The American Sentinel 13
May 26, 1898
“Notes” American Sentinel 13, 21, pp. 321, 322.
THE cross of Christ is sent to all countries, but against none. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.1
HE who is at peace with God will naturally be at peace with his fellowmen. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.2
THE battle ground of Christian warfare is not Cuba or the Philippines, but the human heart. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.3
THE greatness of a nation depends upon the number of its men who are great as individuals. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.4
BIGOTRY defines the unpardonable sin as being the expression of dissent from its opinions. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.5
POLITICS comes as near to being Christianity as federation comes to being the “unity of the Spirit.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.6
ALL history shows that it is better that the state should dominate religion, than that religion should dominate the state. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.7
IN the Christian warfare every soldier is sure to get killed; for he cannot be of any use as a soldier of Christ until he has been crucified with him. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.8
THE greatest victory that was ever gained since time began was announced in these words: “I have overcome the world.” And this victory is for every Christian. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.9
THE only thing for which God gives an individual superhuman power, is to resist temptation. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.10
CHRISTIANITY says that Spaniards and Americans should stop fighting, and be brethren. “Patriotism” says that they should fight to the bitter end, because such is the call of country. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.11
MANY people scoff at the idea of creating money by governmental fiat, who seem to think it quite proper that there should be laws to make people good. But it is just as easy to create money by law, as to create character. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.12
TAKE four individuals—Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, and Lincoln; only these four—out of American history, and the reputation of this nation would suffer an incalculable loss. Any one familiar with United States history must admit this. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.13
These four individuals were great men. But the nation did not make them great; they, on the contrary, added much to the greatness of the nation. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.14
They became great as individuals, and it was only the recognition of this greatness which gave them national reputation. They were not great because they were put at the head of the nation; they were put at the head of the nation because they were great. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.15
Having the same opportunities and advantages which hundreds or thousands of others about them had they rose to positions of pre-eminence by virtue of the inherent power that was in them,—the power of character. And by the same power they acquitted themselves well at the head of public affairs. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.16
A small man—small as an individual—would look a good deal smaller at the head of a nation than he looks as a private character. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.17
These are truths, and plain truths; yet in spite of them the notion is getting to be prevalent that individualism is a dead issue, and a doctrine of no value to mankind to-day. The talk is all about “nationalism”—as if there was something in nationalism that could elevate or save mankind. AMS May 26, 1898, page 321.18
The nation cannot help the individual. Give him all the wealth of the nation, or give him all the power, and what would he do without a strong, upright character? He would do a great deal worse with them than he would without them. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.1
Without individualism, there can be no nationalism that amounts to anything. And if the day of individualism be passed, then the day of national greatness is passed with it. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.2
THE fourth commandment, it is claimed, does not specify that the rest day is the seventh day of the week. But this claim will not bear investigation. For the Creator, when he rested on the seventh day, completed and marked off the first week of time; and the day on which he rested, and which he blessed and sanctified, was necessarily the seventh day of the week. The week has continued unchanged from that time to this. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.3
ONE of the greatest kings of antiquity, was Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He was one of the few monarchs that have sat upon the throne of universal earthly dominion. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.4
This Nebuchadnezzar at a certain time in his reign made a great image of gold, which he “set up in the plains of Dura,” and commanded all the “people, nations and languages” of the province of Babylon to worship it. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.5
There were three officials of the government—Hebrews—who refused to obey the king’s command, and declared that they would worship the God of heaven and none other. They flatly refused to obey the law of the land. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.6
The government said that they should do a certain thing, and they absolutely refused to do it. That was plain disloyalty to the government. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.7
Was it? So Nebuchadnezzar thought, and he commanded them to be cast into the “burning, fiery furnace.” And they were bound and cast in; but lo! another power greater than the power of Babylon interposed by a wonderful miracle vindicated them in their refusal to do that which had been commanded. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.8
When Nebuchadnezzar, who was looking on, saw that, he changed his mind: not as regards their opposition to the law of the land, for he said that they had “changed the king’s word”; but as regards their loyalty. And the indisputable proof that he changed his mind on this point is the fact that he then promoted these three individuals—“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego”—in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:30. And every Christian will admit that in this the king did what was proper and wise. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.9
These three men, by their firm adherence to the right in opposition even to the law of the land, gave better proof of their loyalty to the government than was given by the men who obeyed it simply because it was the law. Nebuchadnezzar recognized this fact. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.10
That was loyalty to the government then; and what true loyalty was then, it is to-day. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.11
“An Anglo-American Alliance” American Sentinel 13, 21, pp. 322, 323.
FRIDAY, May 13, Right Honorable Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies of the British Empire, in a public speech at Birmingham, Eng., used the following words:— AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.1
“The time has arrived when Great Britain may be confronted by a combination of powers, and our first duty, therefore, is to draw all parts of the empire into close unity, and our next to maintain the bonds of permanent unity with our kinsmen across the Atlantic.” [Loud cheers.] AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.2
“There is a powerful and generous nation,” said Mr. Chamberlain, “speaking our language, bred of our race, and having interests identical with outs. I would go so far as to say that, terrible as war may be, even war itself would be cheaply purchased if in a great and noble cause the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack should wave together over an Anglo-Saxon alliance.” [Prolonged cheers.] AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.3
“It is one of the most satisfactory results of Lord Salisbury’s policy, that at the present time these two great nations understand each other better than they ever have done since, over a century ago, they were separated by the blunder of a British government.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.4
Of course this remarkable statement has attracted attention, as undoubtedly it was intended to do, in all the nations. As might be expected, Spain was the first to remark especially upon it. Senor Gullon, of the Spanish government, said that the speech has “real importance, not only for Spain, but for the future of Europe.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.5
Everyone may say that this speech has importance not only for Spain, and not only for Europe, but for the whole world. For if such an alliance shall be formed, which indeed we do not doubt will be, it will assuredly mean much for the whole world. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.6
At present, however, we do not purpose discussing the meaning and effect of such an alliance when it might be formed; but rather the prospect that there is of its being accomplished. AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.7
Strictly, Mr. Chamberlain’s words can hardly be reckoned to be more than an open reply, in the hearing of all the world, to suggestions to the same effect from the American side. In an interview, published in the New York Herald, April 17, Hon. E. J. Phelps, who was formerly U. S. Minister to Great Britain, said:— AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.8
“The Chinese question has assumed an importance that under all the circumstances makes it necessary for us to look seriously upon the suggestion of an alliance with England. I am not prepared to say that we should or should not form an alliance so far as individual questions are concerned. The only point of view from which we can now consider the matter is on the basis of the broad principle itself—on the broad ground of general advisability.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 322.9
Among the reasons given by Mr. Phelps in favor of an alliance are the following:— AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.1
“It seems to me there are several reasons, the first and most important being one which I fancy may not meet altogether with the approval of the masses—the benefit England would be to us under such circumstances. She is a far older nation, and therefore more experienced, possessing the calm wisdom that comes with age and the power to judge dispassionately. We should be to her like the young partner to the old one, and as in the case of such a partnership the younger always gains through the ripe knowledge of his elder. The calm, firm, wise policy of England results in the settlement of difficulty, where often the ephemeral passages of our diplomacy accomplish little or nothing. AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.2
“Another reason which might weigh in favor of an alliance is the presence of our great neighbor to the north, that stretches from sea to sea—Canada. But for the presence of Canada nothing would confront us at home which would make it possible that we might have serious difficulty with England, but no man can foresee what will happen. There are difficulties between nations under such circumstances just as there are between landowners or in business life. Therefore I say that just so long as Canada exists, so long is there a possibility of difficulty which an alliance would be very apt to remove. AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.3
“Again, there is the moral strength that we should enjoy through an alliance with England. I means the moral strength resulting from the effect of such an alliance upon other nations. It is not to be supposed for a moment that any power would attack the United States and England if those two nations presented a solid front. For that reason an alliance might be advantageous. AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.4
“Still another fact we must consider when surveying the field or reason opened by the question of an Anglo-American alliance is the effect upon commerce. We are not a nation of seamen: England is. Our marine is not developed; hers has gained with every year. It is as a sea power that she holds her high position. Were it otherwise she would never be able to maintain her dignity and power in all parts of the world. On the sea an alliance would be of unquestioned advantage to us.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.5
Three days later, April 20, Hon. John Hay, present United States ambassador to Great Britain, in a speech at the Easter Banquet at the Mansion House, London, said:— AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.6
“The good understand between us is based on something deeper than mere expediency. All who think cannot be see there is a sanction like that of religion which binds us in partnership in the serious work of the world. AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.7
“Whether we will or not, we are associated in that work by the very nature of things, and no man and no group of men can prevent it. We are bound by ties we did not forge and that we cannot break. We are joint ministers in the same sacred mission of freedom and progress, charged with duties we cannot evade by the imposition of irresistible hands.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.8
About the same time Lord Charles Beresford, Vice-Admiral, and Member of the British Parliament, said:— AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.9
“Such an alliance is natural, and I believe the mere fact of its conclusion would deter others from attacking any adequately defended interests of either country. Now is the time to accomplish it, when advantages are apparent to both countries.... And Anglo-American alliance would be the most powerful factor in the world for peace and the development of commerce.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.10
This suggestion by such representative men has been widely discussed in the press, both secular and religious, of both countries, and even in the pulpit in the United States, with the vast majority of voices in its favor. For instance, at the conference of Methodist bishops lately held at Albion College, said:— AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.11
“The time will come—and may it come—when the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack will fly from the same staff and American and Englishmen will fight should to shoulder for liberty and against the cause of oppression and barbarism. England is our natural ally, and the time is past when America can live its own life in and of itself. We are competent to take a part in the affairs of the great world of nations, and we are proving our right to such a course.” AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.12
And now that such a high representative of Great Britain, as is Mr. Chamberlain, has so plainly announced to all the world that such an alliance would be “cheaply purchased” even by war, it may be counted as a foregone conclusion that such an alliance will be accomplished. AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.13
This is an exceedingly important matter, and we shall have more to say upon it. AMS May 26, 1898, page 323.14
A. T. J.
“Back Page” American Sentinel 13, 21, p. 336.
THE difference between God’s character and man’s is indicated by these words of the 25th Psalm: “For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.” The slightest of the trespass, not the greatness of it, would be the ground on which pardon would be asked of man. AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.1
IT needs not faith, but only intelligent observation, to see that now— AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.2
“We are living, we are dwelling,
In a grand and awful time.”
AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.3
The times call for some decisive action on the part of everybody. The person who sets out to be merely a looker-on in the great earth-drama, will be overtaken by a grievous surprise. AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.4
THE Roman Catholic Church and the Spanish government are united. This is a plain, undeniable fact. In belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, therefore, a person is bound to be at least friendly to Spain. His church, while the union lasts, goes with that government, and he must likewise go with it or withdraw from his church. This is what is demanded by logic and consistency. AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.5
And it is the same as regards the person who is a Protestant. If he is a part of the state he must go with the state; and if he is a part of the church he must also go with the church. Then when the church and the state go different ways—as in the case of Spain and the Catholic Church in America—he must withdraw from one or the other. No person can ride two horses at once, going in different directions. Of course, he may still profess allegiance to both; but logically—and actually—he must repudiate one or the other. AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.6
And it is a fact that the Christian church and the state—any state on the earth—are not going in the same direction. The Christian church is going to heaven; but the state is not going there; no state is going there. Individuals from every country on earth are going there; but no state will go there. Every state is moving toward extinction; for no state has immortality now any more than Babylon, Greece, or Rome had it. The end of the world will be the end of every state and government in the world. And, therefore, the Christian church cannot be joined with any state, and no individual can be at one and the same time, joined with the state and with the Christian church. AMS May 26, 1898, page 336.7