The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1870-11-04

MARIETTA, GEORGIA.
Friday Morn. Nov. A, 1870.
THE FASCINATION OF WAR AND THE
WASTE OF WAR.


most other evils, is chiefly deprecated
when alta distance, among other nations.
If cholera breaks out in London or Paris
aud counts its victims by thousads, it &C.
casions less CONSERVATION here than. a
few cases of the disease reported to our
own cities. On the contrary, war as seen
across the ocean is a frightfui spectacle,
unworthy the civilization of the age
whereas, were we engaged in it our
selves we should probably be,so blinded
| by enthusiasm as to consider it quite a
glorious business. This remark able fact
is so observed in the case of almost every
war the people engaged in it go wild in
their devotion, while the rest of the
world look on with suppressed indigna-
ton. with sorrow and shame. For in
stance, the feeling in this country on the
present conflict in Europe is generally
one of unmitigated adherence; but
French and Prussians alike think them
selves actuated by lofty ideas Of patriot
ism and liberty. We see no reason for
fighting; they rush to battle as. though
the veal of the world were at stalk 1t
may be remembered, also, that a little
while ago when we were similarly engag
cd, the present belligerents looked on
what they called our barbarties with an
impatient disgust.
From witch it appears. there is fasci-
alton about this evil thing somewhat
like we observe elsewhere. There are
consummately evil persons of whom
when apart from them, we are able
rightly to Judge and speak, but the
witchery of whose presence we are I'M
able to resist. War has a similar charm.
1t is seen in its real character as an un-
mixed evil when raging in fol egn lands,
while it has the demon spell to captivate
the minds of those who are in the midst
of it. AS the slave of rum can charac-
terize rightly that fiery beverage as he
contemplates it stored in cellars on
another street, and can describe to you
in fitting terms the desolation it works in
countless homes, while, even as he
speaks, he cannot refrain from putting
his lips to the bottle on his own shelf,
thus 'calling his evil good" if it chance
to be close at hand so with men in re-
gard to war 1t is bad thing in the
abstract,-a bad thing for the world at
large; but quite holy thing for them if
it is their war
Now the course to be pursued with
the incbriate in regard to his drink, is
the one to be pursued with men in re-
gard to war. 1t is of no use to talk tenn
perance to man while he is con a
SPREE You must take him when he
is sober. Then you may probably
urge upon him the evils of drunkenness
and the advantages of sobriety, and
strengthen in him heal by sentiment Of
self restraint. Above all, keep him out
of the way of his tcmpter. His own alb
horrence Of the cup which is not at hand
may then suffice to save him.
Equally useless is it to talk peace in
time Of war. Nay, it is worse than use
less, for you are suspected then of sym
pathising with the enemy. But even if
this suspicion can be avoided, when the
demon has come, men are so intoxicat-
ed with the vision of their own destroyer,
which has suddenly turned to an angel
of light. that :hey are in no condition to
reason soberly upon the subject. The
preacher Of peace must wait for his hour
until the storm is over. Then when the
bewildering vision is past, they will be
ready to see with him how despicabIe a
thing it is. how cruel. how destructive of
life and treasure, of virtue. Of every gen
tie and lovely grace Of humanity.
Now is the time to preach peace
Now is the time to look at war dispas-
siouately and acquire such a hatred of
it, that its bal,ful spell can never more
be felt. Let the fascination of the cruel
est scourage that ever afflicted the world
be killed instead of kindled by the ter
rble events now transporting in France,
and let no American sanctuary be desc
Grated by prayer for victory to either
nation. Our prayer should be only for
peace.
~ft NEWTON M. MANN.