Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-05
LAST WEEK AT UNIVERSITY
Ushered In by the Baocalaureate Sermon by
Chancellor MacLean.
DELIVERED AT THE OLIVER THEATER
Scholarly and Timely Discussion of
"The Epoch of American Manhood
Preparatory to Era of Worlds
Fraternizntion."
DELIVERED AT THE OLIVER THEATEE

i LINCOLN, June 4.-(Specal.) .)-Contrary
to the usual custom, the baccaraureate SER
mon before the graduates of the University
| of Nebraska was delivered by Chancellor
! MacLean. The services were held in the
oliver theater tonight. The senior class,
| members Of the faculty of the university,
Chancellor MacLean and clergymen of the
city formed in line at the Young Men 5
Christian Association building this evening
at o'clock and marched to the oliver thea
| ter, where seats had been reserved for them.
The services opened with prayer and in
| cluded music by the university chorus
The sermon was on the subject THE Epoch
of American Manhood and Brotherhood Pre-
] paratory to the Eve Of the Worlds Fraterni-
cation. The Ethical and Educational Issues
of the Spanish American War" In part
Chancellor MacLean said:
In the university, no less than in the coun-
! try this has been the year patriotic and pa
/ thetc. One hundred and seventy-five uni
versity students in camp and field and ten
on the honor role Of university dead, with
the former commandant, Colonel Stotsen-
berg, at the head, suggests the thanksgv-
ings, vigils and prayers that have been ours.
Paeans Of victory have alternated with
dirges for the dead. The requiem for the
heroic colonel is still echoing in our ears.
Memorial day services, peace jubilees peace
conference and Philippines war dispatches
make a strange medley. We are forcibly
| taught that peace is a creator and war
| destroyer. We have learned that war is also
| a revealer of peaces solid creations, from
| which 1t strips all Illusions 1t is difficult
| as yet to give just estimate Of the Span
| ish- American war and its momentous issues.
God and Origin of War.
God renders to nations, as to men, ac-
| cording to their works-to the Spaniards, to
! the Cuban to the American. What was the
80
| the powers Of Europe did not want it, Amer
lean party leaders did not want it, the demo-
| Gratis feared that it would rebound to the
perpetuation of the party in power, the re-
publicans knew that the country was not
| prepared for war and feared temporary de-
| feat and disgrace, the burden of expense and
| the general responsibility. The president
| and educators did not want it, they believed
| that diplomacy would accomplish the ends
| desired. Ideal sentimentalists didn't want
! 1t; they reiterated the views of jurists and
philanthropists as expressed by Charles
| Sumner in his address on the war system as
! this trade of barbarians this damnable pro-
| fession; war itself is hell, recognized, legal
| lied, established, organized by the common
wealth of nations for the determination of
international questions" The man of sci
| ence did not want the war, though, accord
| ing to President Eliot, he does not accept
Summers dictum that there can be no war
| that is not dishonorable. THE man of sci
| ence regards war as the worst survival of
savage life. He admits occasional war may
| be necessary to national security, Just as po-
! lice courts and prisons exist in civilized and
| peaceful states" The capitalist did not want
| war, Prof. Heron to the contrary notwith-
standing The professors bald, unsupported
statement that conspiracy of capitalists
| precipitated the war is contrary to public
and private testimony Of congressman and
| of the contemporary omnscient press. The
slender thread upon which the prophetic
professors imagination may hang his con-
| spiracy--the bonds OF the Cuban junta and
republicans quickly detected and cut by
President Mckinley. Who then, wanted the
war? The newspapers 1t Is said. Some II
them aided atrociously In precipitating the
war, but did they originally want 1t? Ira
ditionaly and really they are not the lead
ers, but the followers OF the people. After
ALL in this case the faithfully reflect the
will Of the people as over against the presi-
dent diplomat. politician and scholastic ed
ucator. The American people had taken in
earnest the gospel of humanity their preach
ers had given them, the logic of foreign mis-
sions, the call of their philosophers TO prac-
tical altruism the plea Of their phiIanthro-
plsts for the relief OF the Cubnns, and the
defamation of their politicians for the
spread of liberty and the rescue OF the cp-
pressed The people willed it. But still
deeper, 1t was the logic OF events, the evo-
lutionary movement, in which this contest
is mere episode in the history OF humanity.
Better STILL II was God through affiicton
working out the peaceable fruits OF right
eousness C.yercoming evil with good, causing
all things TO work together for good,
Circumstances of the War.
In the circumstances of the war God again
| rendered to each nation according to its
works. The decision was not according TO
force or numbers, The Spanish were su-
perior in the size of the army in Cuba and
In fleet and guns in Manila. The award
was not according to mere civilization apart
from Christianity. In the historic point of
a mere civilization the Spaniard was su-
perior to the American in art, in accom-
pTishments, social graces, sense of honor and
diplomacy, and he was equal in bravery
and all martial virtues, The weight of
European prestige and of an illustrous an
tiquity were in favor of Spain. Relatively TO
her population she was equal in commercial
activity and in Industrial stability. The
victory was not to mere machines. The de-
cision was not to rest in man, but in the
men as individuals and in the national pur-
poses. In their education and character in
their power to take the initiative, to win a
battle without generals and oficers, in their
freedom from superstitious fear in the nerve
given by high national purpose the Ameri-
can soldiers excelled. The intellStual and
moral basis brought into operation Gods
law Of justice. The American soldier. by
persistence in good work, seeking char
acter and reputation, and the incorruptible.