The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-09
GODS PROMISES TO
NATIONS AND TO MEN.

The Platform Of National Prosperity"
was tic theme uf discourse OF the keser-
end Samuel J. Niccclls. II. D., at Second
Presbyterian Church yesterday. In his re-
marks he commented ON Imperialism and
pointed out the kind Vt Imperialism that Is
base and contrary TO righteousness" and
the kind that IS most noble and ,livin-."
He took for his text Dcut. Nxviii, Is and
.-le: And II shall come to pass, II thou
shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of
the Lord. thy God. to observe and to do all
his commandmt nis which I command thee
this day that the Lord. thy God. will set
thee or high above all nations of the earth.
And all these blessings shall come on thee
and oveItakc thee. If thou shalt hesrhen
unto the voice Of the Lord. thy God. Hess
cd shalt thou he i'm the city and blessed
shall, thou be in the field. Tho Lord shall
cause thine enemies that rise mp against
thee to he srnitten before thy fac: they
shall come ont against thee one way, and
fee before thee seven ways. The Lord shall
command the blessing upon thee in Thy
storehouseS. and In all that thou sattest
thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in
thee. The Lord shall establish thee IN molly
people unto himself. as ne hath sworn unto
Of the Lord. thy God. and walk in his
ways. And all the people of the earth shall
see that thou art called by the name 81
the Lord. and tn y shall be afraid of thee"
He spoke in part as follows:
The Bible is the one supreme and iHfal-
iibls guide book for nations. as well as Cor
ual ever written. 1t declares that there Is
a direct and vital connection between obedi-
ence TO the revealed will of God and ma
tiDnal prosperity.
at teaches that good government Is
government according To- the laws Of God
That alone makes a nation great and pros
porous. The portion of Scripture which I
have Just read gives us plain summary
Of Its teachings I'm this respect II is in
brief. the platform of national prosperity.
1t states the essential and unalterable con-
dttionS of that prosperity. and then tells
US plainly what will result from keep ~
them. The statecraft of the Bible Is v.iy
simple. Its great fundamental principle is
that righteousness eXaltcth a nation and
by Righteousness IL means obedience to the
revealed will of God.
Nor is there any difficulty In discovering
what that will Is. 1t is briefly put forth in
the Ten Commandments The civilization
that Is not built on the Ten Commandments
will not stand. IL has no moral worth and
sooner or later its decay will be made man
ifest. 1t is true that in the progress Of So
applications OF these great fundamental
principles. and the thought and wisdom OF
men must be exercised to discover what
must be done; but the principles themselves
never change. They are as applicable to the
world OF to-day as they were to that OF
Moses
this old platform of national prosperity
which are worthy of special notice. one is
that II places God first. 1t begins with God
and ends with man. 1t connects all moral
ity-that is, al! right relations between man
and man-with the absolute sovereignty OF
God. Men cannot be right in their relations
with each other, Until they are first right
In their relations to God.
'sThe second distinctive characteristic OF
this platform Is its doctrine that all true
national prosperity must have a moral ba-
sis 1t cannot be founded upon wise econom-
ic laws. or successful trade, or profitable
agriculture. OF the distribution of wealth.
or a sound currency. All these things arc
important and they are indispensable at
terdants Of prosperity: but they do not con-
sti,ute its basis. Underneath them and up
holding all. the underlying granite up
holds the soil. must be the law Of righteous
ness -
.'The readjustment OF human relations.
and the establishment OF peace order and
liberty In society. is not primarily a ques-
ton of currency. or tariffs. or the aequisi.
zion of territory, Or the distribution or
wealth: it is one OF right morals 1t is no
new doctrine to say that the true glory of
country depends Upon the character OF its
citizens. and that character Is determined
upon the fundamental law of righteousness
Is revealed In the word Of God; but 1t u