The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-01
LORDS HIND AT MANILA
REV. MR.. vILLERs REVIEWS AID
MIRAL DEwEY's GREAT VICTORY.
Possessions Forced on This Countrx
Have Been the Max.
ing of IL.

The services at the First Baptist Church
last evening were devoted to patriotism as,
according to the day of the week, it was the
anniversary of Dewey's victory. All hymns
and anthems were of patriotic character
and the topic of the sermon by Rev. T. j.
villers was 1.-The Miracle at Manila"
Mr.. Villers commenced by referring to the
IsraeIites at Mizpeh, concerning which it is
recorded in the Bible that the Lord thun-
dered and the Philistines were discounted
to the salvation of the Israelites. This is
recorded as miracle, but Mr.. Villers said
II was no more of a miracle to him than
was the victory at Manila, and he believed
that God Numbered at Manila. He spoke of
it having been hut year ago when Dewey's
fleet entered the bay and he described the
battle which followed. He summed up the
results. with eleven war ships destroyed,
the Notifications at the entrance to the bay
destroyed. the shore batteries silenced, the
naval station at Cavite captured and about
1000 killed. The Spaniards had built pens
in which to confine Dewey and his men, he
said. but not one was taken prisoner and not
one was killed Six on the Baltimore were
wounded by one Of their own shells and the
damage TO the fleet was confined to three
more. five in the Olympia and a whaleboat
on the Raleigh smashed. There has been no
parallel in the history of naval annals.
The human agent Of this miracle, said the
preacher, was an obscure man. and Dr.
Hamlin, an eminent minister Of Washington
lived on the same street with him and had
never heard of him. Mr.. Villers said he was
a prepared man and that his victory was
not gained by luck. God never uses luck
in His affairs. Mr.. yiIlers gave a sketch of
Admiral Dewey and referred to his partici-
patton in the grounding and blowing I'D of
the mississippi and other engagements of
the civil war. Admiral Dewey, said the
speaker, was in training for this achieve
ment 1or forty years just as God had
trained Moses forty gears for his achieve
ment. Admiral Dewey was a man with en-
pires IN his purpose and new eras in his
brains.
Considering the humane purpose of the
attack, Mr.. Viiers said that but twice be-
fore has the United States interfered in the
affairs of the old world. Once was in the
AFFAIR with the Tripoli pirates when the
United States cleared the coast of pirates
and insured the safety of commerce of the
entire world, feat which all countries of
Europe had been unable TO accomplish; and
| the second time in opening Japan to the
commerce OF the world. Other European ma
treaty with Japan was signed. In both of
these Instances it seemed to be the God-sent
4 mission OF the united states TO relieve the
troubles of the world. The interference by
| Admiral Dewey was on higher than CONNER
cial grounds, and was for personal liberty.
The Philippines include GOO islands, varying
from tiny islets TO Luzon, containing 10000
square miles. The population is estimated
at from S,We,OOO to 10000, 900 and in the in
terror of many of the islands the savages
are naked Mr.. NlllerS commented on the
islands having been in possession of nation
which had not improved the condition of the
| people in the long time of possession. Elk
- ia a 10 "a
which is due to Spanish taxation. Taxes
were imposed on natives which ii was inn
possible to pay and those who were delin-
quent were first beaten with sticks, then
| cast into prison and finally deported, which
meant life exile. as the government allowed
them cents a day for their labor and
charged cents day for keeping them,
| thus leaving but one cent with which they
might clothe themselves. support their fam
lilies and pay their back taxes: Mr.. VllIers
said that Aguinaldo's attitude is unfor-
tunate, men in the islands are not
| fighting him of their own volition, but for
the purpose of freeing the people from this
| make the actual work of liberation harder
| TO accomplish, and he is holding back his
people.
FORCED ON THE NATION.
| Mr. villers closed by saying that he he
| lieved the United States has been directed
| by the hand of God and that the people must
become expansionists whether they will or
| In that the Spanish were sent to the South
| when this country was discovered while fly
| ing birds led Cabot a hard English Protes-
| tant, to the North. The Louisiana purchase
was made in spite of the people at 21a cents
| an acre, and yet 1t has more than doubled
our area. Oregon was forced on the gov
eminent through Whitman, and California
became by Commodore Soat raising
the United States flag just a week before
Admiral Seymour sailed in the bay to per-
form the same act for the British. Alaska
this Nation did not want. but made the pur-
chase to show our appreciation of Russia's
acts on our behalf during the civil war, and
Many, did not want Hawaii and Yet 1t be-
came necessary to have a coaling station in
the Pacific in view of the possible trouble
with Spain. Admiral Dewey had no place
10 go other than Manila Had he returned
to San Francisco, which was his only al
tentative. American people would have been
branded as towards by other nations, and
this Nation would probably have had a war
as the result of that belief which would
have cost us more lives than we lost IN the
Philippines. Dewey was forced there and by
his rema ~kable victory the group was forced
on this country. In all this Mr.. Niers sees
the hand of God in forming the destiny of
izing. eve ngeizng power of the world Such.
he believes. is the destiny of the country and
that by the hand of God the people must
become expansonsts- Another result has
been a practical union with Great Britain.
The new America. said he, ~ taking her
place i'm the worlds struggle for these pur-
poses and with this destiny, and all under
the leadership of such men as Dewey,
Rowan, Blue, Hobson, Whitney and Funs-