The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-13
IS THE WAR
RIGHTEOUS?
President Andrews Be-
lieveS ii Is.
BACcALAURATE SERMON
BACCALAURATE SERMON
Preached Before Brown Seniors
Yesterday. Afternoon.
LARGE CONGREGATION PRESENT.

Church at 4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
The church was crowded. A choir com
posed OF students Mt the University and
Women's College rendered sp, clal mu
sical program. President Andrews So,
lscted % his text the words: Except the
Lord build the house, they labor in vain
that build It," Psalm l27.
President Andres prsfaced his remark:
by stating tnat tho two catsgoriss in
which events had been placed, namely,
those which owe their origin to God and
those which owed their oriain to man.
We are Unite, he said, and the finite on
looking so far as events In tho world
were concerned, often left the wisest and
even tie most devout men In doubt as tC
their source. But two criteria helIed to
remove this doubt. The one. whether nm
event was helpful, and the other, whether
1t WAS spontaneous. II one or both, 1t
was likely to be of God. Continuing
President Andrews said:
Az the present time the Amer lean ma
tion Is Involved In war. Up to the pres
ent time there has been doubt on the part
OF many good mon as to whether this
war 10 part of Gods providence. Is it
possible In this case to apply the criteria,
war as whole is con cerned, for part of
it belongs to the future. But some Uf It
10 history already. and to this part the
oritsria may be applied.
SCHISM Is HEALED
One thing which is delightful to be
told IL the fact that all parts
of the nation havs besn brought together
In n common cause. The schism cause
by the Civil War 10 now healed. l vsn-
ture TO say that the present war during
Its course thus far has done infinitely
more than all the other agencies put to-
gether OF the past three and thirty years
in bringing the nation together. Now
that new universal national spirit was
the part of no human action or foresight.
Ana IL also bears the earmark of aponta-
ncity, and SO far forth, the war may BIZ
considered es providentiai and may be
spoksn Of piously.
cOnsi dered. This conflict was brought on
for the cause of humanity. Wars are Of
ten caused by the desire for conquest, but
this one 10 significant tecause of the
n oral cause behind 1t. 1t is important a.
setting o precedent for coming time. 1t
will be tsrror to the tyrants of the
earth. Some will say t,at the force of this
consideration will be taken away, because
this has not been the whole motive CT the
war. Yet this has less in 1t than inapv
suppose. The official reason Is the real
reason. This nation went to war to ex-
tend friendly hand to q down-tr0dden
paopis. And this is an aspect OF the con-
tiict which Is immensely benign. "a
A HIGHER CIVILIZATION.
Now, Christian friends. there is another
and it Is tie Likelihood
that In consequence of this war that peo.
pie that have hitherto had no hope will
bs started In the development OF higher
IL Is we'll known to all that
,k.e Lad Atsv
gone ahead very far, and this stagnntion
Is due to the fact that 1t has not looked
TO the ADgio-Saxon psrt of this continent
Tor mouel but has looked across the
water, and mainly to that monarchy with
which we are now at war, and where DIV.
llization can hardly live at oil. 1t is net
neue ssary for this nation to become one
of conquest In order to spread Its infiu-
anoe over other nations. And 1t 10 hardly
10 be doubted that the benign influence
II the United states will be spi o. sd abroad
Eecause OF this war. Here again. this
aspect beiug tenign and spontaneous,
seems to be or Gcd.
Yet there are people who say that the |
war will not lie Of advantage because oil |
Is wrong. But this does not seem to
ne to be true. We have not yet art sined |
and force is often necessary,
sven in a community like this. 30 IL is |
not wonderful that In international |
Affairs you sometimes have to uss force |
But there are those who say that the |
war Is WRONG, for the Cubans are q bad |
OF have no civilization and, what is |!
worse, say they never can have any. To |
ne IL sesu that what is true In this is |
)nly 81 to limited extent. Analogous |
and conditions prevailed In |
this country ut the time OF the kevolu-
ton. But the parallel holds only little |
way. hardly uelieve the Cubans have |
he same prom ise that our ancestors had,
but this does not alter the situation In |
my m atsrial reaard. 1t may be that We |
cannot make Great Britain out of |
Uuba, but that does not hinder the devel- |
)pment Of a better sat Of conditions than |
v hich at present exists.
THE WAR NOT A MISTAKE.
Many, howevsr,sav the war Was mis-.
toka; In that II is likely TO Oh anga the |
policy Of the United States from atten-
lion TO social md internal matters TO po- |
ltical and International matters. Vney |
,lso say that the United States has no |
MACHINERY for hancli ng coloni ii pos ies-
'ions. And it Is added that We have /
luitJ enough to do at home with tao |
many questions demanding sott temont.
But this line IF reasoning, IL seems TO |
ne. Is founded on n missonosption OF |
how reform takes place. Reform likes |
,om papy, as men I'm battle and one thing |
Lights on with another In unison, so that |
progress is brought about. The promo
tion OF missions results from interest 10 |
ore ign work, ~ we'll as IN tnst ut homo. |
A nd 40 II you let this nation thoroughly |
telieve that II has q char 40 to keep which |
'es caes out To the end OF the earth, the
,ther reforms will eventually bs accom-
,iished. Bnt II you nurs, the hermit ma
Ion idea and say that you must settle |
,nch question Ia order before allowing
lew ones TO come before the attention, /
progress will not result
In conclusion, Presto ent Andrews drew |
! lessun which Ee specially desired to pre- |
e Mt to the consioeration Of the grad unt- |
ng class. The principls OF the golden |
'ule, ne said, 10 known by all-but Iowa |
s not enough. We should remem her thnt |
le fsmiiy n rrentsr t,nn the individ url. |
ne city on town IL greater than tie fam |
ly. the state In prel ter than the city or |
ownship, the nation Is prsster than
he state, and the worlt Is greater thsn n
lng lie naticn. With all nations working |
or the good OF the whole world, the pc |
lion We ask, "Ibv kinGdom come, 1hy |
y i'll he done In earth az it Is In heaven"
\ III be answered.
After ths srsduf { 'nr closs sang "Alma
dnter' Rev. Dr. n. M. King impaired the |