The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
AN ABLE DISCUSSION OF A POPULAR
AND TIMELY QUESTION.
ny the Rev. Asa 5. FisISe, d. D., Gun
ton Temple Memorial Presbyterian
Church, Washington, ID. c.

''For the nation and kingdom that will
not serve thee shall perish. Isaiah TX Il.
The on-golng Of the universe is the mani
festaton Of God in providence. The plan
Of His government is the perfecting of the
great society of humanity For human re-
lations the law is love and help. The man,
the people. the nation, the race that win not
enter this law Of service with loyal purpose
IS running so counter TO its own structure
and to the great on-going and up-comng
as to be In deadly case. 1t IS perisning and
shall perish utterly. defeating and destroying
itself
10. the highways Of history cluttered with
the wrecks of nations which have forgotten
to serve God! Look at the vast wastes of
Mesopotamia, garden Of the earth and an
cient seat OF primeval empire. Study Egypt,
Greece and Rome. fascinating but for their
ruins. see decaytng nations Of to-day which
q few centuries agone stood. the nagnih-
cence Of the world. Behold the ruin of ma
tional character, Of manhood, in these de-
caying peoples. Contemporary histories, to
which none can be blind, are awful common
taries on the words of our text.
From this point of view let us reflect for
q moment ON the history which our Repub-
JIG has made during the great year which
has recently drawn to its close. 1t opened
with a mighty wailing Of infinite distress
from beautiful perishing Cuba at our very
doors. For years we had tried diplomacies
IN vain. We now protested again and gave
due notice that the conditions were intoler-
able to us and TO humanity Warnings,
diplomacies. national declarations of armed
Intervention were all tried to no effect. So,
reluctantly, came war-the solitary war of
all the ages undertaken with an unselfish,
altrmstic purpose. What followed need not
here be rehearsed-a hand unseen shielded
and directed us-tin at last proud Spain
impored of us peace. The protocol was one
Of magnanimity; no such terms were ever
offered before by completely victorious
nation to a conquered foe. And finally, on
Christmas eve, came to the hand of our ex-
ecutive this sublime Christmas gift from
God, the treaty of peace.
Every step in all the struggle was a provi-
dental necessity, taken in the interest of
mankind. 1t was Providence commanding
humanity. I believe the treaty will be Of
huge advantage to Spain. 1t estops a per-
petual drain on her resources of men and
money in colonies which she has been inn
potent to govern or develop. 1t relieves her
of the opprobrium of a rule which branded
her through the civilized world as barbar-
Gus, but which she has no genius to re-
9Orm. Our gold will be help toward her
financial solvency. And now with little
more of field to exploit outside her own
Iberian peninsula, she may perhaps turn
with humbed pride but better purpose to
the development of her own industries and
resources, to the education of her own peo-
pie and the building Of a reputable future
TO replace the vain glories of a shameful
and cruel past. God grant it,
BENEFICIAL RESULTS.
The result to US? Consciousness of great
deeds generously undertaken for those who
were ready to perish. Assurance that pa
triotism and heroism have not died out
amongst us. Above ALL believe stands the
realization that God has opened to US an
opportunity and laid upon us a mission un-
exampled in the worlds history for a
benehcent career Of Christian civilization on
a vast scale on both sides of the globe Our
hedging into that mission is as if a thus
saith the Lord" We're written high and
flaming over the portal Of the great Nor
row.
These peoples thrown on our care number
nigh four times as many as our fathers
We're when our nationality was achieved
The spaces they occupy are like two New
Englands and New Yorks-tropical regions
fruitful in all products beyond imagination
30 ranging IN elevation as TO give great
variety Of climates and the products of
many zones; populations of many types
from black through the browns and yellows
to the dark Spanish hue. Education ranges
amongst them from absolute bArbarism to
cultivated civility But the masses are I'M
schooled. Less than 20 per cent. can read or
write in any language. With liberty they
desire learning: when the chance is given
they will flock into schools With liberty
and schools they want free faith. Already
we hear voices from all these islands de-
claring readiness for free Christianity and
its book. These voices are not from mis-
sionaries but from the people themselves
Admiral Dewey and General Otis unite in
saying that the Filipinos are eager for the
new light and ready for that which shall
bring it, urging its immediate initiation with
an possible energy and pledging it their en-
thusiastie support.
Here then is the status of the case With
no such initial purpose whatever, the war
has thrown into our hands, 'in trust for civ
Mzation," these immense regions and these
teeming populations. 1t found them in
bloody and extermlnating Instruction. fu-
riously embittered by the long internecine
struggle 1t gives them peace. 1t plants
us as their protectors and their guides. In
no case shall we get of them gross gains;
they viii be for the present but burden
Return them to Spain? That is impossi-
BE; to have done that would have been in
fanny. Turn them over to other powers?
We cannot. War would flame over Europe
in a month Abandon Cuba and the Philip
pines TO themselves? Witness the bloody
collisions of few weeks ago in Cuba Wit
ness the sorry work already in the Philip
pines. Call your American common sense to
witness. What can YOU expect? These peo-
pies are ignorant. They have no traditions
Of acquaintance with or experience in self
government Their only notions of govern
plent in any sort are derived from the out
rageous misgovernment of Spain They
know nothing of free government even by
contact with free peoples either in trade or
through literature. Has four-hundred-
year experience Of Spanish misrule miracu-
lously enabled people kept in profound igno-
rance and poverty with all their attendant
evils, to establish themselves at once in
wise. free and safe independence? That
should be miracle indeed Their experience
of government would make them in author
ity tyrants, and under weak authority in
surrecuonaries. To lift our hand of strong
and controlling guidance from Cuba would
lei a.rfe a a.