"George, come down out of that garret." And you say to the children, "This is my house. You can go anywhere in it that you want to." And you go and haul Philip out of the parlor, and you tell him that his brothers and sisters have just as much right in there as he has, and that they are all to enjoy it. Now, God is our Father, and this world is a house of several rooms, and God has at least five children—the North American continent, the South American continent, the Asiatic continent, the European continent, and the African continent. The North American continent sneaks away, and says: "I prefer the parlor. You South Americans, Asiatics, Europeans, and Africans, you stay in your own rooms; this is the place for me; I prefer it, and I am going to stay in the parlor; I like the front windows facing on the Atlantic, and the side windows facing on the Pacific, and the nice piazza on the south where the sun shines, and the glorious view from the piazza to the north." And God, the Father, comes in and sends thunder and lightning through the house, and says to his son, the American continent: "You are no more my child than are all these others, and they have just as much right to enjoy this part of my house as you have."—T. Dewitt Talmage.
(85)
Americans as Spenders—See Missions, Indifference to.
AMERICA'S ATTITUDE
"The attitude of the United States that
she was not warring with China in 1900
and that she recognized no spoils of war;
the attitude that made her give back to
China the large quantity of silver which
fell into her possession at Tien-Tsin; that
made her give over to the Chinese Government,
unmolested, the treasury and its
treasures in the Forbidden City; that
caused her, without compulsion, to cancel
the Boxer indemnity fund, is an attitude
too deep, too broad, too high for word expression.
Does not this attitude reveal a
strong current of sisterly good will, when
it is able to sweep away the heavy weights
of financial gain? This attitude is not one
of spontaneity; the seed was brought over
in the Mayflower; it was planted in the
virgin soil of liberty, where it rooted, and
was watered with treasured dew-drops;
was nourished into being in love's tenderness;
was sustained in truth's fortitude.
This is the story of our country's attitude."—"Letters
from China."
(86)
Amity—See Kindness.
AMITY AFTER WAR
News of an international event of no little
pathos comes from Port Arthur. Around
the great fortress were buried thousands of
Russians who fell in the siege, and whose
graves were unmarked. The Russian Government
asked permission to gather these remains
in one place and erect a tomb for them
which should be a suitable monument to
their heroism. The Japanese Government replied
by asking for permission to engage in
this sad duty as a token of honor to the
Russian dead. In this Russia readily acquiesced,
and the tomb, which is of noble
proportions and Etruscan in design, was recently
dedicated. At these solemn services
the old foes met once more. General Nogi,
the hero of Port Arthur, was by special order
of the Emperor the representative of Japan.
Russia sent two generals and an admiral,
who were supported by many Russian officers
who had fought over that very ground.
Regiments of Japanese troops stood on
guard, as did also representatives of the
Japanese navy. These latter, at the moment
of unveiling, bore a worn and battle-torn
flag to the tomb, and reverently lowered it
as a tribute of respect. The religious ceremonies
were in charge of the Bishop of
Peking, of the Russian Church. (Text.)
(87)
AMUSEMENTS
A news item says:
Mrs. A. B. Sims, of Des Moines, winner
of the woman's whist championship of the
United States, stood before an audience
of 4,000 at Winona Lake and told why she
burned up the forty decks of cards that
she had at her home.
"It was not uncommon for me to play whist from 10 A.M. to 11 P.M.," said Mrs. Sims. "After that I saw what I was really doing. I burned up all the pasteboards, and I should like to speak in every church to the women and tell them what card-playing led me to, and what it will lead them to. It was undermining our church. The whist and euchre parties were sweeping the women of the congregation and the church was sinking because of their neglect. The card craze as it prevails among women is the most serious competitor the Church has to-day."
Worldliness manifests itself in its
games as in other phases of its life.
