The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-07-17

dreds Of millions OF people in The Orient.
Our wealth is fabulous. With all these
advantages can We afford to shut up our
selves in .'pent up Utica," and allow the
very redundance of our products to make
us poor? No other nation ever had the
grand commercial opportunities we enjoy.
Our harvests make our fields smile with
Joy and loudly call us to reap and enjoy
rich rewards by supplying other nations
and still have an abundance left. AS a
return Of gratitude to the Ruler of ma
tions for our unparalleled prosperity and
advantages, it is our national duty to
grow expand, and go forth to contest
with other nations for commercial suprem-
acy.
Nations like individuals must be inter
dependent In the past the nations have
ignored this doctrine, and have destroyed
each other in their strife for dominion and
supremacy. 1t was never intended in the
great plans of Omniscience that any ma
ton can exist without being blessing or
dence in the last half century seems to
have become the settled conviction of all
the nations. TT - recent troubles in China
made all the great civilized powers neigh
bors. 1t brought them in unison for their
bwn betterment and the welfare of
heather China. Why then criticize our
President for the attitude of the United
States in this Chinese complication and
for acting in concert with the other ma
tions as a neighbor, 1t was one Of her
national obligations as well as great op-
portunity to exemplify her readiness to
help and to bless all other nations.
For 1900 years the human race has been
struggling to obey the divine command,
go ye into all the world and preach the
gospel" But little progress was made
for centuries upon centuries. Seas of
blood have been shed in this evangelical
work. The progress has been slow, but
the fire has been kept dimly burning upon
the sacred altar. 1t was left TO the mys-
terious christian influence of the nine
teenth century, when the human mind
was liberated. to commence anew this gos-
pel work, and its light has blazed in every
land, and the bible has been published in
every tongue. We are on the eve Of a
new christian era in the world. Our ma
ton with it's free government and its ag-
aressive christian civilization is in posi-
o,,l Nd ha
world. With the isles of the Pacific in our
possession. with the confidence of the
millions of heathens in the East and with
our wealth and commerce, and Anglo
Saxon love of liberty, we can raise the
banner of the cross and accomplish the
heaven designed work OF having the Cos
pei preachsd to every creature.
Our republican government. with these
mighty potentialities for progress, civili-
zation and human freedom, is well fitted
to challenge the admiration of the world.
and to scatter everywhere the blessings OF
mans liberty. Standing as the United
States does today, as the largest export
ing nation, the wealthiest and most re-
sourceful nation, they can exercise con-
trolling influence in the affairs Of the
world, and ultimately become dominant
in them. Their political institutions have
given them this prominence. and II the
people wisely use all the opportunities OF
the present, they will become the great
factor in the worlds future progress and
civilization.
FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC.
If we patrioticalty utilize our present
opportunities and fulfil all of our national
obligations no one can speculate too ro
mantically about our future as nation.
For one to have looked forward at the
founding of Rome, and predicted all the
plories Of the Roman empire when in the
zenith of it's splendors, he would have been
hailed as a dreamer and his prophecies as
fairy tales. For one to have stood on the
barren shores of Britain when Cesar
landed there with his legions and por-
trayed in story the glorious 5uture OF the
British empire, he would have been mock.
ed as a prophet with a d'stempered i'm
agnation. So if one standing on the great
emnence of time, the beginning Of the
twentieth century, should predict the fu-
ture glory of the American republic, 1t
would be- only story half written or
picture dimly painted, with all the splen-
dors of coloring left out. do not believe
that any mind can have even the faintest
conception Of what ollr nation will be and
will accomplish in the coming centuries,
heaven appointed destiny. When we look
backward to the lth Of July, l116, and see
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