p. 6 | GRAND PRINCIPLES by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal. · Jan 10, 1900

GRAND PRINCIPLES.

By Editor

How Will They Be Received?

ON December 20 Hon. Geo. F. Hoar, Republican senator from the old Bay State, introduced into the Senate a series of resolutions, among which are the following:—

Resolved, That this republic adheres to the doctrines which were in the past set forth in the Declaration of Independence and in its national and State constitutions.

That the purpose of its existence and the objects to which its political action ought to be directed are the ennobling of humanity, the raising from the dust of its humblest and coarsest members, and the enabling of persons coming lawfully under its power or influence to live in freedom and in honor, under government whose forms they are to have a share in determining and in whose administration they have an equal share.

Among the obligations of the government, he mentions these:—

Sixth. To grow and expand over the continent and over the islands of the sea, just so fast, and no faster, as we can bring into equality and self-government under our Constitution peoples and races who will share these ideals and help make them realities.

Seventh. To set a peaceful example of freedom which mankind will be glad to follow, but never to force even freedom upon unwilling natives at the point of the bayonet or at the cannon's mouth.

Eighth. To abstain from interfering with the freedom and just rights of other nations and peoples, and to remember that the liberty to do right necessarily involves the liberty to do wrong; and that the American people have no right to take from any other people the birth-right of freedom because of a fear that they will do wrong with it.

Now what is there wrong with these? What is out of harmony with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? Why should they not pass without a dissenting vote?

But it is feared that these expressions of true republicanism and democracy, of true civil liberty, will not have a majority vote. Why?—Let the Oakland Enquirer, an ably-edited Republican paper, answer. In its issue of December 21 it says:—

The resolutions drawn by Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, and which undertake to set forth the objects to the attainment of which our national policy should be directed, would not excite dissent if they could be dissevered from connection with the events of the last two years. Only in so far as Senator Hoar's well-known opinions make the resolutions a reflection on the policy of the McKinley administration, will there be a disposition to take issue with the learned gentleman from New England.

Yet what is this but to declare that this government in the last two years has departed from the very principles of liberty and republicanism which made it a nation? It has turned its back upon the very elements which made it the grandest nation on earth, and turned to the imperialism and oppression of the Old World, as a protest to which the United States of America sprang into being.

Concerning the politics of the matter, we are not interested. We are not concerned as to the political party or administration through which the work is wrought. Suffice to say in this matter the policy which has brought this departure from the old paths has ardent advocates in all parties and also earnest protestants, for principle's sake, in all.

Our concern is as to the result. Our outlook is from the watch-tower of the prophecy of God's Word. In that Word this government is represented by a symbol having "two horns like a lamb." Rev. 13:11. A lamb is a symbol of Christ. "Two horns like a lamb" represent the embodiment of Christian principles in the government,—these principles, peculiar to the Christian religion of all religions, to this government of all governments. These are the principles of civil and religious liberty, or the equality of all men before the law, the absolute freedom of conscience to worship or not to worship. These principles are repeatedly set forth in the teachings of Christ and His apostles. These principles were embodied in the charters of our national existence, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

The same prophecy assures us that this nation shall "speak as a dragon," shall make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live. That dragon and that Roman beast both stand for union of religion with the State, for religious intolerance and persecution, for imperialism and the dominance of the many by the few, of weaker races and nations by the stronger.

This nation has departed from the principles of religious liberty in every branch of its government, the divergence since the Trinity Church decision of 1892 ever becoming more marked.

For the last two years especially has this government been departing from the principles of true republicanism, so much so that it is even questioned whether resolutions setting forth the principles of our charters of liberty can even pass, simply because of "the events of the last two years."

When a nation proves false to those principles which gave her life, she will die. Either a complete reversal of policy as respects these principles must soon, very soon, take place, or the republic is, according to the Word of God, doomed.

Reader, this is not a matter of politics or party; it is a matter of eternal principle, in which are wrapped up eternal destinies.

Study the prophecy. Note its fulfilment.