New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-31

them. 1t is indeed remarkable that the.
Churches of the Reformation have never seri-
ously upheld the Christian view OF war; and
that they have tacitly or openly condoned the
barbarism which inheres in all military opera
tions quite as much to-day as in antiquity or
the middle ages. 1t would seem that the
Churches everywhere should have made the adj
vocacy of peace one of their favorite doctrines,
and have striven with all their might to secure
the abolition of those practices which not only
demonstrate the shallowness of modern clyiiiza-
ton, but tend to prevent the establishment Oh
religion as stable influence upon daily life IN
dividual and national. During the middle ages
the Church was not thus Indifferent to the hor-
rors of war. The instances in which Popes
acted as mediators are many, and the Church
repeatedly exerted herself to mitigate the bar
barous military usages Of the period.
To ecclesiastical influence was due the adop-
ton of the so-called Truce of God, which
afforded breathing-space at time when all
Europe was rent with anarchy, when every
mans hand was against his neighbor, and when
there was real danger that whole countries
would be depopuated and though there were
plenty Of militant bishops and pontiffs, the
policy Of the Church was avowedly opposed
to great wars The crusades against heresy
doubtless did much to obscure this policy, but
| it must be admitted when all allowances have
| been made that Rome did something toward
| diminishing the evils of war while no similar
effort can be pointed to on the part OF the
| Protestant Churches. 1t Is perhaps because OF
| this strange silence of the Churches that at
period when the general sensibility to pain and
suffering has so distinctly increased, this sensi-
bility still does not extend to the consequences
| of war; 1t is true that the world Is soothingly
assured of the proof of growing humanity
afforded by progress in the science of wholesale
killing. 1t Is said, in defiance Of all the facts,
that the tendency OF more powerful weapons is
to mitigate the horrors ofwar. There is no
truth in this statement Weapons OF precision
| make war more destructive. In few weeks
more men are killed nowadays than in two or
| three years under the old methods. But war
remains what it always was, namely, legalHed
murder and pillage; and instead of becoming
| less terrible, it is more so than ever. Yet the
world hears nothing from the Churches on this
| subject and though it is clear that organized
ecclesiastical action would influence public
opinion largely In all civilized countries. it is
left for feeble secular associations to protest
against the conflicts which modern culture
seems not to affect in any way.
1t may DO that the Churches could not abolish
war, but tho question ISIS it not their duty to
try Can they consistently shut their eyes to
the tremendous evils of war; and ignore it as a
matter not within their Jurisdiction Can they
expect religion to take a firm hold upon
humanity so long as its ministers exhibit com
plete Indifference to tho maintenance of the
most atrocious principles, the most barbarou:
practicesl These are questions which might
be considered with general advantage at some
future Con grcss of Churches