The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-30
UNITY OF FAITH NECESSARY
A Mighty Migration and it's Meaning.
Bishop Warren A. Gambler, in Atlanta Journal.


this country. If the economic hopes
of the imperialists among US are real
lied, the profits of labor in the United
States will be increased by the annex
alton of "our island empire" In
this event the attractions to come
hithcr will be stronger, while the at
fractions of the old world are growing
weaker by reason Of the growing bur
dcns of taxation there. Hereby i'm.
migration will be further quickened.
In the light Of all these facts it is
reasonable to conclude that this
mighty migration which has been 60
ing on so long has not yet reached its
maximum. We have not seen the
most nor the best of it-nor the worst
Of it.
What duties does it impose upon us?
Certainly this obligation
That we shall do all We can to unity
the nation. Otherwise. the centrifu-
gal forces Of our governmental system
must Inevitably grow so strong as to
rend the organism asunder.
But upon what unifying principle
can we rely?
Not upon the Capitalization of the
government; for that would put
fatal strain upon the center Of the
structure where most it needs relief.
Local self-government is more neces-
sary now than ever to preserve the
union from crumbling under the
weight imposed upon it by extension
of territory and increase of popula-
ton, with the consequent contentious
OF diverse and rival interests. Cen
tralization therefore can not be the
remedy for the perils involved in our
situation.
There is but one unifying influence
equal to our need and that is religion
the most powerful Of ell .asns.7uums
for melting together heterogeous peo-
pies. Unity Of faith vas not more
necessary to the ancient Israelites in
their wanderings in the wilderness and
in their wars with the Canaanites than
it is indispensable to the American
people.
1tis equally manifest that Chris
tlanity is the only religion possible to
our people. If not Christians they
must be without God and without
hope in the world-without national,
as we'll as without individual hope.
From all this it follows that he who
weakens the hold of this faith upon
the nation commits treason against its
highest interests, and in so far as the
welfare Of this nation affects the whole
world he becomes the enemy Of the
race. This language though strong is
justified by the facts. It is not
stronger than the words of President
Washington in his Farewell Ad-
Dress Speaking of tho value of re-
ligion and morality to The welfare of
the republic he said, SIN vain would
that man claim the tribute of patriot.
ism who should labor to subyert these
great pillars of human happiness, the
frmest props Of the duties Of men and
citizens Religion is mo7a necessary
now when such various people inhabit
the land than it was then, when a
homogeneous population bound togeth-
er by common sufferings composed
the citizenship of the recently estab-
lished government.
General Washington in that same
address said another thing to which
we will do we'll to take heed. He said:
Promote as an object of primary i'm
portancc institutions for the general
diffusion Of knowledge. In proper
tion as the structure Of government
gives force to public opinion, it is es-
sential that public opinion should be
enlightened" These words need to
be recalled and laid solemnly to heart
when we remember that above one
fourth of the thousands who come to the
United States annually can neither
read nor write.
Now as never before We must stand
by our common faith and our common
schools. These will save the common
people, who are the common wealth.
from sin and ignorance, the common
foes OF our common humanity.