The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-05

his matchless pluck and patriotism, I
take II that the prime characteristic OF
the American soldier, certainly as dis
tlngulShed from the Spanish soldier, is
a me gentleness. a great magnanimity.
A scene that VIII. go down in history is
that on the Texas, when amid batIle-
STRIFE and passion, men were cheering,
| Captain Philip called out: Don't cheer.
Inc poor devils are dying" 1t was not
the voice alone of Captain Philip; it was
the heart of all our good, true American
sailor and soldier heroes. 1t was a great
satisfaction to Wainwright to say that
ne saved more people than he killed. a
Sreat satisfactionstosf Evans to report that
after the men had fought like American
sailors, they behaved with all the gem
lieliess OF American women. Fighting
BOD Evans was most glad to be able 10
bear that testimony
On sea and on land the world looks on,
trust with pride and not with envy. at
another illustration of the magnanimiJy
OF the American soldier. Generosity to
the foe has always been characteristic
OF the American soldier, from Washing
ton to Grant, and that generosity has
been the key to situations and problems
which the politician could not unlock
and ii is going TO be so again. If any
one were to say to these soldiers and
sailors, Why, you are regular mission
aries they would say, mo. we are
not" And yet in, the very best sense
they are, for the ability to be gentle TO a
foe is superlatively Christian. 1t springs
/ from Calvary, it is a part of the blessed
result of the Nazarene'S mission in the
world.
New issues are upon US. They have been
discussed with the greatest earnestness
by our newspapers. The question. of ''ex-
pansion,' or anti-expansion; of imperial
ISM, or anti-lmDerialiSm- There are
those who have SAID we must not think
OF keeping these islands if we keep our
promises: it win be conquest; it Will be
breaking our pledges. On the other hand,
there are those VINO say that by the for
tune OF war they have come into our
hands and therefore we ought to hold
them; that they will add TO our trade. and
therefore We ought to hold them; that
they VIII give US new standing among
the nations of the earth. and therefore We
ought to hold them.
II l am not mistaken the intense diSap-
pointnent which we have felt within the
last few weeks in the character of the
CubarS and of the natives of the Philip
pines, the contemptouS. expressions which
nave come 70 US IN, letters @nd reports
about them. the utter absence of. anything
That could be called government or the
rudIment Of one in either of those islands,
! think that that very disappointment has
had saIurary effect in helping TO clear
up the situation The men who We're
crying so loudly to hold the islands as
conquests and for the glory of America
are beginning to feel that perhaps after
all we have a very largo and labsS ious
job on our hands. l think the national
consciousness is coming around very rap
idly to about this point: These people,
by their very weakness, by their defects
by the scars which they bear not only in
body but in mind and character, the very
weakness of these allies, constitutes a
duty for the American flag. We owe it
to these weak allies. we owe il to ciYiliza-
ton. to the, ideas. for which our sons and
brothers have given their lives TO follow
that flag and TO say with ii so long as
anyone needs its protection, needs its en-
lightenment, needs the aid toward a bet
ter civilization which it ougt 70 carry with
it,
1t seems to be almost like another repe-
tition in history of Peters experience with
the vision and the task Out on the
housetoD he sees the vision of how he
should look upon the Gentle, and it seems
very beautiful to him; then he hears the
rapping on the door. and going down.
finds the Gentle there, and it seems to
him quite a different thing. For Peter,
the Jew, TO go down to this .'unclean"
man, was a very practical application of
that vision.
God leads men and armies by high Wis
ions into hard tasks. The splendid vision
OF. the American soldier following his flag,
along in its train some hard tasks which
tho American people cannot disclaim
have come to the place where Christ's in
junction saws Bear We one anOther'S bur-
dens and so fulfill the law of Christ
A few days ago | had q circular letter
from the Christian commission. speak
ing of the work that has been done in cur
camps. and to some extent on Shipboard,
and which has been carried into our gar
riSonS. The Christian commission seeks
to supplement- the provisions of the gov
10 provide places IN camp Tor
reading and writing and for religious
meetings. The Red Cross has taken up
and done gloriouSly all that could be done
in the way of sanitary provisions for the
soldiers. This Christian commission has
been eminently successful in it's work.
In one week a thousand boys gave their
hearts to Christ under the preaching of
the men of the Christian commission. AT
Tampa there was a saloon close to the
camp, which had on one side of its sign,
The first. chance; on the other side,
The last chance" Everybody knows
that where the camps are there come the
saloons and the gamblers Immediately.
Thank God for the men of the Christian
commission, who have gone right along
with the saloons and the gamblers, and
counteracted some of the evil effects on
our boys. 49,
And God has signally blessed this
Christian work this sensible Christian
provision for those who have gone out
and given themselves in this great cause.
The war is over, but there is going to
be a long. long time when there will
have to be garTisOns of our soldiers in
those islands, Mr.. Moody and others say
that the best work is still before the
commission, Notwithstanding the SPLEEN
did results already achieved. They ask
for financial support, and they ask for
periodicals, or books. l am
going to ask you for a collection for this
purpose and also to bring during the
Week any magazines or books which
would be suitable, to Mr.. Bartling's store
next door north of the Smith Co.'S drug
store. The things Will not be sent away
for a week at least. and we hope to coil I
leot in q splendid lot. And now let us
take up a good collection, not only to
pay the freight on these books, but also
TO add to the funds for this distinctly
Christian work. Why, just think of it,
These boys are going into lands where
there isn't Il single Protestant church
where Catholic churches heretofore have j
been supported by the state and now. of /
course, are cut off from that. Our SOL !
1iers are going to represent a Christian !
nation Friends. what an opportunity!
Let US back them right up and make the /
boys feel that mothers. fathers, churches /
and ali good citizens at home are inter- /
ssted in their highest welfare. Not only
Tor the sake of our boys let us be liberal, +
)ut tor the sake of these dark lands in (
which they are located Along with the
iae and its victories let US send the
gospel and it's victories
TAKING A RIDE