The times., 1899-10-09
SYMBOLISM OF THE SWORD.
Dr.. Easton Sees a Timely Les. on in
the Nations Gift to Dewey.
The Blade, He Says, Was Associated
with All of the Worlds History,
But Grand as This One Is, 1t Does
Not Compare With That of the
Spirit Which Never Lost 81 Battle.

Rev. DR.. Thomas Chalmers Easton, pas
tor of Eastern Presbyterian Church. at
Sixth Street and Maryland Avenue north
east, yesterday morning selected for his
theme "The Symbolism of the Sword, or
Timely Lessons From the Nations Gift to
the Hero of Manila" His text was taken
from Paui's epistle TO the Ephesians, vi:17,
"The sword of the Spirit, which is the
Word of Cod"
In his discourse Dr. Easton drew a con-
trast, and also a parallel, from the pres
entation of the sword to Admiral Dewey
which Congress, purchased with the sword
of the Spirit THE one object he said,
which stands associated with all the his
tories of the world is the sword The eye
OF the veteran soldier lights up with fire
as he picks UP the old battle sword. It
hangs on the walls of ancestral homes and
in the halls of the temples of Justice The
sword. How often has it been drawn for
s oppression! How often has it been the
scourge Of tremendous power!'
The pastor described the track of the
sword as it swept over the earth, bringing
lSdIS, QtSOldlltal, EilleiecS duu SdChCQ
cities as its fruits, and then said that, Oh
the other hand, some of the subIimest in
spirations have come from the sword 1T
has emancipated the slave and protected
civil and religious freedom, the preacher
said, illustrating this thought by ref
erence to Bunker Hill and the sword OF
Washington at Mount Vernon, and the gil
gantic strides in progress of this nation,
that had its advent with them, and declar-
ing that 'sthe sword has its glorious re-
nown as well as Its track of desolation."
Dr. Easton said that no history from the
time Of David to the victory of Dewey at
Manila could be written without testimony
to the sword, and he then spoke feeingly
of the appreciation of the nation of Dewey's S
victory as expressed by the sword pre-
sented him by the President as gift from
rs, ,c0o, 600 people. He pictured the ex-
qusite workmanship OF the sword, its un-
equaled splendor, its true Damascus Steel
in eloquent language, and then declared
that, beautiful and artistic as it is, it does
not compare with the sword OF the Spirit,
which had never lost a battle.
Further on, in referring to the great
naval combat, Dr. Easton said that when
Dewey gave the command you may fire,
Gridley when you are ready" the young
Republic leaped from a distant background
10 the front ranks of the world, and il was
kept there. The sword CT the Spirit came
from God to man in the same manner as
the gift Of the nation to Dewey was an ex-
preston of love. The sword of the Spirit
was Gods expression of love, and no
weapon will ever destroy 1t. 1t viii live on
forever, for God will preserve it. It's power
is infinite and it contains more wealth than
all the wealth Of the nations.
But great as was the victory carved out
by Dewey's sword, DR.. Easton remarked,
the weapon was after all but carnal one,
and could but penetrate the human body.
The sword of the Spirit penetrates the soul.
He forcibly chided those ministers who
strike with the fiat side OF the sword in
stead Of the point, and declared that all
honor should be given the Gar of Russia
for projecting the Peace Conference, al
though DR.. Easton prophesied nations
must undergo a great change before the
sword ceases to be the arbiter. The lesson
from the sword is that Christians should
| be aggressive. The sword of Dewey
symboiizes the victory of Jesus Christ