In What Has Her Best Influence Been Exerted?
We take the following from Our Dumb Animals. It is credited in that earnest little sheet to Rev. C. E. Jefferson, D.D., of Broadway Tabernacle, New York City. When so many are attributing great influence to America as the result of this war, it may be well for the faithful student of affairs to think a little on the other side. Certainly Dr. Jefferson has presented some food for thought in the following:— · America has been a great world power for years. How did she become such? By her army?—No. By her navy?—No. By dabbling in diplomacy?—No. By colonies and dependencies?—No. By the cultivation of the arts of peace. By attending to her own business. By building colleges and schools and churches. By developing free institutions. We started poor and without a friend. We are to-day one of the richest of all nations. We have not fooled away our time in drilling and marching. We have worked. We have not squandered our money on armies and navies. We have built it into schools. And to-day we are a power in the world. It is absurd to think that a nation can not be a great world power without an immense army. “A great naval power,” in many a circle is a phrase to conjure with. “A great Christian power,” to my ears sounds much better. A battle-ship is more attractive even yet to millions than the Man who hangs on the cross. But that Man on the cross sways the future. He alone holds a scepter that shall not be broken. After the towers of Westminster Abbey have crumbled to dust, the kingdom of Christ will still be young. Of the increase of His government there shall be no end. It is earnestly questioned whether England has not already reached the zenith of her greatness. As Captain Mahan says, “She is gorged with land, and her statesmen are weary of looking after it.” She has dependencies, but, as Disraeli long ago asserted, they are a millstone about her neck. She has a mighty navy, but dearly does she pay for it. Upon her army and navy over one-third of her vast revenues are annually expended, while her paupers increase with the years. America isolated?—No. Where is there a land which her influence has not reached? Her merchants trade in every market. Her missionaries labor under every flag. Her ideas have touched and thrilled the hearts of men under every sun. She has done more for freedom and human happiness and peace within the last hundred years than any other nation in the world. This is my ambition for America—that we may found our empire upon love; that we may spend our money on churches and schools, libraries and hospitals; that we may build ourselves in righteousness, so that wherever an American citizen may go upon the earth, he will be honored and loved, not because of our battle-ships, but because he represents a nation which has nothing but justice and kindness for all races of men. But that time is now past. The arena now is that of war: America’s future influence will be that pressed home behind bayonets. Alas, how are the mighty fallen!