The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-29
INCONSISTENCIES.


When will our prominent writers aud ora
tors, loving peace as they profess to do, be
consistent?
The Press said few days since, advocating
the Coolie bill:-'If the children of the SOL
diers of this war are neglected, dishonored-
their labor contracted out-lohence aoW come
the soldiers Of tie nert aodr?"
Let no child be neglected. But the reason
assigned is in the interest of war, the fruitful
cause of destitute orphans, and to speak of
the ''next war" and by predicting and pre-
pairing for it, it is fastened and made immi-
nent Rather say take such good care of the
children that we educate them to believe
deadly force should never be resorted to, and
war will be rendered impossible.
Last evening our Academy of Music was
filed with delighted audience, justly appre-
ciating our good and true friends in the tenn
perance cause, Governor Geary, Hon. Schuy-
ler Colfax, Vice-President of the United
States, General o. o. Howard, and d. P.
Newman, ID. d.
That we may rise to higher degree Of en-.
lightenment and Christianity refer to some
unfortunate passages in the remarks of each
speaker
Vice-President Colfax said:-''If you wish
to strengthen the military arm of the country
embrace the divine cause of temperance"
Now, intemperance makes wars and intem-
perance upholds armies, and if temperance
is ''to strengthen the military arm of the
country" it is moral agent doing an i'm
moral work, for it would uphold that system
which subverts the ten commandments, the
beatitudes and the teachings and example of
Jesus Christ. Let us hope that the spread of
temperance will render war so unpopular that
it will be impossible and the military arm"
unnecessary.
Governor Geary introduced General How
ard as the christian soldier" words strongly
paradoxical for if Christian" he is fol-
lower of Christ, and Christ denounced war
and every semblance of war; and if ''sol-
der, he is in league with man wounding and
man killing. Let these two words never be
nsed together except in mockery of our boast
full Christianity.
Thep Howard, so noble in his work for the
freedmen, opened with those glowing words,
'Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart
and thy neighbor as thyself, and it caused
close inquiry whether the profession of o
soldier accorded practice with precept.
Far be it from me to arraign unkindly the
| honesty of purpose of those who lived up to
their highest convictions of duty, even in
engaging in war, for without charity we are
poor indeed, but there are times when word
may be ftly spoken, and l do it now for good.
General Howard had been in the army and
had influenced others to engage in that which
1 cannot but conceive to be antagonistic to
the teachings of that Book from which he
| quoted, and which also enjoins upon us:-
'Love your enemies, bless them that curse
| you, do good to them that hate you" etc., in
| functions incompatible with burning towns,
tearing off the limbs of human beings, cut
ting off supplies of water, and shooting and
stabbing unto death.
Next q reverend D. p. Newman, D. D., of
Washington, spoke, and although minister,
he thought to compliment the soldier by say
ing che carried the sword in one hand and
the Gross in the other" Oh! how swiftly the
thought was presented to me that it would be
appropriate then to whisper, ''Let not thy left
hand know what thy right hand doeth."
This ''sword," the emblem of hate, tor
ture, and death to some poor creature, and
this "Cross, the emblem of love, forgiveness,
and immortal life to all. One hand using the
weapon of destruction, protecting oneself by
killing brother, the other saving and self.
sacrificing, by suffering rather than causing
suffering, and dying rather than killing.
How can the advocate of the New Testa,
ment utter such sentiments? He spoke beau.
tifully when he said the mother taught he1
children mot to lie, not to steal, not to kill,
and yet could not help thinking, and my
love for the right will not permit me to with
hold the thought that the frequent and
perhaps unguarded prestige given to that sys
tenn which is full of lying, stealing, anG
killing, especially when given by eminent
statesmen, philanthropists, and ministers, il
destroying the home teachings and is a sac
mistake, and one which trust time ant
serious reflection will cure; and were it not
that feel these friends of temperance to bt
so good and true that they accept criticism
kindly, and that it may open the eyes of pro
Tossing Christendom to the real principle O
''peace on earth, I should regret expressing
these convictions of my heart. A. II. S.
Philadelphia, Sd mo. 26th, 1870.
|