The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-10
LECTURE ON SPAIN.
Rev. DR.. vose Begins Series on It's
Religious History.


At the Beneficent church last evening
lectures on 1.-THE Religious History OF
Spain." beginning with the period OF
the discovery of America, DIR. Nose's
purpose being TO describe. in a brief
course. Spain's colonial policy. the in
QUESTION. the Jesuits, the period of her
grandeur and the causes OF her decline.
DIR. Vose commenced this series OF lee
lures by speaking upon the EARLY Re
lations of Spain and America" and
chose for his text the 18th chapter OF
Romans, 24th verse.
After a few words az TO the uncer-
tainty OF st. Paul having ever visited
Spain, DR.. Nose briefly sketched the
early history of the country up to the
time of the overthrow OF the Moors by
Ferdinand and Isabella In 1892. The
Moors, he said, were peculiar race,
their religion had many beautiful fea-
lures. and they were by no means such
bitter prosecutors in the name of reli-
eion as the Spaniards became later.
DIR. Vose then said: "The year l4s2 we
may call the birthday OF Spain. The
history OF Spain in America is inter
woven with our own history. | might
almost say that the beginning OF Amer
lean literature was due TO Spain.
"Who was our first great writer rec
ognized abroad? We know that Il was
Washington Irving, for some time
United States minister To Madrid. and
we are familiar with his beautiful writ
ines. and with the works of Prescott,
tho historian. Motley and others who
came later. slain has been very rrli-
gious country. Few characters I'm his
tory stand ~ high rs that of Isabella
Isabella The Catholic as she was
called. she is said ~ have been the
first TO establish hosTitals for the care
OF soldiers wounded In her wars. Sad
IL was that such beautiful character
should be SO perverted In her latter
days ms TO sanction the fanaticism and
horrors OF the inquisition. We may
well look back on SPANS colonialSpolicy
at this time. so that we may know
what we ought to do. We ought to
learn what we can do for SPANS good,
and not only for our own.
Little did we think when a short
time ago this country celebrated with
a great exposition the discovery of
America by Columbus that we should
be at war with the country that made
the discovery possible. What con-
trast between our resistless navy and
the little ships of Columbus, the Santa
Maria, Pinta and Nina, Religion had
much 10 do with this voyage OF dis
covery. and others which followed. The
voyage of Columbus was made with the
consent of the pope. The spread OF
religion was held up as a pretext for
conquest. Before this time little Por- |
tugal was ahead OF Spain i'm this re-
spect. In the years that followed i'm the |
18th century the possessions Of Spain I
and Portugal together included three |
fourths OF the entire globe. We are |
familiar with the discovery OF Florida /
by that romantic old knight, Ponce de |
Leon, and the discovery OF the Misss- 4
sippi by DE Soto. We remember that |
that poor old man was buried i'm the |
middle of the stream so as to be out OF |
reach of the Indians. The sounds OF /
the chanting OF the priests floating out |
over the river at this burial service |
were the first ever heard i'm this coun-
try.
Even at the beginning OF the present
three-fourths of this country
belonged to Spain. for these great lands
Of Florida and Louisiana have been
tossed about like the gamblers stake.
Il cannot be without interest TO us To
<now the history OF Spain. IL was her
'eligion which gave her temporary inn
,ulse and led finally To her gradual de-
line. The inquisition drove out her
most industrious citizens, the Moors.
he Jews and other 'heretics.' Far be Ii
rom me to deny that she has had many
loble and beautiful sons but II was her |
,igotry which finally leavened the
Whole lump. Let us trace her history. |
ooking for the day when Spain and all
Ter possessions shall become the abode
4 liberty"