Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-06-09

and the shape of the hat and the cut Of
the coat and the formation of the shoe
of the evangelizcrs hut the questions
constantly arose in regard to the mis-
siunary: "Who is he?" "What is he
here for2'' And then the interrogation
would relax into the previous stupid in
difference. Bnt that condition of things
has passed The guns of our American
navy have awakened those populations.
They do not ask who we are They
have found out They are now listen
ing to what American civilization and
our Christian religion have to say on
any subject Now is the time, while
their ears and eyes are wide open, to
tell them of the rescuing and salvable
and inspiriting power of the gospel of
Jesns Christ. the Saviour of the world
The steam printing press which secular
education plants there may he used and
will be used to print religions news
papers and tracts and sermons and
mighty discussions of questions tenn
poral and eternal.
influence of Homes.
The comfortable homes of those pop
ulntiuns. when Christianized. standing
side by side with the degraded huts of
those who remain pngans will be revo-
lutionary for good. Tho Porto Rican
and the Filipino will come out from
this nncleanscd and low rooted and I'M
inviting kennel and say to his neighbOr
of beautiful household. "Why cannot l
have things us you have themY" And
when he finds that it is the Bible. with
its teachings on family life and per-
sonal purity and exalted principle, and
the church of God that proposes the
rectifcation of all evil and the implan
tation of all good. he will cry out
"Give me the Bible, and the church,
and the earthly alterations, and the
eternal hope which have wrought for
you such transformation.
Now, church of God. now, all Chris
tian philanthrcpists. is your opportun:
ityl Nothing like it has occurred since
Christ came. Perhaps there may be
nothing like it till his second coming
Here is definitencss of aim that is
most helpful and inspiring. The mil
lions of dollars given for the redemp-
ton of the world and the thousands of
glorious missionaries who have as volun-
teers gone forth among barbaric nations
were given and enlisted under great
and unreasonable idea. But when they
come to add 10 the great and immeas-
urable idea the idea of detiniteness we
will infinitely augment the work. More
than three hundred million of heather
in India, more than three hundred mil
lion of people in China and more mil
lions of heather than can be guessed
outside of those countries sometimes
stagger and confound and defeat our
faith. But here in these islands of pres
ent controversy we can farm out the
work among the churches and in five
years, under the blessing of God. not
only fit the people for the right Of suf-
FRA but prepare them fer usefulness
and heaven. The difference between
the general idea of the world s cvangel-
ization and some particnlarized field of
evangelization is the difference between
the improvement of agriculture among
all nations and the improvement Of 10
acres put under ones especial care and
industry BY all means let the general
work go ON. But here is the specific
field for religious concentration and de-
velopment. This is not chimerical or
impractical | read this morning that
the American Missionary association of
the Congregational church has already
begun the work at San Juan, Utuado
and Albonito, and all denominations of
Christians in six months will be in
those islandy fields, and we all need
with our prayers and contributions to
cheer them on to take for God and
Righteousness those regions which our
American navy has captured from
Spanish perfdy.
It has been estimated that this
Americo-Spanish war cost MS $500, OOo,-
600. 1t would not cost half of that to
proclaim and carry on and consummate
a holy war that will rescue those archl-
pelagoes from satanic domination. Who
will volunteer? beat the drnm of a
recruiting station Who will enlist I'M
der the one starred, blood striped ban
ner of Unnamed? Cuba and Porto Rico
and the Philippines are stepping stones
for our American Christianity to cross
over and take the round world for God.
We need new evangelical alliance Or
ganized for this one purpose. In all de-
nominations there are those with large
enough hearts and who have been thor
oughly enough converted to join IN
such an advanced movement-men who.
putting aside all minor differences OF
opinion, ''believe in God, the Father
Almighty. Maker of heaven and EARTH
and in Jesus Christ. his only begotten
Son, and who would march shoulder
to shoulder in such gospel campaign.
The result would be that those islands,
after such scene of gosrelization,
would assert themselves into denomina-
tions TO suit themselves, and some
would be sprinkled in holy baptism and
others would be immersed in those
warm rivers and some would worship
in religious assemtlage silent as the
Quaker meeting house, and others
would have as many jubilant ejacula'
tions as a backwoods camp meeting,
and some of those who preached would
be gowned and supplied for the work.
and others would stand in citizen APP
parel or in their shirtsleeves preaching
that gospel which is to save the world
Religious Teaching Needed,
Mark you we'll that craftsmanship,
however grand it is, and wise men OF
the world however noble, cannot do
this work. Mere secular education does
not morali2a. Some of the most thor
oughly educated men in all the world
have been the worst men. Quicken a
mans intellect, while at the same time
ycu do not make his morals good, and
you only augment his power for evil
Geography and mathematics and meta
phsyics and philosophy will never quail
fy people to govern themselves A
&l,NrN y n