The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-09-13 00:00:00

THE WAR, AND OUR DUTIES.

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The following excellent mention on the Fnutoo•
Pruailan war and our duties as neutrals,wat preached on
Sunday Ind by the Roe. R. Ashton, of Weymouth :-
Men grout from out of the city and the mul of the wounded
mieth out." Job xxlv, It

"Politics and the pulpit are terms that have little agreement.
No sf Rind ought to be heard in the church but the heaiing voice
of Christian charity." This is a statesman'. (Burke's) view of
the spirit which should animate the preacher in all his utter-
ances; but inpecially in those having a direct Waring on the
great movements that affect the very foundations of society,
an.l the ft ere dentiiika of nation.. Thlt is also th . view which
every one will take, who understand. the real mission of
Christianity and the manage which the mulansalor of Christ la
chart/sal to di liver. And if ever there were a time when the
voice of healing charily was needed, it is surely now. The
present Most deplorable war is the subject of dully and almost
hourly conversation. The excitement it causal is painful from
Its very intenwty. The holy (aim of the 'ancillary is disturbed
by the thought that while we are awklng to worship God, and to
draw water front the wells,,( salvation, man may be meeting in
deadly conflict arouini the wall. of Meta, aoi shells may be
canying destruction and death into the homes and templaw of
our fellow Protestant., in the old city lif Strasburg. And it Is
by no me..ene certain ores.,.. likely that the only feeling exelted
by such thoughts will be one of pity. War arouses evil passions
in the breastn of the combatant, Nor are the spectators with-
out danger in this respect. 'The war fever la most contagious.
I know ha how far any of you may have been affected by it;
but I am deill,Ul that my voice to-day should be that of
"healing charity." Again, tbe sufferings of one or more nations
may entail dutin ufsm othen not similarly tried. In this case,
the erica f the w. dud reach us, their immense numbers.
Unit woeful conditiou, their excruciating sufferingn all saint
to say, " Have pity on us." For this additional res.on therefore.
!desire my voiac toolay should be 'The voles of healing charity.
. . . .

.iy.
War ono of the judgments with which the Dine nor
winietimes elm:discs the nations, and surely the linnent war
shoubl be regarded In this light. Them are those- and many
of them are Christisui people -who protest against this notion.
They are afraid lest the very illatof the 'thine Providence should
be brought lido discredit by "ich a inoile of representing the
it. solation which is e ::::: ing over rrance, and a hist is plunging
in iny S idermaii II"Ille into mourning. Rut if this tv.iy
lowing the matter the right ~to-, we have not to ClPlNtirll
ourselves with the effect it may produce In the mind,. iil nwn
whine faith is weak and I,4l,ring, or who art only too glagl to
have &a excuse for rejecting the ventics of the Christian
religion. Troth 4toultl Lo op Men at all costs. We are told,
bowe-er, that it cannot be right to regent this neat's', as •
judgment beams' it is so clearly due to the rivalry of two
neighbouring powerx, each jealous of the other, and only too
glad ‘•I a pretext for trying their streuirtli on tho field of battle.
To this it allay be roPlind 11.41 rva.na• un.o4