The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-05-29
Extracts from the Sermon Delivered
Memorial Sunday
BY REV. f.. b. BANCROFT, ON INVITATION
OF QUACKENBUsH POST G. A. X.


They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks; nation
| shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
| shall they learn war any more.-lSa. ga
The prophet Isaiah was sent on mission
| to a people who had great experience in
war. Their life had been one of warfare.
They had had to fight to obtain possession
of the land promised them by Jehovah;
they had constant struggles to maintain
themselves after they had gained possess
] ion, struggles against the heather nations
that often threatened invasions into their
kingdom. AS result they at times became
wearied nearly to exhaustion. But more
frequently than they did, they might have
escaped the chastenings of their foes. Had
they remained faithful to their covenants
with God, and not departed from His COM
mandments their existence as nation
| would have been more peaceful and serene.
Isaiah came into their midst after they had
been battling with evil foes, and when they
were weary with wars. But still war
clouds hung over them and the future in
many respects seemed dark and gloomy.
Isaiah repeated the story of their leaders all
along the ages before denouncing them in
their sins which would surely bring the
threatened judgments, and offering them
peace and quiet did they turn their hearts
toward God. But amidst all their present
turmOils there came before him vision,
star, star of deliverance-a star of per-
manent deliverance; above the surges that
dashed about them he could see the captain
of ship that was able to control even the
very elements of nature. The future to
him was not all blackness but the horizon
shone with splendor and glory, and in his
ecstatic raptures of inspiration he saw the
| ,In tr.
bring deliverance to the people and redemp-
ton to their souls In that good reign of
peace the prophet declares ''They shall beat
their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not
lift up sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war any more"
These words we consider appropriate for
the few remarks we desire to offer this after
noon. And our first reflection is that such
state as is described by the prophet is one
for which the people long. The people long
for peace. 1 say the people long for peace.
Were the sentiments and feelings of the
people of a nation consulted and followed,
nation would not rise up against nation,
nor section against section except in case
of extreme necessity of self defense. 1t
probably can be truthfully stated that the
vast majority of the wars that have deluged
the earth with blood have not been insti-
gated by the masses of the people. Some
. leader among men, some representative in
government, some scheming politician, some
jealous aspirant after kingly or imperial
honors has melted the masses to rebellion
or attack and often their prejudices and
national pride have been worked upon by
the cunning hand of some skillful schemer
and at the bid of their selfish, self-interested
leader the masses have given themselves to
| Al Gol1 g
\ half civilized tribes have emphasized the
warike spirit so much that the masses have
come to be possessed with the spirit of war
fare and soldlery and have rushed with un-
concern into the arenas of battle. But where
enlightenment and civilization have dawned
the warlike spirit decreases in proportion tC
the acceptance of the truths and teachings
e of Him who came into the world as the
"Prince of Peace" The masses of the
people shrink from war because it is a de-
moralizer. The effect is seen upon the
bodies of men, for the thousands and mil
lions go into the bloody conflict only to be
mutilated, wounded or destroyed. The arm
that was strong in the pursuit of daily
vocation, is discovered from the body; the
fingers of the hand that was skillful in the
realm of beauty and lOvliness are destroyed
e the muscles that were vigorous in the sus
tenance of the family and the defense of the
home are paralyzed by the shock of shell
or the exposure of camp: the physical frame
exchanges its form of health for infrmities
decreptitude and disease.
War is demOralizer again as seen i'm its
effects on human souls. Every body thai
, moves upon the march at the command Of
the officer, that hastens its speed or slacken:
its pace, that rushes to the front to meet the
foe, the body of every soldier contains 9
human soul, and at the same moment thai
ten thousand bodies perish on the field oi
battle, ten thousand souls 60 to God who
gave them being, to receive their destiny fol
eternity. Some of these souls were unpre
pared. Some of those who perished would
i'm all probability have some time In theil
lives accepted mercy and pardon had theil
lives continued. They have been suddenly
called to try the realities of the unseen world
without hope, forever lost.
War is q demOraliZer once more because
of its effect on human character. 1t makes
its impression on the hearts of those who
! survive, and many soldier has come home
from the war worse man by far than wher
he left his family and fireside. Or had ht
not the restraints of wife and children ha:
come to be worthy of neither There is 6
tendency in one who has beheld the slaugh
ter and carnage, the wounds and bruises oi
his fellow soldiers day after day to become
less sensitive to their terrors and less sensi
tive to their suffcrings. 1t is only natural
All this has tendency to make one more
cruel, less kind, less sympathetic. This
manifests itself i'm home circle and in society
Very often evil habits are formed-intem
perance, vice, immoralites, ungentlemanly
traits, swearing, etc.
Again war is demoralizer of society
Dissensions arise, parties are divided into
hostile camps. Rival nations also be-
come envious and jealous
No wonder then that the masses of tn,
people long for peace, and all Christian
should pray that the time may come wheI
the prophesy of Isaiah shall be entirely full
filed when nations ''shall not learn wa
any more" We do see glimpses of 1t il
modern times. 1t is seen in the Alabam
claims arbitration. The rooms wherein thi
diplomatic settlement was arranged hayinl
a been visited by the speaker were to him tn
scene of the victory of peace.
But the question is asked, are there n