Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-11-17

BISHOP DOAlNE ON THE WAR.
One of the best-known ecclesiastics in
America is Bishop Doane, Of Albany.
In addition to being an abe preacher,
he is a careful observer Of secular mat
ters and his words relative to the lace
Spanish war are worthy of careful pc
rusal. Among other things he says:
Setting aside the lower motives,
which, like alloys in pureSt ore, must
enter into every national or individual
action, the torch which lighted up this
flame CT fight was kindled by the di-
vine spark OF pity FOR the suffering
and the oppressed. And step by step
In the unaccounted FOR destruction OF
our battleship, in the unparalleled vic
tory OF Manila, in the blind blunder OF
Cervera, in the manchless siege Of San
tiagn, God has wrought out His will
and revealed His way. Not less, 1t
seems to me, in the humiliation than
in the honor Of the war has He spoken
10 chasten any Gp.rit Of vainglory by
The dark shadow Of the sufferings il
camp and hospital, which an admins
tration OF military affairs accustomed
to such duties and expecting the emer-
gency would have avoided.
Just OF unjust, wise or unwise, neces-
cary or avoidable, the decision has
been taken out Of human hands as to
whether there should or should not be
war with Spain, the capture Of Manila,
the occupation of Porto Rico, the re-
sponsibility for Cuba. shall be sorry
II 1t begets in us land hunger which
has been called the disease Of the An
glo-Saxon race l look with grave
anxiety upon the tremendous prob
lens, which demand the utmost wis
dom OF a statesmanship for whose
creation we have need to pray. But
the duties are upon lis and the dangers
are before us, and we must meet them
like men and in the fear OF God, and
not apply to the conditions of to-day
counsels that were wise 100 years ago,
nor whine like babies at a bitter dose
of medicine, or school boys over a les
son that is hard to learn. The brave
and honest, and it seems to me, the
sensible and the only attitude, is that
Of waiting upon God, to learn and get
from Him the wisdom and the grace to
work out His viii, which has carved
out with sword and cannon and mus
ket by fleets and armies, q new place
for this people among the nations OF
the world. Courage; and not CONF
/ planning prayer, and not vain regret;
confidence, and not cowardice, ought to
be the spirit Of the Christian citizen OF
America to-day. We have won, not a
victory over brave but feeble foe, but
we have won unity among ourselves
the knitting together Of the English
speaking race, the do,iverance OF al
oppressed people, an open way amonG
the nations for a purer faith, a truel
liberty, a finer civilization. And W.
must pay the penalty, too, OF the grie
and losses OF the war, and Of it's heav!
burden OF national responsibility.
OF the duty OF this nation to thu
world to-day we ought to think an'
speak upon our knees. If we believe il
a perpetual providence OF God, II W,
believe in His active government o
the world, we cannot doubt, no matte
by what means ii comes about, tn
God who made all nations Of men, 70
to dwell on the face of the who'll
earth" not once in the beginning as
final act, but continually, by the reve
latione OF His will. assigns to then
'The bounds OF their habitation."
b II is God who hath wrought this on
p and who hath changed the face Of tn
Z world, who has made "the little one
a strong nation, who has wiped ou
piece by piece, on the map Of Americ
the name OF the nation whose Illus
trious son discovered the existence {
J, its southern hemisphere, who has bui'
e up the domination Of the Anglo-Saxo
q over the Latin races, who has almoi
q reversed the miracle OF Babel by tn
mastery Of the English speech in a
civilized nations Of the world. Thes
. are the conditions which confront II
We cannot SO backwards to the eli
l. cumstances or the duties Of a centur
q ago. Net conquest, but the acceptant
~ CT responsibility in the world of whiC
I. we are a part, among the nations an
.. peoples Of the earth to whom we hay
" a message: this rs our duty, written,
le seems to me, for him who runs to rea
II II we would make ourselves mo
p true and faithful citizens, II we wou
~ do our share toward good governme
by wise selection Of the governors,
we would surround those that are
Ia authority by the atmosphere OF a r
i'd formed and elevated public opinion,
I'd we would leaven the macs OF our p
IN. litical and social life by the leaven
u our own higher lives, IL we would go
ern ourselves, our homes. our either
purely and well, until the inhuen
On spread up and out and on to the sta
and Federal Government. We shou
IL help on the time when God can use
ereignty in the world.