The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-06-21
DIR, TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.

Subject: "Moral Expansion"-Our Duty to
the Heathens in the Philippine Islands
Suggestions as to What We Should
E Do For Their Religious Welfare.
copyright. Louis Klopsch, 1891
WASHINGTON, D. Gin this discourse
Dr.. Talmage steers clear OF the political
entanglements Of our time and recon-
mepds that which will meet the approval
Of all who hope for the perpetuity Of our
republic and the welfare Of other lands; text,
Genesis xviii, IA, "Thou shalt spread
abroad to the west and to the east"
Since the eAmericano-Hispanic war Is con-
oluded and the United States Embassador
Is on the way to Madrid and the Spanish
Embassador Is on the way to Washington
the people OF our country are divided into
expansionists and danti-e3pansionists. From
a different standpoint than that usually
taken I discuss this all-absorbing theme.
I leave the political aspect Of this subject
to statesmen and warriors and pray AL
mighty God that they may be enabled
rightly to settle the question whether the
islands in controversy shall be finally an
nexed or held under protectorate or re-
signed to themselves, while call attention
to the fact that q campaign Of moral and
religious expansion ought to be immedia-
tely opened on widest and grandest scale.
At the close OF this war God has put into
the hands OF this country the key 70 the
worlds redemption. Heretofore the re-
Iiglous movement in pagan lands had to
precede the educational. After in China
uId India and the islands Of the sea the
missionaries have labored over fifty or
seventy-fve years the printing press and
the secular school came in. Now to better
I,,o ha, hnfn ttrxt1 a,l
secular enlightenment may 20 side by side,
and 80 the work be accomplished in short
time and more thoroughly. Starting with
the fact TINT in Cuba and Porto Rico and
the Philippine Islands at least three-iourths
Of the people can neither read nor write,
what an opportunity for school and print.
ing press! Within five years every man In
those islands may bs taught to read not
only the Bible. but the Declaration Of In
dependence and the Constitution OF the
United States and the biography OF George
Washington and Of Abraham Lincoln.
It seems to me that the Government OF
the United States ought by vote Of Con.
gress afford common schools and printing
presses to those benighted regions. Our
Nationtl Legislature by one vote appro-
priatco $50 ,O00, 900 to give bread and med
icine to Cuba. Why not by similar gener-
osity give $50, 600 900 for feeding and heal
ing the minds and souls Of those ignorant
und besotted archipelagoes. In the namo
" God nominate school for every neigh
borhood OF Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines. As soon as the gavel falls at 12
O'Clock OF next December on the table OF
Senate and House OF Representatives and
the roll has been called and the prelimin.
nries observed let some member OF our Ma
tional Legislature, with mind and soul and
,1ta 4, 90 hnh - ~,
through those halls, but through Chrlsten:
dom, propose a measure for the mental and
moral disenthrallment OF the Islands In
controversy.
What has made American civlllzati On tho
highest civilization the world has ever
seen? Next to the Bible and the church,
schools, common schools, schools reaching
from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from
British America to, Gulf OF Mexico. Five
years under such educational advantage,
and this whole subject that keeps our pub
llc men agitated, some Of them to frothing
at the mouth, will settle itself. Give those
islands readers, spoilers, arithmetics, his
tories, blackboards, maps, Biographies,
globes. Let the State Legislatures at their
next meeting, some OF them assembling in
early autumn, take parts OF those islands
under their especial educational patron.
uRt. WuuL 10 uccu6u 10 Stdlc duu NuLlOudl
action In this matter OF schools.
Then let the editorial associations Of the
United States, rs many Of such organiza.
tions as there are States, resolve at the
next convocation to establish In every re-
gion Of those islands printing press, sup
ported by people OF this country until 1t
can become self-supporting. Each Of these
State Editorial Associations sending out
to those islands at least one editor and two
reporters and enough itypesetters, down
will 60 the ignorance and superstition Of
those islands rs certainly as the Spanish
fleet under Ceryera sank under the pound
ing OF our American battleships, and into
their every port will go intelligence and
the harbor OF Manila went Admiral Dewey
On that famous night when be was not ex-
pected. Hoes printing pressl Nothing
can stand before its bombardment. Ed
itors OF American newspapers and pub
fishers OF American books! Take the Or
dination for such magnificent service.
Eloquence on yonder Capitol hill cannot
meet the exigency. Epigrams OF political
plat (>orms or In State Legislatures will not
hasten the desired consummation one
week or one hour or one moment.
When Cubans and Porto Rlcan and Fill
pinos see the morning and evening news.
papers thrown into the doorways and
bawked along the streets OF Havana and
read by the force OF curiosity will learn to
read, SO that they may know what infor-
nation Is being scattered, and that which
may be missionary effort at the start and
carried on by Americans sent forth to do
the work will soon be done by educated na-
tives. Porto Ricaus editors! Porto Rican
reporters! Porto Rican typeset:ers! Porto
Rican publishers! 1t was great mercy to
take these islands from under the heels Of
despotlsm, but it will be mJghtier mercy
to emancipate them from ignorance and
degradation. The expansion OF the knowl-
edge and intellectual qualification OF all
those islandy regions is the desire OF all In
tellIgent Americans. Awake, all you schools
and colleges and universities and printing
presses, to your opportunity
Sill further, here Is a wide open door for
Christianity. First OF all, We have the at
tention Of those people. The heather
nations are for the most part soporlhc.
The American missionaries heretofore had
great difficulty in getting heathendom to
listen. They excited some comment by
their attire, so different was the parting OF
the hair and the shape OF the hat und the
cut OF the coat and the formation OF the
shoe OF the evangelizers, but the questions
constantly arose In regard TO the mission. a..
ary: "Who is he?" "Whst Is he here for2"
And then the interroEaror would relax into
the previous stupid Indifference. But that
condition OF things hps passed. The guns
OF our American navy have ava kened
those populations. They do not ask who
we IRE. eThey have found out. They are
now listening to what American civiliza-
ton and our Christian religion have to say
on any subject. Now is the time, while
their ears aud eyes nre wide open. to tell
them OF the rescuing aud salvable and in
spiriting power OF the Gospel OF Jesus
Christ, the Saviour OF the world. The
steam printing press which secular educa-
tion PLANTS there may be used and will be
used to print religious newspapers and
i nd t,nif,h diam CGiAna