Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-23
Civilization Can DO More in Years
Than Missionaries Have in
Centuries.
The Cause Of Christianity Being Ad.
vanced BY the New Colonial
Policy.

lyH, at the COnSreSatlonal luterHd-
tional Council yesterday and the senti-
ment was enthusiastically cheered by
delegates from the British Isles, Aus
tralia, South Africa and Hawaii.
DR.. Abbott began his address on in
ternational relations and responsible
ties with the words Fellow citizens of
the united kingdoms of Great Britain
and America, at which the great
throng in fremont Temple broke into
an uproar of applause. There were
cries of Hear, hear" by the Britons
and Bravo" from the Americans.
When DIR. Abbott said that the English
flag always carried justice with it, but
Justice with a heavy hand, there We're
cries OF Yes, even in South Africa"
Predictions We're made during the day
by London delegates that within TWEEN
ty years the American and British
flags would float together in front of
armies sent to open the doors of dark
countries, peaceably if possible, forci-
bly, If necessary.
Speaking of the American colonial
policy, DR.. Abbott said:
Il see divine meaning in American
occupancy of the Philippines, not of
commercial exploitation, but for the
administration of law in the world.
Despotism is not the only foe to civili-
cation. Anarchy is a greater foe.
For at least 1000 years Africa has
had all the advantages of that spon-
taneous development which is the hope
of humanity of a certain modern
school, and it is as dark a continent to-
n q y,,I1a u,
prince, conducted his Ethiopian cam
paign. Missionaries have done littlr
more to illuminate the continent than
a score of glowworms might do to IL
illuminate meadow at midnight
When the railroad runs from Cairo
TO the cape, and branches TO the east
and west coasts, then will the redemp-
ton Of the dark continent begin. This
cannot be without law, nor aw5without
armed force. Whatever baser motives
may mingle with nobler ones, what
ever commercial greed. pride of con-
quest. or political ambition may cor
lrupt human aspirations, the divine
| Significance of the forward movement
in Africa is the redemption of the dark
4 continent and its preparation for chris
tan civilization by the enforcement OF
llaw enforced by the strong arm of q
A strong nation.
This is also the meaning of the re-
/ demption of India and the So called dis
lmemberment of China, and should be
4 untrue to myself if | did not add my
! belief that this is the meaning of the
i American occupancy of the Philip
4 pines.
The responsibility of the Christian
nations and of all Christians in every
nation is to guide the progress of hui
4 manity toward Christianity, 10 rernov,
i obstacles. and to accelerate the process
i a first duty of a Christian people is t
push forward this work of more mater
ial Improvement which brings all ma
tions more closely together.
1t is for us in America to advanc,
such enterprises as the interoceani
canal, the transcontinental railwa,
q down the Pacific coast from Oregon t,
Chile. rapid interocean communication
between our Pacific coast and the IA
least, equaling in speed that alread.
established between our Atlantic coas
and Europe.
1t is for England to advance tn
railway from Cairo TO the Cape, Wit
tits branches to the west and east coast
Of Africa, to open up with additional
railways the still unprecedented region
I of India.
!. 1t is for Russia or Germany or Eng
. land or America, or all combined, t
penetrate China with new highways
making by their swift communicate
, the terrible food famines and the sti
: more terrible mind famines of that un
! explored and inorganic empire impos
: sble in the future.
! Let US have done with the idea tina
material progress is inimical to huma
; welfare. that the opening of China an
of Africa is to be looked on with sus
. picion because Russian. English, Gef
man and American capitalists are TAX
ing advantage of 1t to build railroad
: and steamship lines as profitable In
= vestments.
These are the beginnings of inter
national unity( because these annihil
ate distance and make every commur
lily neighbor to every other commun
!. lily"
DIR. Abbott was vigorously applaude
:, when he said that civilized nation
. should abolish protective tariffs an
: cast aside national jealousies. What
ever impeded the free interchange {
Z life among the international brother
!, hood obstructed world unity. whic
> was the goal of human history.
America and England" he declare
ought to stand together in insistin
with firmness on what is called II
open door, on the principle that viii
any nation may close its own ports
= the rest of the world if 1t chooses to c
J, so, it may not insist on the closure
:, the ports of any other people. All mi
nopolies are bad, and commercial mi
nopoy enforced upon one people by Il
), cannon of another people ought to
;, deemed intolerable.''
After having deprecated war as g
evil necessary at present to give fore
. compelling obedience to law amor
backward peoples, DIR. Abbott contil
IA ued:
4 When the prophet OF the futur
looking back upon the unrolled PIANO
- anna of the centuries, shall write Il
history of the modern world, he will II
terpret the victory Of reason and CO.
ID science at The Hague as greater ths
n the victory of Wellington at Waterl,
ID or Meade at Gettysburg.
* THE Christian nations must haste
Id the coming of that day. not only
e. promoting material developments, cor
3 mercial freedom, and International la
as interpreted by an international II