The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-30
woRKlNemEN,s pRi,ILEGEs.


Tho Rev. Henry Ward HeecheF, In part al
Plymouth Church, Brooklyn.
1t was not strange when one looked back
upon the several nations and read their
literature, their poetry, and philosophy, to
discover spirit of rivalry and craving
for military gloryl 1t was strange that
only one sweet voice was lifted up through
oil the ages, breathing spirit of peace and
love-the voice of the old Hebrew people.
The Jews were not unwarlike. They were
men of fierce passions, fiery tempers,
which it took ages to subdue, to direct
Alright yet their prophets, instead of ap.
plauding war, taught that when God should
rule, the strife of contending armies should
cease and the earth throughout her borders
be at peace.
In the text which he had read, there
was a prediction that the day should come
when nations would be governed by Gods
will, when empires and their laws should
be controlled not by passion, but by noble,
moral public men, and the laws be franco
for the moral interests of the whole people,
and the policy of nation be conformed to
Divine Providence. Then there would be
peace. Then the resources Of the nation
would be turned into channels for produ-
cling wealth. This would be done by the
laborers, the artizans, and the husbandmen
of the world.
"Thc people shall beat their swords into
ploughshares and their spears into pruning
hooks.n To-day the whole business of
European nations was to teach their srb-
jects-the common people--how to war.
When the equity of the gospel shall have
come into power, the whole system of mill
itary instruction would be done away with.
and the resources now swallowed up by
teaching men to fight would be turned to-
ward the comfort of the people. Sorrow
and signing would flee away, and poverty
would be unknown.
To do away with war demanded the
cooperation Of the great lab0ring classes
of every country. In the lower stages of
human existence physical force was neces-
sary. Then men were savages, who lived
by force, and had only SO much mind as
was necessary to make them cunning and
treacherous. Although nations had not
yet arrived at that higher stage ofexistence
when physical force could be wholly abol-
ished, yet the law of development required
that it should be more and more sparingly
employed on men, and concentrated instead
on nature.
The speaker did not think that govern
ment could now exist without physical
force. He believed, too, that this force
was still needed in the household, because
there were lingering remains of barbarism
in us all. The globe was not to be without
appetite and passion; physical force was
not to be annihilated; the armed hand was
not En-, m ottf of t1cos ba and bo
spear were not to be wasted. Men needed
physical force to pierce the mountains. PEN
citrate the rock, search out the secrets of
environ and strengthen industry.
The instruments of war ought to be in-
struments Of civilization, and energies to
assist men in making the earth their ser.
want and the heavens their ally. The time
ganization of nations for the peace Of the
world. In cities, towns and villages organ
ization to secure peace existed alreasy.
The policeman with his staff was an insti-
tuition to prevent warfare between citizen
and citizen. By and by it would be as un-
lawful for one nation to mako war on ano-
Their as it was for one citizen by sheer ply
steal force to bear down another and mall
treat him.
For half century there had been grad
ual tendency toward better plan than
war, for settling national disputes, and the
principle Of arbitration had had many IL
Illustrations before the recent great instance
which had resulted not only in maintaining
peace between two great nations, but also
in binding together in strong fraternal ties.
The principle grows!
There should be code Of international
law, and overhanging all an educated pub.
lie sentiment. 1t was the common people
that should bring this about. Until lately
men had not been educated to hate war,
but the light was dawning. After long
continued struggles. the masses of the peo-
pie had come to hate utterly the very rsme
Of war, and it would not be long before
they took decided stand against the evil.
The common people of oil nations should
be taught more and more that war assists
their oppressors-the aristocrats, mobiles,
and dynasties.
The preacher said that he was In deep
sympathy with the Communists, not on &C.
count Of their creed, which in many re-
spects, were neither wise nor tenable, and,
10 fact, had much that was atrocous and
detestible, but because they said, 'Can we
not by combination make our burdens less,
and break the yoke which our oppressors
have put upon us ?" How were these men
to learn? There were no common schools
In Europe such as we had here, where all
could learn the lessons of liberty. They
had no opportunity Of studying political
economy. They had been for centu-
ries misled by their priests, betrayed
by their leaders, oppressed by their
Lawmakers, pillaged by their dynasties,
and their future was darkened by their
spiritual teachers. The speaker saw in the
movements of tho Communists an aspira-
ton, q cry, longing, an upholding Of the
hands toward the East. Not child born
into the world should be allowed to grow
up without education. Every government
was bound, not to permit child to be ed
acated, but to compel to be educated.
The speaker gave statistics showing that
about 20, 900, 900 of men were in the Armies
of Europe, composed of the industrious Fart
of the nations. Over 50 500, 000, 900 a ye.
expended on these armies. This enormous
expenditure was something for working
men to talk about in their shops. Let the
plane talk to the brush, and the saw to the
spade, and the sickle to the anvil, of this
internal cruelty Of war with the dynasties
Of the earth at the head of them. Educate