The record-union., 1898-05-09
PATRIlIlsMdH THE PULPIT.
YESTERDAYS ADDRESS REV.
A. C. HERRICK.
Wheelmen Attend in a Body-A
Wealth Of Flowers on
Every Hand.

There was a patriotic service at Oak
Park Chapel last evening. The chapei
was beautifully and richly dressed IN
flowers, and with profusion surprls-
ing. A representative delegation or the
Capital City Wheelmen was present by
special invitation of the Church Board
in Acknowledgement of the warm feel
ing existing between the club and the
church pastor, Rev. Mr. Herrick-
AS the delegation entered young girls
decorated each member with flowers IN
profusion. rather to the confusion OF
the surprised visitors. The pulpit ros-
trum was backed by bank or choice
flowers and plants, over Whlch was
disposed a large silken American pan
ner. beneath which was hne framed
picture of the Maine, which, it was an
nounced, would hereafter occupy a
place on the walls Of the library OF the
chapel, in honor Of the Cyclists CLUB,
and in recognition of its efforts to BEN
eft morally and otherwise the member
ship attached.
The exercises opened with the sing
ing of the "Star-Spangled Banner by
Miss Woodbridge, whose brother is d
members of the Wheelmen's CLUB, she
being Of the church choir. She sang II
with vigor and depth Of feeling not
common. A young girl as yet, she has
a remarkably strong contralto, Clear
expressive and dramatic in character.
The congregation could well be par
doned the applause into which 1t broke
at the conclusion of the Song-She mace
them feel its meaning.
The entire audience then joined IN
PRAYER in concert with the pastor, and
then came a short address on Spain
and her decline by Mr.. .Herrick. He
said that 400 years was a long time to
think of, but in the life of a nation it
is really brief. Time is long relatively
to other facts in life. He recalled
time when a second was as a year
while waiting for an answer TO the
question man proposes to the woman
he loves. 1t was history Of but 4oo
years his hearers were invited to dwell
upon. In that period the world hao
seen one of the greatest Of nations de-
cline to one of the least consequential
What were the causes of the retrogres-
sion of the Spanish kingdom, once an
empire?
Four hundred years ago Spain ruled
over 100000 square miles of terri
tory. To-day her dominion is over
square mileage but little in excess OF
that of the State of Texas. She DOM
mated more than a third of the globe.
To-day her flag is the least OF those Oh
the great Powers, and but week ago
she lost $4,000 square miles in the
Philippines, so that she has to this hour
continued in her course of retrogreS-
sion and decline.
To four causes he attributed this fall
ure of a one-time mighty State-lnJus-
tice, cruelty, ignorance and treachery'
He spoke not with anger, but as the
cold. merciless pages of history dictate.
For more than 700 years the Moors IN
habited Spain and gave TO her the art Oh
agriculture, as well as scholarship ana
architecture. At one time the city OF
Cordova housed 10000 students, who
came from all over the civilized world
to learn of Moorish scholars. But the
Spaniard drove out this people, to the
last, distinguishing in favor of none.
Look at Cuba" he exclaimed. For
forty years after the discovery of the
island Spain was engaged in but one
task. the humiliation of the primitive
race of that land, and that with most
artistic cruelty What does the history
of Peru tell US of Spain despoiling her
of that land of its treasures? How
was it in Mexico under Spanish rule
for 300 years? When at last the Span
lard was driven out he left a people
but Z per cent. of whom could read and
write. Consider the conquests and cru
elites of Cortez.
Go back to the time of Philip II. and
mark his career for lesson in justice
and mercy More recently let US recall
the cruelty of Spain toward Americans.
Philip thought in his might that moth
ing could prevail against his assertion
of it. But when he attempted to put
the English under his heel with his
'Invincible Armada" and his 10000 SOL
diers he discovered that there was a
Greater Power and Unseen Power that
worked behind and beneath the affairs
of men and nations. Then, as in Egypt,
there was one dead in every Egyptian
family, and not one in a Hebrew home.
For two hundred years after the
discovery of our continent Spain
about held her own, but no more.
But for her injustice, cruelty, and
the studious cultivation of ignor-
ance, she might have retained her
grasp here. Injustice by men or ma
lions will sooner or later be met
by justice triumphant. 1t has al
ways been so; it always will be- Why
has the world to-day SO little sympathy
for Spain? Simply because the nations
know her record and realize that her
course has been one of injustice. mer-
cilessness and cruelty. Just as in Cuba
it is to-day, where she has sought to
achieve by starving women and chill
dren and leaving them to die in the gut
tiers, famished and diseased by her or
der
This it is that has appealed to the
American people, who love justice not
less than liberty. Eighty-two days ago
over in the harbor of Havana, Amer
lean sailors were peacefully sleeping in
their hammocks under the protecting
arm of Spain. There, by her permission
and warrant, in moment of time, they
were plunged into the most horrible OF
deaths, and a proud ship of our navy
was torn by treachery into a shapeless
mass. do not say that the Spanish
Government ordered it. God forbid
that 1 should say so. But Spanish
treachery did the work. Spanish cru
city accomplished it, and nine men out
of ten among US believe it.