The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-25
Origin Of Peace Societies; Principles
and Purposes OF their Formation.

and Purposes OF their Formation.
"The finger of God in his history"
as Bunsen expresses 1.-THE presence
of a Divine Agent active in human al
fairs, and prompting and directing. bu-
man thoughts and purposes. is sing
ularly illustrated in the origin OF the
earliest Peace Societies, and in the alb
solute identity Of the principles and
purposes of their formation.
In no other way can the fact be ad-
euuately accounted for, that within q
period of ten months, at the begin
Mug of the present century, four dis
tinct organizations came into existence,
in regions far distant from each other,
indeed i'm different hemispheres, en-
bodying the same conceptions, aims
and purposes, without any communl-
cation with each other, and, SO far as
! can be ascertalned, wholly unconscious
of each others existence, and without
the knowledge that any other Peace
Society had been contemplated. :,
The modern peace movement mad
birth as have the rivers of this great
continent. The rain and dew OF Di-
vine suggestion fell, simultaneously,
on both sides of the Atlantic and con-
densed into distinct organization and
effort, into streams which are still
fresh and vigorous and which, mingled
with later-born streams of effort and
Influence, form the Universal Peace
Congresses of today.
It will be my purpose to trace briefly
the rise and flow of these various
streams.
Two lines of Divine suggestion are
distinctly traceable at the beginning OF
the century in England and America,
which though very similar, in fact so
like each other as to be almost ldentl-
cal, were yet distinct, and wholly in
dependent. The idea had its origina-
tion in the human side of things. 1t
had also its human embodiments and
exponents, of course and when once
the sentiment had been awakened, the
pressure of personal conviction and
4 the need for concerted action did the
rest. None the les was it divine in
its inception and development.
The long European war. described
by Lord Russell ~ ''the most bloody
hostilities that ever mangled the face
of Europe" had directed the attention
of thoughtful public men to the real
nature of war and the attitude towards
it of the Christian Churches. And
the war of lSl2-lS14. between America
and the mother country, quickened a
similar sentiment on this side the At
laulic, and brought the leading think
ers of both nations, themselves alto
gether unconscious of the fuct, into
full accord with each other. DR.. Chan
ming, and DR.. Noah Worcester in
America, DR.. Chalmers, David Eogue
and others in Great Britain, were ad-
vocating the same principles and pur-
I poses without any concert whatever,
and in total Ignorance of each other
and of the extent Of that peace sen,i-
ment springing up around them,
which was shortly to crystalize into
distinct and visible forms. This Di-
vine Origin of the movement is the
more distinctly seen as it is studied in
DETAIL and the fact transpires, that
those who were originating the move
ment in various districts Of the same
land were ignorant Of what the others
were attempting and fondly fancied
that their own efforts were the first of
the kind. Thus the twenty persons
who organized the New York Peace
, Society "did not know that any other
Peace Society had been contemplated ~
and. barely three mouths later, the
Ohio Peace Society was founded by
some gentlemen "who supposed their
Society was the first Of the kind" So
with others. They obeyed the secret
suggestion and prompting of God who
was behind them.
The first di-tinct beginning of that
condensation of sentiment and idea
which was shortly 10 run in form of
action, dates as early as the year 1904.
In that year a merchant of the city of
New York, a Presbyterian by ecclesias-
tical profession, had his attention called
to the question of Peace and War, and
began to read up on the subject avoid.
ing all books of the Society of Friends
against whom he was strongly preju
diced. After five years mature delib.
Grafton he gave the results of his stud
les to the public in the form Of a tract
which he entitled, 1.-THE Mediator's
Kingdom not of this World" The
publication attracted some attention
and called forth a reply-the joint
work of three literzry men. one cler-
gyman - entitled "The Duty Of a
Christian in trying Situation"
a rejoinder followed. The contro-
versy began to excite public opinion.
The New York merchant, impelled by
the fervor of u new faith and of d
strong conviction, labored necessarily
among bis friends and acquaintance,
a few of: whom at length openly avow-
ed the pacific principles which he had
taught.
This was the actual beginning. As
early as 1910, some friends of the new
cause deliberated together on the ex-
pediency of forming Peace Society,
but the war with Great Britain was so
threatening that it was judged mex
pedient then.
That war took place, with what re-
suits is altogether outside this inquiry.
Meanwhile the New York merchant,
like the old Hebrew, consumed by the
word of the Lord, which was as fire
in his bones," would not let the mat
ter rest. Again he wrote treatise en-
titled, "War inconsistent with the re.
ligion of Jesus Christi which was pub
lished early in 1915. War having now
ended in both continents, the friends
of peace resumed their deliberations,
and, i'm the August following, the
New York Peace Society in the world,
and it is worth noting that like the
other Peace Societies of this period 1t
embraced linen of all sects, denomina-
tions and PARTIES"
While this spirit was working in
New York, "like the leaven hid in the