Washington sentinel., 1899-09-02
rhe Moral OF the situation.


by thousands who, like the Prince
OF Darkness, quote Scripture with
great facility, and who make It a
custom to appeal to sacred texts
in support OF some utterly indefen-
sible position OF their own or in
condemnation OF the attitude oil
those who do not agree with them.
1t is a comfortable thing to assume
that we have the Lord on our side,
and a source of great satisfaction
to put ones opponents in the posi-
tion OF antagonlzing a great and
holy cause when they are merely
antagonizing US. The tendency is
a common one in the ordinary
affairs of religious, political and
even business life, and it is not
surprising that it should be partic-
ularly marked IN our war against
the Filipinos. Not content in this
case with attempting to justify the
slaughter and subjugation of these
people as work Of grace and civ
ilization, designed for their spirit
ual redemption and political eleva-
ton, the Bible is invoked to prove
that those who cannot accept this
view are traitors to their country
and should be treated as such.
The argument is something after
this fashion: We, the people OF the
United States, are engaged in a
holy conflict intended to spread
the Gospel and add to the glory Of
the American flag. It is right to
spread the Gospel and it is patri.
otic to glorify the flag, Only those
who have na na-religion will oppose
the former, and only those who
have no patriotism will object to
anything that will accomplish the
latter. We are the nation, and
those who are not with US are
against US, and consequently
against the country.
This is an easy way Of shutting
of discussion and proving your ad-
versaries in the wrong. The prem
ises being admitted, tn conclu-
sIons necessarily follow. II it be
conceded that it is righteous and
patriotic to attack a people who
have not wronged US and to
slaughter them until they submit,
It is, OF course, morally wrong and
politically treason to criticise those
who are engaged in this pious and
glorious undertaking. Unfortun.
ately for this logic, however, those
who employ it overlook the fact
that tthey do notspeak with the voice
Of infallible authority. and that as
sertions are not always truths.
When Christ said "Ee who is not
with me is against me-" He spoke
with an authority that was recog-
nized by His disciples as supreme,
while those who apply His words
to our war against the Filipinos
are not generally accepted as
speaking with the voice Of God.
1t way be worth while in this con.
nection to recall to the attention
Of those who are fond oil using this
text to coerce or terriiY their fel-
low citizens into a course Of which
they do not approve, Christ's
words Of rebuke to the disciples
who were indignant because a GER
tain village Of the Samaritans re-
fused to receive Him as He Jour
neyed to Jerusalem. The disciples
inquired whether they should not
command fire to come down from
Heaven and consume the villagers,
but He rebuked them, saying He
had not come to destroy mems
lives, but to save them. Here was
a case in which, according to the
logic OF ardent imperlalists, hre
might have been used wIth great
propriety against those who shut
their eyes to the truth. But Chris
tianity had a different interprCta-
ton at the lips Of its Founder.
The desire to call FIRE from Hea-
ven or any other available place 70
consume those who are not with |
us is a characteristic OF human |
nature which has survived from
the early days Of Christianity to the
present with apparently unabated
Yigor, and in spite of Christs re-
ouke, the fire is often invoked in
The name of justice, humanity and
religion. AS far as the ordinary
1aily transactions OF men with men
ire concerned, it is clearly an er-
Tor to assume that those who are
lot actively engaged in fighting
our battles are necessarily against
IS or inimical to US. A position
IF neutrality in such cases Is en-
irely consistent with friendly feel.
ng, and even direct opposition