The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-14
DIR. ABBOTT ON THE CRISIS.
THE BIBLE DOES NOT REQUIRE
"PEhCE At ANY PRICE"

There Arc Some Thtnrn Vvsrso thnn War,n
sass tho Pastor OF Piytnouth Church-This
Nation N1ust DO rts Duty by
Must stand TOR Freedom In Other Lands, Toe.
For the first time since the battleship Maine
was destroyed In the harbor OF Havana, the
Rev. DIR. Lyman Abbott of Plymouth Church,
in Brooklyn. referred to that disaster publicly.
In the course of his sermon yesterday morning
he said:
Tho Bible stands for absolute truth, and the
minister who believes in the Bible must state
truths at all hazards of Misrepresentation. The
Bible does not require peace at any price. There
are times when combat is necessary. and the
man who has not some soldierly elements In his
makeup is lacking in tho fundamental elements
of divine character. The history Of the world
would be much poorer than 1t is IL there wero no
records of war on its pages. Then 1t would have
had no Paul, no Cromwell, no Washington.
Christianity does not emasculate men.
Christians are peaccInakers. but they arc not
to stand for peace at any price. and recognize
that there arc some things worse than war.
horrible as 1t is.
~ suppose you can forecast what l am going
to say" continued DIR. Abbott. 81 would rather
not. l do not wish to import journalism into
the pulpit, nor mako it a field for secular lee
lures, and yet when Congress appropriated
$50, 1000 900 and gave President Mckinley abb
solutc power to spend it for tho nations defence.
wo proclaimed to ourselves and the world that
we were in close peril of n great war. Whether
we are to have a war or not, the question is pre-
eminently and profoundly a moral one, and tho
prophet may not be silent. however much he
would. I do not propose to discuss the probable
tiles of a war with Spain, and I honestly believe
that the peril OF war is less to-day than at any
time since the horrible disaster or crime which
occasioned the loss of the Maine. do propose,
however, to enumerate the great fundamental
principles bearing on national life and by which
we are to be governed.
Tho first principle is that war is a horrible
thing. not only costing beyond all ordinary CON-
putation in money. but in homes and lives. 1t
multiplies tragedies in every nook and corner of
the land. But this is not the least of its evils.
1t sets on fire the baser passions of men. it opens
the way for corruption. it is always accom-
horrible nccessity-for II i, a necessity.
win ~" ,.!,.t "n.Eh wishes war for wars
ak poa "t' with hR S ali men. This II 81 is 80 t PSSSth iPse and
fundamental principles; but II the sword be
given to MS we must take it, A nation is a trust
without and IN Justice within. When the time
comes that 1t cannot protect its citizens without
sword. Three times in our national history did
we tiud 1t impossible to live in peace with all
shall we look back on Bunker Hill and want the
record wiped out. nor shall we confess as a crime
the battle OF commodore fcrry.
"A nation Is more than a trustee for its own
citizens--it is part OF the community of nations.
No nation liveth to itself. We Gun no longer
stand apart and leave Europe alone. and say
Europe must leave us alone. We are united by
proximity, by commerce.. and by the tics OF
blood that run across the ocean. We arc n part
OF this great world, and have always, in a meas.
ure, recognized it.
There is an attempt to partition China. much
as Poland was divided. One nation, perhaps
two. says it should not be done. The time has
come when America shall declare that another
nation shall not put q Gordon around China,
shall not play the part of robber baron on tho
highway of her commerce. America should
stand for freedom in other lands as we'll us In
her own"
This sentiment was received with applause.
IL am not going to enter into the merits of
the war with Cuba, :" continued DR.. Abbott. "a
Cuban may not be better than a Spaniard, but
war is going on there which has violated
all the principles OF international law. Per-
haps the time has come when we cannot live
at peace with all men longer. We are n
great nation. at least q big one. We
have held our equipoise in an hour OF
great provocation. but IL / do not misread
the heart of the American nation, there is n pos
sibility OF an explosion. Standing in a Christian
pulpit committed by its past to peace, l am COM
PEELED to utter these words. This great nation
belongs to The community of nations, and whom
the time comes that they declare this inter
necine war with Cuba must cease. we must say