no imperialism should be recognized except the imperialism of ideas in self-government and the imperialism that comes with trade. We have no mission to settle the political differences of the world, except by advice and example-never as conquerors. Large standing armies are the accompaniments and the curse of absolutism; there is no place for them in a democracy. We have serious vital problems to work out among ourselves. Let us fear an increased greed of power. There is danger in departing from our ideals and allowing grasping syndicates and political adventurers to lead us into the governing of people who are as much entitled to self-government as we are. Colonies and alliances are foreign to the ideals of American government.

SUCCESS AS A MISSIONARY NATION.

BY REV. DANIEL MERRIMAN, D.D., OF WORCESTER, MASS.

It has been reported that President McKinley has been mainly influenced in his policy for the annexation of the Philippines by the attitude, real or supposed, of the religious people of the country. If this is the fact, these people are in a position of grave responsibility. Are they prepared in the supposed interests of philanthropy and Christian missions to back the administration up in a course "of forcible annexation" of the Philippines, which the President himself defined as "criminal aggression"?

One can understand how ministers and missionaries could join with philanthropists in upholding the administration in making war on Spain for the liberation of Cuba from an intolerable tyranny. But when in the face of the solemn pledge that we did this solely

in the interests of humanity, and that we would not acquire territory, we compel Spain to cede to us Porto Rico and the Philippines, and send a large army and navy to force the Filipinos to annexation and submission to our authority, it is a little difficult to see how the good ministers and deacons, the pious editors and missionary secretaries, can bid the President Godspeed in this business.

The fact is, it is conquest that we are embarked upon now. And when you try to make missions the object for which you carry on conquest, you have crushed the whole spirit and enterprise of missions.

To affirm the contrary is to go back to the dark ages when priests urged the soldier and the torturer to force their victims into submission to the church with sword and firebrand.

Abundant and convincing reasons are given why we should keep our hands off from the Filipinos, except to co-operate with them by our counsel and help in getting them on their feet. If we persist in annexing them, subjugating them and governing them as dependents, it will lay upon us an enormous cost that will be felt as a burden by every one, and will rob us of much of our singular advantage among the nations. It will force us into international complications in which war will be a constant menace. It will deal a grievous, if not a fatal blow to the foundations of our government, to our integrity, self-respect and power as a free people, and will destroy our pre-eminent influence as a nation set for the inspiration of intelligence, liberty and righteousness in the world. It will reverse the main currents of our whole history, and will give the lie to our proudest professions.

These considerations ought to appeal to all sensible people, especially to those who claim to be Chris

tian. They ought to see that to have all, or any, of these things result, will be so far to limit their power to carry forward the kingdom of Christ in this and in every other land.

But if none of these things move them, if they still are under the sentimental delusion that even at the cost of these tremendous sacrifices, amounting to the destruction, or at least impairment of our most cherished possessions, God is calling us, for the sake of the spread of the Gospel, to annex the Philippines, then let them be sure of one thing, that the Kingdom. of Christ is never set forward by the hands of those who are bent upon selfish aggression.

If we impose ourselves upon the Filipinos, they will hate us and our religion, and they ought to, for if our religion takes us there to beat them down into our vassals with cannon and bayonet, it will be a hateful religion, whatever pious professions we may make about it.

It seems strange that the brethren cannot see what has given us success as a missionary nation-success in carrying our education, our philanthropies, our hopes of betterment, our Gospel, to the ends of the earth, and making us, in all the nobler senses of the phrase, “a world power," has been the fact that we were not a warlike, quarrelsome, violently aggressive, and conquering nation.

No demand of humanity or Christianity can be strong enough to lead us to give up this advantage, for when we give it up we shall be neither humane nor Christian, but simply selfish.

The following resolution introduced by Mr. McEnery, of Louisiana, was adopted by the Senate after the ratification of the Treaty:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress. assembled, That by the ratification of the treaty of peace with Spain it is not intended to incorporate the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands into citizenship of the United States, nor is it intended to permanently annex said islands as an integral part of the territory of the United States; but it is the intention of the United States to establish on said islands a government suitable to the wants and conditions of the inhabitants of said islands to prepare them for local self-government, and in due time to make such disposition of said islands as will best promote the interests of the citizens of the United States and the inhabitants of said islands.

The following amendment, originally offered as a resolution by Mr. Bacon, of Georgia, was defeated by the vote of Vice-President Hobart:

Resolved further, That the United States hereby disclaim any disposition or intention to exercise permanent sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said islands, and assert their determination, when a stable and independent government shall have been erected therein, entitled in the judgment of the Government of the United States to recognition as such, to transfer to said government, upon terms which shall be reasonable and just, all rights secured under the cession by Spain, and to thereupon leave the government and control of the islands to their people.

The Democratic caucus of the House of Representatives afterwards endorsed the Bacon resolution.

...