The times., 1898-09-10

among US heard the decision OF Congress
to declare war. We had hoped that the
ends sought Nigh. be attained without
bloodshed. The horrors OF the battlefield
and the miseries of the plague were as
haunting nightmares which, alas. the day
has proven but too truly to be sad and
sickening realities. But for all that the
truth is driven home 10 our souls that
the principles at stake were worth any
price that must be paid. Wrongs which
cried unto the heavens to be righted
spurred thousands TO leap to the fray
al our country's call. Heroes unnum-
bered such as the past has perhaps never
known for valor, commanded the bound
less admiration OF the world. The navy
the army, the battlefield, the camp, and
the hearth-stone were sanetified by the
fires OF martyrdom.
"Old animosities were forever buried,
the clamor of party strife was hushed
the croakings and murmurings Of the So
cial unrest received their quietus-when
North and South black and write mill
ionaires and paupers, employers and
paupers marched shoulder to shoulder,
Jew with Gentle, fred by the like fervor
of a deathless patriotism.
Those who had been derhded as a ma
tion of shopkeepers gave to the world
brilliant demonstration of the truth that
though commercial people we hold jus
tice and right higher than gold or glory.
We have a dominion rivaling If not eX-
ceeding in extent and in riches the
mighty monarchies of old.
THE law of God, as clearly revealed in
history, is a solemn admonition that we,
too will go into inevitable decay and de-
struction IT, like them, We make self-ag-
grandiZement our goal. But II, unlike
them, we set the principles for which we
stand ineffacably upon our standards, We
shall surely find that no extent of terrific
ry can be too great for the privileges of
civilization, for the dominion of right
eousness and the intelligent administra-
tion of justice.
THE freedom in which this nation was
born, unto which II was dedicated, IL has
resolved henceforth shall be extended to
the oppressed of other lands. This ma
ton has under God been consecrated to a
mission of humanity among the peoples
of the earth. What was hitherto clear
ly recognized duty toward ourselves alone
has under the newly awakened conscious
ness of the nation become duty toward
others. New power carries with it new
responsibility. That justice, liberty, and
education of which our flag is the cher
ished emblem shall and must become the
treasure of all over whom It waves.
ITO bring the oppressed under its folds
our enrichment at our neIghbors ex-
pense, not for peculiar privileges and mo-
nopolies for ourselves. but to carry the
rights and benefits of freedom of labor
freedom of thought, freedom of con-
science and freedom of worship whittier
soever the hand of God may direct
1T is these supreme and lofty purposes
now clearly set before us that open up
new era to us as Americans. Mighty
rob taYr1
pendous changes. For their solution in
the purest, most unselfsh, and loyal pa
triotism every one of US. from the highest
executive to the humblest citizen, will
need the conservation which, with mark
ed fitness, this hour and its purpose i'm
parts.
We are facing a new era in religion
To rear new temple to the worship of
God is an act which today has more of
reason, more of wisdom and more of no.
bility than 1t ever had in the past This
act of dedication has the highest indorse-
ment of reason today because religion is
no longer matter of blind faith, but of
reasoned faith. &+s
For ages men cringed before Deity
Into the dust they prostrated themselves,
sat in sackcloth, askes upon their heads,
poured out the blood of a thousand sacri-
hces to appease the avenging spirit which
seemed ever in wrath to be riding down
the highways of desolation, spreading ca
lamity in the dread darkness of the night
and hurting the shafts of destruction amid
the lowering tempests of the day.. The
pure sentiment Of religion, eternally in
dwelling in the human soul, was at first
rudely awakened by terror
But at length reason came and soothed
the needless troubles of the soul. Slowly
and painstakingly 1t labored to teach man
to look beyond his local environment and
learn what in four days, as never before
the world has come to see-that God works
not by special but by general laws. In
Gods sight a thousand years is but as
yesterday when it is past, or as watch in
the night The process of creation
ranges through myriads of our petty divt-
sions of time and space, so that what In
narrow bounds seems the wrathful tenn
pest, the revengeful storm, the malignant
desolation, Is each, in the broad sweep of
the universe always found to be but one
element in the long train of forces work
ing to benefcent ends.
1T has taken ages for reason to teach
us this, and in our days as never before
reasoning beings have come to learn that
morality is unconditional. Its principles