Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-05-12

Episcopal Mdhodisi. SAYS. We have
been reading The Christian Nelehtor
A review OF our own terrible civil
strife, from which we have Just
emerged. las confirmed the impres.
sion of statesmen aud warriors, phi.
lanihropists and divincs, in reference
10 that subject The most direiul
war that ever cursed tho human rncc
is found IN those four years Of carnage
which the civilized world pronounced
as unchristian as il was unnatural il
was fratornal conflict, which must
forever dcform the character and de.
base the American name. II was q
parenthesis in the annals Of our history
which includes all other crimes
violence, blood, rapine, fraud, and al
most the utter destruction of half Of
the nation ln the spiritof the Prince
of Peace, and in view OF the retribu.
tions of the last day, We ask, how
can those justify themselves before
God, who made the pulpit and the
religious press the chief vehicles tor
the prosecution of the war?
Warriors themselves often look
upon the custom with adherence and
horror Even Napoleon denounced it
as " the business of barbarians," and
excluded chaplains from bis armies,
because he Thought the worse the
man, the better the soldier" and used
to say the readiest way TO govern
soldiers is by their vices and when
they have none, they must be taught
to contract them" Wellington, too,
declared that men who have nice
notions about religion, have no Dusi-
ness to be soldiers"
What internal being asks Eras-
mus, fills the bosom OF man with
such rage for war! Do you detest
robbery and pillage . These are
among the duties Of war. Do you
shudderat murder To commit with
despatch, ,and by wholesale, constitutes
the celebrated art of war. Do you
regard debauchery, rapes, incest and
crimes of a dye still deeper than these
as foul disgraces to human nature 7
War leads to all these in their worst
forms. Especially is religion over
whelmed in the storms Of war. The
most absurd circumstance Of all is,
that you see 10 wars among Christian
nations the cross glittering and wa
wing on high in both the contending
armies at once. What a shocking
sight Crosses dashing against eros.
SOS, md Christ on this side firing
bullets at Christ on the other Gross
against cross, Christ against Christ,
and prayers at the same time from
both armies totho same God Of Peace =
'Is not this a mad world Z" asks
Burton. Arc not these madmen who
leave such fearful battles as memorials
of their madness TO succeeding genera
tions What fury put 50 british
thing as war first into the minds of
men And yet warriors are the brave
spirits, the gallant ones Of this world,
the alone admirable, the alone trium-
plant, with statues and crowns, pyr-
amds aud ubelisks TO their eternal
fame !"
"War," says Robert Hall, "is the
fruitful parent Of crimes 1t reverses,
with respect to its objects, all the rules
of morality. Ii is nothing less than a
temporary repeal of the principles of
virtue 1t is a system out Of which
almost all the virtues are excluded,
and in which nearly all the vices are
included"
Lord Clarendon says eve cannot
make n more likely representation Of
hell than that Of kingdom Of war.
Upon strict inquisition into the elo-
ments Of the Christian religion, it may
be that no war will be found iustifa-
bic"
"Will nations,' asks Thos Jeiier-
son, "never devise more rational
umpire of their differences than force Z
Are there no better means than the
sword Of coereing injustice Let US
hope that the law OF nature will in
time convince nations that war is an
instrument entirely inefficient towards
redressing wrong, and multiplies in
stead Of indemniiying losses"
Says Franklin: "Allwars are follies,
very expensive and misehievous ones.
There never has been, nor never will
be, any such a thing as a good war
or bad peace. When will mankind
be convinced Of this, and agree to set.
tie their difficulties by arbitration r.