The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-12-26
Eminent New York Dvines on the
Possb tiles of War.
DS. PETERS STRONG WORDS
DIR. Parkhurst Says the TWO Naiious
Would Better Look Alter the
Dirty, BIoody Turks.

ence today to the Venezuelan boundary
dispute and possibility of war between
the United States and England.
DR.. Parkhurst in the course of his
sermon said 1T almost seems as If there
was providence IN the way these
Christmas days synchronize the year
with events that are now hlllng our
hearts with disturbance and throwing
an uncomfortable shadow across the
track of the near future. Now, we do
not care to beat about the bush in this
matter, but prefer to go straight to the
mark by saying that if Christendom
wants to make the religion of Jesus,
with it's Bethlehem, it's angelic choir,
and it's anthem of peace on EARTH
laughing story to the ungodly and con-
tempt, to the heather, the best thing 1t
can do will be to set the foremost Chris
tian nations of the earth to work blow
ing up one another's cities and blowing
out one another's brains.
unless we utterly misconceive the
sentiments of the Christianized masses,
both here and on the other side of the
water, such an issue will be morally
impossible There will be no conflict
that will go beyond the point of mes
sages and pronunciamentos on either
Christ comes out and records it's veto.
Christianity, both here and in England,
is too thoroughly an integral part of
national life for armies and navies to
clash in warfare, at the same moment
that the churches Of the two countries
are laundering peace.
This is not the place to enter into
philosophical or historical exposition of
the Monroe doctrine, only it is safe to
say this nation is not going to be drawn
into an international conflict of arms
to the dishonor of Christianity, the dis
couragement of civilization, the de-
struction of life and treasure and the
decentralization of our entire organic
life-in behalf of a doctrine that prob
ably 80 per cent of congregation as
: we'll informed as this would not be able
to interpret and the other 10 per cent
disagreeing among themselves as to
whether the doctrine is applicable to the
present situation.
1--WE are not speaking disparagingly
of loyalty to country or to patriotic
regard for our country's rights, but pa
triotic passions are incensed and can
be easily fired to the point where right
eousness is ignored and reason and bal
anced considera ton tabooed, and that
is the mischief of inflammatory sheets
that make the paying newspaper bust
ness tanning the flames of international
animosity. I wish for two weeks it
could be states prison offense to'priHt
newspaper headlines with anything
larger than small capitals.
IF the nations would take up the
business that belongs to them first, and
81 England and the United States would
toin hands in the rather more gospel
enterprise of rescuing pillaged and out
ragged Armenians from the dirty, bloody
grip cf the TURKS these two brother
nations would soon find themselves in
good Chistian condition to settle thai
little question of civil engineering dowr
in Venezuela in a way that would save
both parties, not only their pride ant
their heads, but their Christian repute.'
WICKEDNESS OF WAR.
Rev. Charles H. Eaton, pastor of tn,
Church of Divine Paternity, preached
sermon on the wickedness- of war
1t was deplorable, he said, that the da!
on Which Christians were TO celebrat,
the birth of Christ and to proclaim from
every pulpit the doctrines of peace
the nation should be eagerly waiting
the ultimatum of statesmen, and NUT
lterings of war should fill the land.
Without going into the merits of tn
dispute, he would say the principle in
Wolyed in the Monroe doctrine was sucl
that even statesmen had but obscur
knowledge of it, and without proposing
to usurk any of the functions of states
men now considering the dispute, h
would say that there was no higher pow
,er to determine the necessities of wa
than religion If religion was usefu
in time of peace only. he said, it coul
be of no use at all.
WAR is HE'LL"
In tne course of his sermon. on" Civil
,zation's Debt TO Christianity" Rev
DIR. Madison C. Peters of the Blooming
dale Reformed church said WAR
cruel. hateful, wrong. War is hell. TIL
political demagogues who at thi
Christmastide are shouting for war, wi
be branded by the second sober though
of the American people as the criminal
of the 18th century. When these me
had an opportunity to fight for the
land. when the stars and stripes wei
trailed in the dust. they sent subst
tutes A war between England an
. america could never be determined III
tin one or the other went into banl
.ruptey or had no more men to fill II
ranks As a preacher of the gospel
peace a4ad universal brotherhood, l ca
for arbitration."
DECLARED FOR ARBITRATION.
Columbus. Ohio, Dec 22.-Rev. Was
ington GLADDEN.. IN a sermon toda
strongly deprecat ted the talk of war fo
lowing the presidents message on Il
Venezuelan matter. He said:
Where is that petition signed by
ma1. 1rity of the members of,pariiame
and Addressed to our government as
ing then, to join in a perpetual trea
of peace BY which all disputes shall
submitted to arbitration?'
Resolutions were adopted by [
Gladden's congregation declaring f
: arbitration. and copies of the same al
DR.. Gladden's sermon VIII be sent.
President Cleveland, the British ampa
sador and Ohios senators and congres
men.
AT WASHINGTON
Washington. Dec. 22.-In numb
of pulpits of Washington today all
sions were made to the possibility
a war with Great Britain. The mi
listers in their prayers invoked the
vine aid that such a calamity might