The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-02

and oppression will be the result. when
ever Il selfish interest is to he subserved.
| Can the spirit if the meek and lowly
| Nazarene be dscerned in those who
wafer stock, issue bonds in excess Of the
value of the plant. drive rivals into bank
rnptcy by trust methods and then prey
| upon society at large?
Conditions have become so alarming
that church organizations are beginning
to sound note Of warning At the Gen
eral Synod of the Reformed church held
at Tiftin, Ohio, last month, the committee
| on the state of the church reported the
following resolution:
THE danger to be apprehended from
certain agencies. which are slowly but
surely revolutionizing the entire social
fabric by the absorption of the wealth
of the country in the hands of a few,
the steady enlargement of the poor
classes of people and the gradual dimin-
ution of prosperous and happy mid
die class. the hope of every thriving
State. the rapid increase and intensiti-
cation of all these social and indus
trial agencies which tend to make hui
man life a burden Of despair to the many
and a material paradise to the few
all these things cannot but exert a bale
full influence upon and prove a constant
hndrance to the progress of the kingdom
of Christ upon earth.
The resolutions might. with propriety,
have concluded with the familiar quo
tation from Timothy, But they that
will be rich fall into temptation and Il
snare, and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts. which drown men in destruction
and perditon. For the love of money is
the root of all evil; which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the
faith and pierced themselves through
with many sOrrOws.'
The forcible annexation of the Philip
pine Islands is defended by some on the
ground that our nation is performing il
religious duty.
Without stopping to elaborate the fact
that a large number Of the FilipinoS
are already members of ane branch of
the Christian church, it is worth while
to inquire whether wars of conquest
are in line with Christian precepts.
Rev. James l.. Barton, secretary of
the American Board of Foreign Mis-
sions. denies that an American protec-
torate over on-Christan countries will
aid our missionaries. He says:
Hitherto our missionaries have gone
to the ends Of the earth carrying on
their work. and it has never ben charg
ed upon them that they were the fore
RUNNERS of the colonies to be planted,
which in turn were to lead to a protec-
torate from the home country, if not an
nexation. Missionaries from England,
Germany and France have been open to
these charges, and thereby their infiu-
ence has been greatly narrowed and their
efforts misinterpreted. while our mission
aries have been unhampered.'
Where in the new dispensation do we
find authority for military gospel?
Those who lightly value the benefits Of
self-government may argue that the
European policy of conquest is better
than the American idea of doing good
by example: those who place the dollar
above human rights may see in All impe-
rial policy II chance for syndicates to
speculate while the tax payers of the
United States hold the Filipinos in sub
lection. but can the Christian defend the
use of force as Il means of spreading re-
ligi0n! Christ everywhere presents the
doctrine that right is superior to might
that truth is more potent than all the
weapons employed i'll physical warfare.
When he went to village of Samaria
and was not welcomed. His disciples ask
ed that fire be called down from heaven
as a punishment but they were rebuked
in the following language
Eye know not what manner of spirit
We are of. For the Son of man is not
come to destroy mems lives, but to save
them
Contrast this sublime doctrine with
the bloody creed Of the conqueror. And
yet the spirit Of the master has often
been obscured by human frailties: mer-
cenary schemes have often been hidden
behind hypocritical pretenses: ambition
has often excused its cruelty by claim
ing that il welded the sword of Je-
hoyah.
The Christian religion is essentially Il
religion of the heart and love is its
supreme manifestation. The Kingdom
OF Heaven has been likened unto a
grain of mustard seed which by its in
ternal vital force grows into n great
tree. and to a little leaven which grad
uaHy leavens the whole lump.
There are some who think that des-
tiny leads us away from the Deciara-
ton of independence, away from the
Constitution and away from the tradi-
tions of the past. There are some who
even think that our nation Is command
ed to go forth with the Bible in one
hand and the milsket in the other, pre-
pared to read the former to those who
escape the latter
We have been warned against false
prophets and it will be our own fault
if we are led astray. A test has been
given us by which we can distinguish
between the spurious and the true.
Beware of false prophets which como
to You in sleeps clothing. but inward
ly they are rayening wolves. Ie shall
know them by their fruits. DO men
gather grapes Of thorns or figs Of this
ties y
Ry their fruits we shall know them.
When we are told that religious duty
requires us to deprive remote races OF
the opportunity for self-goyernment, We
have a right to inquire whether our an
structors have been careful to observe
their religious duties at home. We
cannot expect philanthropy and benevo-
lence to inspire imperialists in their for
eign policy il wrong, injustice and spe-
cial privileges have been the fruits of
their domestic DOlices If they have sac