THE CHRIST OF THE ANDES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 1

THE CHRIST OF THE ANDES

Not many years ago Chile and Argentina were on the verge of war. An -old boundary dispute had broken out. anew, and was intensified by the discovery of an unsuspected value in the eighty thousand square miles of territory involved. The two nations grew more hostile. Each was goaded by the other's warlike preparations to make more provision for ,a war. believed to be inevitable. Their standing armies were increased to a burdensome size, and their navies ivere enlarged by new and expensive ships. The tax for these wasteful preparations amounted to five dollars per capita in tiio two nations. To the honour of Christian men in both nations, let it be remembered that these demonstrations did not go on without protest. Un both sides of the line the clergymen of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the representatives of the English Government in both countries, laboured earnestly and kindly .for mo averting of so great a disaster. Lisbon Eeuavente, of Argentina, and Bishop Jara, of Chile, were foremost in their pleas for peace. They journeyed back and forth in their respective countries, rousing the clergy and laity by their pleading for the tangible expression of abiding peace between the nations, in tne form of a monument on the boundary line. it was this movement that gave focus to the peace sentiment. The plan to erect a statue of Christ between the naaons rebuked the clamour for war. At last the bounduiy dispute was referred by agreement to the King of Britain; and his decision, which awarded to each ination a part of what it had contended for gave general satisfaction. Then tlie two nations, gratified by the result, signed a treaty, agreeing that for arm oi years ail controversies between them should be submitted to arbitration, and that they would reduce their armies and navies. ~ The women of the two nations took „,p the movement for tlie monument. A vuling sculptor, Mateo Alonso, modelled the statue of Christ, which was cast in bronze nroduced from old cannon. It i s twenty-six feet in height, and is supported by a gigantic column surmounted PV a globe, on which tlie map ot the world is outlined. In His left hand rito Christ holds a cross, rising hve feet above tlio statue. His right hand s outstretched in blessing. Below are iW o tablets. One gives the history oi the monument, and tlio other says, “Sooner shall these mountains crumblo into dust than shall the people ot Argentina and of Chile break the peace to which they have pledged themselves at the feet of Christ the Redeemer. On the very summit of the Andes, and on the boundary-line settled with mutual satisfaction and without strife, the statue was erected March 13, >, * benediction to the nations that erected it, and a lesson to the vouch The new battleships were sold, ant the proceeds turned to peacelul us Regiments have been mustered out, and tho° men have returned to therr five vocations. Th arsenal ol Chile fiaj been converted into a school. Ihe l eads a id harbours of both nations have been improved with the money saved from ‘ The great Transandean Railway u tunnelling through the mountains and briiming the nations nearer together m time and commercial interests. faxes uro reduced. The people prosper. Best of ull the Spirit ot the Christ has shown the world a better way than war.