New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-02
THE NATIONS CROSS OF WAR
np VAN DYKE SAYS 1T HAS not BEEN SOUGHT
AND IT WILL BE BORNE FOR THE
SAKE OF HUMANITY

tn. Rev pr Henry van DYKE pastor q: ~"
Rrick PRESBYTERIAN Church. No $40 Fifh-ave. In
nreaching Yesterday morning on The Cross 81
var from the text Matthew XVI. q. oh. my
Father. II this cup may not pass away except !
drink II. Thy viii be- done. said In part
We are bout 70 celebrate thu communion In the
dreadful shadow Of wa This IS no new or str1ns'
.hino Tnr.e hundred and ton years our fore
tathers passed through me IF sman ibcn becloud~
the whole world The mighty spanish ArmA "a,
bride Of successful oppression and laden win The
crueltles Of the lnquisiuon. laf ar anchot IN me
1f4rch bes Of Fnsand and o were ringing
all along the shore. The men ana women 10 whom
the affairs OF God. praying TO be saved from ne
tbumbscrcw and the stake. for the glory Of the
Iord On the hushed. expeciant sea. the sailors
~ Tho nile English feet gathered upon rho decks
- thc,r vessels and received tho sacrament to
strengthen them for the holy conflict WHAT awiul
conservation what appeals to the great Lord Of
Hosts filled that sacred hour Not one WON II
deadly risk OF battle. no, one man who had offered
Ms life TO the fierce arhiiramen, or conflict, was
Thev stood beneath the cross OF Christ and re-
ceiyed its me ssagc for the hour OF war. They
were going to nght asains, Spain for freedom.
Righteousness and humanity .,, --., -. -
T. is in this spirit that should approach tho
sacrament to-day. This is no time for idle bravado.
for wild and whirling words 81 pride and passion.
t ~, Tor vengeance Neither. is n time for OUT
cries Of fimdity for the selfish worship or comfort
under tho name Of peace. for sour and futile crt-
cism which weakens but does not purify the hear;
7, is a time FOR sobrie,y FOR prayer for union. for
nrnyi6ence neithe. to enrich it. nor 10 impoversh
II but 10 test IT, and 10 bring out the best m"
worst that is in It's hear War Is certainly not a
h.eesinr in itself Neither Is war curse in i.self
war is a sacrifice II is the heaviest cross that a
rstion Is ever called TO bear. II mast be carried
i'm the same spirit In which hTlst hore Ills cross
and fought His battles on Calvary.
The cross OF war sometimes lies in the pathway
NJ a nations duty and cannot be evaded without
turning aside from right. The reason Tor TINS
condition OF things is In the ordinance or Almighty
Cod who hath established separate powers III the
Uorid and appointed the bounds which divide the
nations one from another. Between man and man
Tho nation decides. but who shall decide between
nation and nation There Is as yet no court with
power 10 enforce its decision When arbitration Is
made fnal by universal agreement. or when the
dream Of a world empire is at last realized such
n court will exist. but until that time war remains.
under certain conditions. the only means Of secur-
ing Justice liberty and order
You see a man In the street trampling out the
life OF a child You tell him 1" stop. lie refuses
Two courses are open 10 you. You may knoc
him down IL you able. or YOU may call for the
pollcc Either course is Christian The one thing
that would be un-Christian would be TO walk by
and say that the child was not yours. and that the
affair was none of your business You see nation
trampng out the life OF fecbler people. You
can 10 the oppressor 10 stop he refuses. rms
time there Is only one thing 10 do There are no
police to call You can only intervene. peaceaby
II possible forcibly II necessary If such an inter
vention means war then war Is inevitable.
This is the dire necessity that has brought our
country. by a path not marked out by human