The times., 1899-06-11

largely tainted with the poison oil unDeliel.
Is this true, or is it libel on our Army?
We shall let the officers speak for them
selves.
Maj Gen. ]. w R. shafter, the vic
tor of Santiago, and one of our brayest
and most popular military leaders, unhes-
itatingly places himself under the stand
ard of the Christian faith. He declares
in his letter in response to the questions
submitted. that he is friend Of Chris
tianity and believes in the Divinity OF
Christ and in the power of the Christian
religion as a means to salvation.
Brig. Gen. NJ. d. Hardin writes: i sin
cerely believe there is no hope for the per-
manent success or real progress OF any
people who are not truly religious. And
now that the Christian religion has been
revealed to man | sincerely believe no ma
tion can progress without believing and
practicing 1t in its purity, avoiding for
malism and superstition on the one hand
and agnosticism and atheism on the other;
the latter is due to the pride of intellect
by which man fell
Brig. Gen. r. c. Drum avows himself
decided friend of Christianity, and so also
does Brig. Gen. W. P. Craighill, the latter
supplementing his Alternatives with this
sentence: Il wish to speak with the en-
phasis of full conviction after long and
careful consideration of both sides of the
subject"
Brig. Gen. W. B. Rochester also gives
with a soldier like directness, a bold and
hearty affirmative to all the questions.
Brig. Gen. D. W. Flagler, Chief OF Ord
nance of the United States Army. thus in
dicates his religious position: Il have TO
state l have been a communicate in the
Protestant Episcopal Church, United
States of America, for many years, and be-
lieve in all statements contained in the
! creed of that church,
a very significant and instructive an
swer is that OF Brig. Gen. William p. Car
| lin, who writes: Il answer your questions
| in the affirmative. l believe that the mani
fest decline in Christian faith is due to
the failure of protesting Christians TO live
| their religion" .f5i,us4.
| Brig Gen. NJ. r. Morgan is a thorough
believer in the Christian faith
| Brig. Gen. Guy V. Henry is the COM
mander of the Department of Porto Rico,
and the questions reached him at his head
quarters in San Juan. After answering all
| in the Affirmative, General Henry adds this
sentence, which may well be pondered by
! thoughtful Americans: THE foundation
stone of a nations prosperity, as history
! shows, is moral education, and any man
who follows the Christian code will not
+ fall by the wayside. Upon that foundation
our success in governing our colonies will
| depend; its neglect will result in failure.
| IllSuleOuSubSS eSaiLeIU DuI
a reproach to any people This motto is
over the West Point Chapel it is educated
| into. and believe. felt to be true by every
officer and soldier in our Army and Navy"
Adjt. Gen. H. C. Corbin. if brief
| and to the point, and contents himself
with stating that it gives him pleasure to
send an affirmative to all the questions.
Surgeon General George n. Sternberg de-
clares himself the son Of a clergyman and
| vi nf thn Thrf1 fa;t1
living belief on his part in the same doc
| trines.
A notable letter, which may well serve
| as model of its kind to both soldier and
, civilian, is that of Brig. Gen. ]. NJ. Wilson
! Chief of Engineers, who writes: Il am
an earnest friend of Christianity, / recog-
nize the power and love of a Supreme Be-
| ing and / fully believe in the Divinity of
the Saviour and the surprising potency of
Christianity as a civilizing influence.
For a third of a century, | have been a
member in good standing OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church; the vestry OF the par
ish. with which / am now Identified has
upon it three officers of the Regular Army.
one officer of the Navy, one ex-officer of
the Regular Army, and lone. exrqfficer of
the former Confederate army"
Inspector General Joseph C. Breckin-
ridge sends letter. which conveEs in no
| uncertain tone, his fervent faith. After
affirmative answers to all the questions, he
adds: Il believe in God the Father, Max
er of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ
his only Son our Lord ANY man who fol-
lows the progress of civilization in all
countries must believe in the potency of
Christianity as a civilizing influence. Are
not missionaries the forerunners of civili-
zation?'
Mai. Gen. John r. Brooke. commander
of the Military Department of Cuba.
writes from his headquarters at Ha-
vana in curt and solder-like phrase: II
answer yes to all of the three questions.
Those who know General Brooke most in
timately declare him to be a model soldier,
broad minded, judicious, and everywhere
commanding respect by his strong Chris
| tian character
The Senate.
Our quest has already taken US through
the various departments of the National
Government-those of the Chief Executive
the Cabinet the Supreme Court, the Army
and Navy-and We must needs look else
where to find the substantial proof of the
assertion OF ''infidelity in high places.
Whittier shall we now turn in pursuing
our investigation? Is 1t in Congress tha
the skeptics. agnostics. thinkers. anC
what-not hide themselves? Has the ma
ton. while preferring Christian Statesmen
) and leaders in other positions of eminence
neglected Congress, and so allowed III
spirituality 10 go by default that an unbe
lieving troop has crept in who know no
} God" and believe not in his SOM
AS we turn to that grave and angus
body, the United States Senate, we con
fess to no misgivings. We find the Sena
! tors-almost ali OF them men of ripe judg
} ment in human affairs, and with great in
terests in their keeping-ready to give Il
| our interrogatories most attentive consid
} Grafton. Their responses speak for them
: selves and need no comment or explanation
| of ours to declare the fact that the Sen
g ate of the United States is Christian.
s Senator Thomas c. Plat OF New Yorl
/ writes this very striking testimony, whicl
D affords glimpse OF the religious inner ma
! ture OF this well-known public man: ''
!, consider that Christianity. rightly appre
4 hended and vitalized is inherently and es
= sentially a friend OF humanity. and tha
4 today. with the enlightened attitude tina
Y mankind is assuming toward 1t, Christi
y anity is proving itself to be more thai
ever friend to the human race. l believ
S that the qualities of Divine goodness wer
Q marvelously illustrated and actualized il
S the character of Jesus Christ. and that hi
= life Is a remarkable revelation of the in
S herent possibilities in human nature
[ believe that, the genius OF Christianity
a which emphasizes the Fatherhood OF Go
e and the brotherhood OF mantle knshi
= Of all races and individuals-is potential
: broadening liberalizing and civilizing."
Senator W. v. Allen of Nebraska write
| declaring his belief in Christianity. an
, adds: mo one has right to quote me I
=. the contrary"
i Senator b. r. Tillman OF South Carolina
y man noted for his outspoken opinions
runs the Gospel flag to the masthead an