The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-07-06

thcn look after it's own personal inter- ests. But now that time has past The American nation-and when I speak about the American nation I naturally mean the United States government-has grown to be so strong that by the power of its great navy and Its great multitude of inhabitants 1t can successfully and in Q Christian spirit take up the causes Of the weaker, and the more helpless na- tions when those nations are being down trodden and unjustly i;sed by the greater governmental powers The American na- tion can do for the helpless and weaker nations what it did for suffering and helpless Cuba. When the Spanish gov ernor general of Cuba, General Weyler, began to murder and to imprison and to exterminate and to rob the Cubans he did not for one instannt suppose that In order to protect and save a neighboring people the Congress of the United States would declare war against Spain and at one sitting vote $50 0OOo 900 to the Presi- dent of the United States to carry on that war. But the United States govern ment did throw its protecting arm about that suffering people: The United States government did offer their protection in an unselflsh manner. As soon as the Cuban islands were rescued from Spanish tyranny the United States raised Cuba to the dignity of a sister republic When the United States government declared war aginst Spain, the Spanish govern ment did not for one instant suppose that the Philippine Islands would be snatched from Spanish control, but they were. No sooner did the gunsof Admiral Dewey echo round the world than the people of America reelized that there were other islands suffering from the ty- ranny of Spain as well as the Cuban is- lands So the stars and stripes were fha Ic1a well as in Havana harbor And when these stars and stripes wer raised in the East as well as in the West the United States government declared that it's pro- tecting arm should care for the down. trodden races of the Pacific as well as those of the Atlantic And so one of the mightiest and the purest and the holiest motives of Americas future mission will be to care for helpless and unjustly treat ed nations wherever they may be found until a supreme courtof international ar bitration can be established. Then those weaker and downtroden nations will be able to care for themselves.
 The Lesson Taught by Penn.
 And I would especially plead for the American nation to start forth and suc- cor the helpless and weaker nations be- cause God always blesses the individual as well as the mighty nation that is true to those who are weak. Do you know wly the colony of Pennsylvania never had any difficulties with the American Indians? When Massachusetts and Vir- giria were being decimated by Indian wars, Pennsylvania colonies were living in peace and happiness withsthe redskins because William Penn was always true and honorable with the original settlers of the American soil. When the great Christian Quaker was about to sail for A ..11 -A lr-1 William Penn If he should not send over a regiment of soldiers to protect the young colony. "No," answered William Penn, "I do not want regiment of En- glish soldiers. I shall have no trouble with the Indians because I intend to buy the land from them" Buy the land from the Indians!' exclaimed King Charles. ''What do you mean? Why I have deed ed you that tract of land. It is mine, and I gave It to you. For what, then William Penn, did you pay me $1600O?' "I paid you the s16000," replied the brave Quaker Ito purchase your good will, not the land That land, your majesty, does not belong to you any more than 1t does to- me. The land of Pennsylvania does not belong to you any more than the city of London would belong to a party of American Indians who in a canoe might be blown across the Atlantic and land upon our shores, and who then might go up the Strand waving their tomahawks and shouting, The city of London js ours because we discovered itr '" So William Penn believing that all weak and helples people should be justly protected crossed the Atlantic and made his famous agreement with the Indian chiefs under the Charter oak" And as a result of that agreement the Pennsylva- mia colonies lived in peace and happiness because. they were truesto the helpless So God will prosper Americas future If the American nation Is true and faithful in its protection and care of the weaker and helpless nations.
 But perhaps the greatest mission of America next to scattering the gospel of Jesus Christ is to prove that its people can be true to God in its days of pros perity as well as in it's days of diversity. When a people are poor, weak and help lecs when a troubled and bleeding and suffering people are struggling for liber- ty and their very existence, when a col lection of ex-slaves are following their leader through the weary journey of a forty year tramp through the wilderness, l it is not so difficult for them to pray and | to worship God. but 1t is difficult for a | people to be true to God unless when | riches come and prosperity comes and | unlimited influence comes they have an