Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

2. CHEISTIAN NATION. Volume 18.ffifF\i f f m iOne of the most notorious Sabbath breakersis the Bonorable Secretary of the Treasury,Oharles Foster. On Sabbath, the 12th of February,he spent a part of the holy day in conferencewith New York Bank Presidents, discussingthe money situation. The TribuneBaid: "SecretaryFoster met a number of New York bankersand the gold situation was discussed. Theygathered about a table in the private parlor atthe Union League Olub, and entered into anexhaustive disoussiou of the situation." Thecountry, as is known, is threatened with a financialcrisis, owing to the gold exports. Butthat the situation warranted such descecrationof the Sabbath is rejected. This action on thepart of the Secretary and of prominent financiersof New York may show an interest in theE g ith OommaDdment, bat none whatever inthe Fourth. In mauy respects, the outgoingadministration has characterized itself by Sabbathdesecration, not on the part of the President,for it appears that he has observedthe day always, but on the part of those whohave been his chief advisers. The Secretaryabove mentioned has especially sinned in thismatter. And all such official action on thepart of those who are high in the nation's councils,is following in the footsteps of " Jeroboamway to the Cathedral and left the scenes on thePlaza until later in the day.who made Israel to sin." The effect is bad," The Indies are naturally a religious peopie,hurtful to the cause of Christ, does a wrong toand the teaching of tho Catholic Church hasthe souls of those participating, and gives occasionto the enemy to blaspheme. There isintensified their regard for every ceremony ofChurch and for the Cburch itself. A mancall for mission work among high officials.The Moslems in Turkey have again manifestedtheir hatred to the Gospel and servantsof the Lord Jesus. They burned the AmericanGirl's College in Marsovan. The followingdespatch came from Constantinople on the10th of February: " The Unitei State's Legationhere has learned that a Moslem mob burnedthe American Girl's College in Marsovan be-.cause the director, Mr. Herrick, was believedto be the instigator of an offensive political agitation.Political placards had been posted onthe walls of the College, but Dr. Herrick hadexplained to the Governor that this was donewithout his consent. The Governor was eitherunable or unwilling to piotect the college, forhe made no effort to defend it against themob."It is probable that the Sultan will repudiatethis action of the mob; as they have a way,over there, of repudiating a deed openly, andsecretly favoring it.There can be no doubt, however, as to theaction of the Government of the United States.wooden columns, with stucco bases and plaincapitals. Between the windows, in coarselycarved boxes or in cases gaudily decorated withtinsel, were statues of saints, of the Apostlesand of Ohrist, in various attitudes and illustra.ting various incidents. A few of the painting^were good, but the carvings were disappointing,and the tinsel and lace and filigreegave theentire interior a cheap appearance. The altarwas burdened with gold and tinsel, carving,painting and statuary, and glowed in the lightSucb destruction of property is plainly a violationof treaty rights. It is time, also, that gov­ing was a shallow box containing short tinof many candles. Before each figureand painternmentswhose citizens are so continu.liy tubes for candles, which are furnished by thecalled upon to suffer, and to see their work hin­pioudered, if not destroyed, should take such meas­were burning and usually one or more womenworshippers. Many of these candlesures as will cause said evils to cease.A correspondent to the Tribune gives an accountof a Sabbath in a Central American citythus: " The sights and sounds were unique,and the impression was like the kaliedoscopiceffect of a dream, all was so new, strange, andunreal as compared with previous experiencesImtnediately after coffee, we wandered out intothe Plaza, a roughly paved square inclosed bythe Cathedral, the Casa Municipal, Cabildo .. . and a short block of stores. The streetenters the Plaza and a row of adobe chozas,and passes out under an arch in a high clocktower which is a part of the Cabildo, and f fomthe windows of which the sentry can overlookthe Plaza, the radiating streets and a large extentof territory. The Plaza was beginning toshow signs of market-day activity, and a numberof women were already arranging theirwares on the uneven stones. We were on ournever passes in front of the Chnrch without removinghis hat, nor a woman without bowinglow, and both men and women often kneel fora moment as an act of fittingreverence," In front of the Church as we entered wasan Indian man pounding an immense drum,apparently of native manufacture. The headappeared to be ox-hide drawn tightly over acoarsely made barrel. Tbe noise was unpleasant,but not so unbearable as the piercingshrieks from a fifeblown by a boy whose lungsseemed to have the capacity of a blast bellowsof an iron foundry. Upon either side of theChurch men were exploding rockets and addingto the uuiversal discord. Just what allthat racket was for I could not learn, only thatit was a part of ihe regular service, and theservices of the Ohurch would no more be completewithout the drum, fifeand rockets thanour services would be without a choir. Eateringthe Church, we found it dark, dingy andgloomy. Worshippers were kneeling upon thebare stone floor. There were no seats orbenches of any kind and all must kneel orstand. The high roof is supported by tallwere kneeling before these paintings or carvingsin silent prayer. Small boxes, confessionals,stood in various out-of-the-way places inthe large room, and we judged that eaoh wasoccupied by a priest, as women knelt at the littleopenings telling their tales of omission andcommission, of sin and of sorrow, to ears whichheard and responded by words of forgivenessand consolation.Entering the Plaza again, we found it full ofbustle and activity of a market day. The sellingwas mostly by women, and so far as wecould see, the buying was by the same class.There must have been several hundreds of bothsexes scattered in picturesque groups over thepavement.". Th« above extract from the correspondent'sletter, shows that the people of Central Americastill have some knowledge; but are kept indarkness by tbe priests of Rome. The religionof Jesus Christ is so covered with rubbish thatit seems inapossible to distinguish it. The pureGospel should be carried to that peo^jle andproclaimed to sin stricken and sorrowing souls.The devil has them in bondage; but he whocame to set the captive free can deliver, andhis promise is that he will.Anent the mission of Dr. Paton to Washing.toa to endeavor to induce our government tohelp in suppressing the traffic in fire-arms, intoxicatingliquors, and opium in the New Hebridesaud other Pacific Islands, Dr. Ouyler inthe Evangelist, speaks straight to the point inthis fashion: "Just thiuk of it! A lot of convertedcanibals beggiug a Christian governmentnot to send them auy more muskets and rum!Verily, the Christianity of our own land doesneed Christianizing at the very core. Shipssail from American ports with missionaries aspassengers for Africa, and with thousands ofgallons of rum in their cargo; heaven goes inthe cabin, and hell goes in the ship's holdliHow long will it take to convert the heathea in"this style?"This is the situation in a nut-shell. What 'kind of a thing is politics? Why this beggingand entreating to do right? What is the matteranyway? It appears to be this: The gov-|ernment has not the grace to touch the whiskeymonopoly. Tens of thousands of native islanderswill be sacrificed rather than jeopardise.^party and emoluments of office. Nor are theHepublicans in this matter a whit better than'iDemocrats.