Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-07-13
FAV0RS EXPANSION.
Dr. Talmage Discusses an Absorb.
ing Theme.
Points Out the Way for the Amert-
can People TO Perform a mighty
Work-A Splendid op-
portunity.
copyright, 1883, by Louis Klopschl
Washington 90

our time and recommends that which
will meet the approval OF all who hope
for the perpetuity Of our republic and
the welfare OF other lands; text, Gene
sis 2s;l4: Thou shalt spread abroad
to the west and 10 the east."
Since the American Hispanic war is
concluded and the United States am
bassador is on the way 10 Madrid and
the Spanish ambassador is on the way
TO Washington the people Of our coun-
try are divided into expansionists and
anti-expansionists. From a different
standpoint from that usually taken |
discuss this all-absorbing theme
leave the political aspect Of this subject
TO statesmen and warriors and pray
Almighty God that they may be en-
sbled to rightly settle the question
whether the islands in controversy shall
be finally annexed or held under pro-
tectorate, or resigned 10 themselves,
while / call attention TO the fact that
q campaign of moral and religious ex-
| pansion ought 10 be Immediately opened
on widest and grandest scale.
At the close OF this war God has put
into the hands of this country the key
20 the worlds redemption. Heretofore
the religious movement in pagan lands
had 10 precede the educational. After
in China and India and the islands of
the sea the missionaries have labored
over 50 or IS years the printing press
and the secular school came in. Now
10 better advantage than ever before
religious and secular enlightenment
may 60 side by side, and so the work be
accomplished in short time and more
thoroughly Starting with the fact that
In Cuba and Porto Rico and the Philip
pine islands at least three-fourths of
the people can neither read nor write,
what an opportunity for school and
printing press! Within five years every
man in those islands may be taught TO
read not only the Bible, but the Decla-
ration Of Independence and the consti-
tuition OF the United States and the
biography Of George Washington and
Of Abraham lincoln.
II seems 10 me that the government
Of the United States ought by vote OF
congress afford common schools and
printing presses 70 those benighted
regions. Our national Legislature by
one vote appropriated 10000, 900 10 give
bread and medicine 20 Cuba. Why not
by a similar generosity give s50,ooo,o0o
for feeding and healing the minds and
souls OF those ignorant and besotted
archipelsgoes. In the name of God, 1
nominate a school for every neighbor-
hood Of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines. As soon as the gavel falls at
~ O'Clock OF next December 4 on the
table Of senate and house of representa-
tives and the roll has been called and
the preliminaries observed let some
member Of our national legislature,
with mind and soul and voice strong
enough 10 be heard not only through
those halls, but through Christendom,
propose a measure for the mental and
moral disenthrallment OF the islands
in controversy.
What has made American civiliza-
ton the highest civilization the world
has ever seen? Next TO the Bible and
the church, schools, common schools,
schools reaching from the Atlantic 10
the Pacific, and from British America
20 the gulf Of Mexico. Five years un-
der such educational advantages and
the whole subject that keeps our public
men agitated. some OF them 20 froth-
ing az the mouth. will settle itself. Give
those islands readers. spoilers, arith-
metics. histories. blackboards, maps,
biographies, globes. Let the state leg
islatures al their next meeting, some Of
them assembling in early autumn, take
parts Of those islands under their espe-
cial educational patronage. What is
needed is state and national action in
this matter OF schools.
Still further. here is a wide open door
for Christianity. First Of all, we have
the attention Of those people. The
leather nations are for the most part
soporifc The American missionaries
Heretofore had great difficulty in get
ting heafhCudom 10 listen. They ex-
cited some comment by their attire,
so different was the parting Of the hair, |
and the shape Of the hat, and the cut /
81 the coat and the formation Of the /
shoe Of the evangelizers, but the ques-
lions constantly arose in regard 10 the /
WHO is hep What Is /
be here for" And then the interroga- /
Tor would relax into the previous stu /
nid indifference. But that condition Of 4
-hings has passed The guns Of our
american navy have awakened those
They do not ask who we
ire. They have found out. They are
.ow listening 70 what American civiii-
.ation and our Christian religion have
Q saw on any subject Now is the time
While their ears and eyes are wide open,
o tell them Of the rescuing and saliva
BE and inspiriting power Of the Cos
,el Of Jesus ChSist, the Saviour Of the
world. The steam printing press which
ocular education plants there nav be
,Sed and viii be used 10 print religious
,ewspapers and tracts and sermons and
mighty discussions q questions tenn
oral and eternal
ell fh~fe- E