
'iia Tbo 81 ,y Wa ,ould have been ended in 81
without "A single stipulation on the subject oi sId-
very But God would not let II cnG So. W ha1eEga ,t
intentions might have had. they were h'' Ills
when W. went into this latest contest men were w.
startled out II y most delicious dream or ISOLATION
aud Of prosperit" be yond computation. rev 81 u1
realized our peculiar position a. an intsrhI,9'a dt m
international Power. Ano yet one would nav
elfif in locl
rltory and unparalleled resources wouId hi''
Whe We were fearing the acquisition Of Hawaii
did realize that Alaska. which Is; more r. ,.bn ,t
East already than Hswaii2
hfraii to enter the East? Why. my friends We ys
there before God cast The onpressor ont Hl
the philippines and gave Dewey MS victory ctih W,Iih
out the loss Of man Afraid 70 become a were, a,io
been these many years The only thing before ~
now that our eyes are onened % tne heaEenE
pans.on. Expansion IS orr Excelsior. Why should
tive is contraction? " the thirteen seapoard coo-
ncs had none of our hopes and I'll Of our fears
should have heen under ne aomiha'icn -, ,ie ii
mess Of IT in Mexico Sou'h America. Cuba Porto
Rico and tho Phili1pines NO. ny Trrends. W.
cannot shirk tho issue If We would The battle OF
There was no vaiue apparent, There was mcrciless
onpoyiton to IT, on the part Of the chronic protest
n va for the purpose Of keeping tho Slav from
our civilization. This experience has been an oo,
viou- discipline. preparatory 10 ,"'l We! "',tut
IN which AN atiOns tongues and peoples. ~ every
cline shall realize vorltable kingdom of God on
earth II IS not the province Of the minister or
religion to infame III" base passion or mGH. tng
lust - conquest tho Inst Of battle. tho lust or
anprn to hist0r-- and 10 Ask Americans 20 remeui-
her tho rock whence thev ar" hown- There may
ho difficulties I'm conduct or control 81 nations
and peoples which the Lord has delivered INTO our
hand. as miraculously as Joshla's trun,nh with
tho triimpet or GideOn'S ricfory with on'y horns
and pitchers We do not holi"vc in taking Goun-
Try 10 exploit IL In the position ~ vanquisnod f9'
r~al lrffl
cupidity and craftiness of politicians and unani-
mously took the war into their own hands ard M
ished H. will also solve this problem in the FEAR o
God and with Justice 70 man VIII the people ot
this Nation pray. "rhy kingdom come turn back
these people into tho hands Of the oppressor or
barter them among the nations like cattle OF ~"
stall or worse than all. surrender them o. tncir
own ignorance and lncapacitY and AL tho eVtl con
scGucnceS So inevitable I'm -u'h a case or shal =
places the statue Of an American sol Ter. with the
immortal legend and apostrophe. War az II i
waged by a Christian nation?