The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-06-22

and methods that shall render great ar
 mics and navies unnecessary. The pro
 position of the United States for per ! manent tribunal of arbitration Is some
 thing more than an academic theory O
 q perfect world; it is the reasonable
 practical suggestion for imperfect peo
 pies who have in them an honest desir
 for their own perfection and for the ad
 vance of the world. Arbitration is n'
 longer theory or experiment. it has {
 history and a high achievement. Al
 ready a hundred cases of national diff
 culty have been settled by it. Thirty
 one nations have at times accepted it'
 regulations Italy and Argentina have
 agreed to it as method for the settle
 ment of all disputes. Great Britain anc
 the United States have employed it ant
 i'll giving honor to the method have beer honored by it. It is the clearly consis-
 tent method for Christian nations. Il gives opportunity for the spasm of say agery that so often gains brief but ter
 rible authority to become exhausted, it
 appeals to reason and the wide interests
 of the world; it is a genuine economy; it
 spares numberless homes the sorrow
 
 a partial cure for national selfishness,
 the great evil of the world; none the less l an evil, though it often bears the name
 of patriotism. 1t is matter of pro-
 found significance that the nations have asked the question, Can there not be a supreme court of the world, permanent | tribunal for all questions of difference or dispute, or honor, They have come l hesitant, doubting, without clear and | decisive purpose to the gate of the
 kingdom of God. As nations under the l inspiration of the national spirit they will go no farther. They have reached i the limit of prudence, diplomacy and patriotism. But there is another spirit
 in Christian nations within, but above the national, the spirit of the church and of the Christ in the church For the immediate, unanimous and energetic work of this spirit the nations have 1 made graatpreparation. Without the church arbitration cannot be made effec- tive, but with the church it cannot fail The church of Christ throughout the world is not to demand formal unity of church and state, but 1t must inspire the state That it may step over the tf1resh- hold into the kingdom of God, where all nations are more than ever national, as they confess the authority of the ideal federation of the world and the supreme court as their permanent tribunal. If the Greek and Roman communions with all Protestant churches were to unite in this decara tion,-a declaration that would in no way diminish individual p1 a iT1c V bunal is an authority of religion, and preach it as a truth of the kingdom of God, command of the Prince of Peace, they would change the conference at the Hague into a school of prophets, with the clairvoyance and courage of prophe- cy, and haste the time when every na- ticn should accomplish it's glory and it's destiny with this prayer upon it's lips, Our Father, Try Kingdom Come" At least this is the immediate duty of Con gre9ationalism. The spirit of our churches informed and constitutional- ized this great nation. It is in the di- rection of it's history and progress to ad- vance another step and urge the reason- able and Christian duty that this coun- try should use it's opportunity to make the principle of arbitration constitution al in the international life of the world and to create the United States of the world. To preach arbitration is not preaching politics; it is preaching the gospel to politics, without which politics can never realize a completed life. The opportunity and the duty of our minis try are evident. The success of arbitra- tion depends on the peoples heart; soon CT or later it becomes question of spir itual intelligence and disposition. A permanent tribunal that shall be the ul innate court of appeal for all the world and for all questions between notions is a far off fact; true internationalism is a start of slow growth. but whether it come soon or late, it will come not sim ply as the result of academic discussion or national diplomacy, but of the preaching of that ministry whose thoughts are made large as the world by thoughts of the kingdom of God in which they live The Congregational churches by their history, ideals and sympathies are the real national church. | es of America. As such they invite us, their ministers, to urge the nation, for which they were the initiative and pow CT, to do something to Christianize the | world by the use and teaching of the | reaaona ble authority of an international | tribunal From Holland, where science and religious liberty were cradl d. comes to all members of this association a mes sage for the pulpit The progress of the f that is given universal adver- tisement by the conference of peace, cannot become a real preparation for the kingdom of God unless we preach it. All real national expansion must be to- ward internationalism. To inform the nation of this truth and guide it thither is the duty of the churches. The pro- gress of the nations however defined, is a preparation which God has placed in the hands of religion. It is prepara- ton for the kingdom. Shall it become Religion must an- swer.
 The American Board is an institution If religion whose high purpose is to lead all ma tions into the kingdom of God, to make them conscious of that interna .iOnalism, the oneness of the world, in which is found the source, power and conclusion of all national life. It es ablishes schools. hospitals, churches, hat it may secure that progress of life, social national life, that shall be a for the kingdom. It does lot by direction or indirection seek to American liberty; it is not the avant ,ourier Of our flag; it's single purpose is 0 so Christianize men of all races that