vincialism has no place in true statesmanship, especially the
statesmanship of the kingdom of God. It was Salisbury who, in the
English Parliament, took as the basis of one of his greatest speeches
the phrase "Study large maps." It was Carey who said that he received
his call by studying the Bible beside the map of the world. Gladstone
had great power of discriminating judgment and it was he who said,
"America has a natural base for the greatest continuous empire ever
established by mankind."

The strategic position of America is indicated by the following facts:

1. The United States faces the two great oceans. So does Canada, but
with that exception there is no other commanding nation that has a
great coast-line on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. With many
miles of coast-line on the east, America looks out toward the
history-making nations of the past. Westward she faces that sea upon
which look out the eyes of one half of the human race where life is
all athrob with the new awakening.

The six great naval powers of the world in the order of their strength
are Great Britain, Germany, the United States, France, Japan, and
Russia. The coast-line of the United States is very extensive on both
the Atlantic and the Pacific. It is surely significant that God has
given America control of so much coast-line on both oceans and so many
harbors for commerce and as distributing centers for the gospel. The
most significant thing about our past is that we grew out of the best
life of Europe and inherit the intellectual and moral fiber of the
Anglo-Saxon. One of the most significant facts about our future is
that with three thousand miles of coast-line we face toward the Orient
where the coming world conflicts are to be waged.

2. The United States is the nearest commanding power to the
undeveloped parts of the world. The great undeveloped regions are the
Canadian Northwest, Alaska, Siberia, Australia, South America, Africa.
All these face on the Pacific Ocean except Africa, and in the
aggregate America is nearer to them all than any other great
Protestant Christian power. The Panama Canal will make the nearness
all the more significant since its completion will bring Shanghai much
nearer New York by boat than it is now.

3. The United States has many great harbors. Not one of the nations of
Europe has more than two or three great harbors, several of them have
none. Russia is too far north. Germany is at a disadvantage be