The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-12-23
FOR PEACE OR FOR WAR
Views Of Leading olergymen on the
Venezuelan Disputs.
A RESORT TO ARMS IMPOSSIBLE



Speaking Nations VIII Not Engage I'm a
Fratrioldal ConHict-- Governor Hastings
Anticipates an Honorable Peace.
NEW York, Dec. 23.-Ministers In nearly
oil the churchesin the city made reference
in their sermons yesterday to the Vone-
zuela boundary dispute and the POSSIBLE
ity Of war between the United States and
England Dr. Parkhurst, In the course Of
his sermon In the Madison Square Presby-
terian church, said:
'1f Christendom wants to make the re-
ligion of Jesus, with its Bethlehem, Its
angelic choir and it's anthem Of Peace on
Earth laughing story to the ungodly
and q CONTEMPT to the heather, the best
thing 1t can do will be to set the two fore
most Christian nations Of the earth to
blowing up one another's cities and blow
ing out one another's brains.
"Unless we utterly misconceive the sen
timents of the Christianized masses both
here and on the other side Of the winter,
such an issue will be morally impossible.
There will be no conflict that will go be-
yond the point of messages and pronun-
ciamentos, on either side, II the church of
the Bethlehem Christ comes out and re-
cords Its veto. Christianity both here and
In England is too thoroughly an integral
part of national life for armies and navies
to clash in warfare"
Rev. Charles H. Eaton, pastor OF the
Church of the Divine Paternity, preached
o sermon on the wickedness Of war.
1t was deplorable, he said, that the day
on which Christians were to celebrate the
birth Of Christ and proclaim from every
pulpit the doctrines Of peace the nation
should be eagerly waiting the ultimatum
of the statesmen, and mutterings OF war
should fill the land. 1t was more deplora-
BILE still that the two most advanced OF
Christian nations, the two which had done
most to do away with tho possibilities Of
war, were now apparently ready to throw
away arbitration and substitute conflict.
He believed the people would visit upon
the head of any statesman or leader who
dared to bring about war, without first
trying to arbitrnte, q swift and terrible
vengeance. God forbid, he said, that ma
ton should shrink from war for fear OF de-
preciating the value OF stocks and securi-
ties, but God forbid, on the other hand,
that nation should plunge into war un-
necessarily without first having tried
every other means to bring about settle
ment
In the course of his sermon Rev. DIR.
Madison G. Peters, of the Bloomingdale
Reformed church, said:
"War is cruel, hateful, wrong. War is
hell. The political demagogues who at
this Christmastlde are shouting for war
will be branded by the second, sober
thought OF the American people rs the
criminal OF the Nineteenth century. When
these men had an opportunity to fight for
their own land, when the Stars and Stripes
were trailed in the dust, they sent substi-
tutes. A war between England and Amer
lea could never be terminated until one or
the other went into bankruptcy or had no
more men to fill the ranks. As preacher
of the gospel of peace and universal broth
hood, call for arbitration"
Rev. DIR. W. S. Rainsford preached o
sermon before meeting of the Young
Mems Christian association at Association
Hall on the Misunderstanding of Christ"
Towards the close of his sermon he said
that the Misunderstanding of Christ was
evidenced by war talk that had been in
dulged In by the nation during the last
few days. Nothing could be in more di-
rect conflict with Christ's teaching than
that two Christian nations should fly at
each others threats for trifie. The mem
beers of the Young Mems Christian nsso-
citation were numerous across the sen, and
it would DO an evil spirit truly that would
put them at the threats Of their brethren
here. 1t would be fratricidal. There could
be no war II the Christian people of both
nations had anything to say about it, and
he believed the Christian spirit in this in
stance would triumph.
Discussing the Venezuelan question in
his sermon Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., said;
'tIn my opinion the very thought of war be
l. Il 4 Ia
is crime. Where there is war there is
something to fight for. II there is any
great principles or any great issues in
volved there may be occasion for one great
nation to stand on the platform that Great
Britain occupies and the platform that our
nation occupies now. A war between Great
Britain and the United States would be n
crime, because we are the same people the
same blood and the same tongue What
great issues are involved in this question
of landlordism to cause two great coun-
tries to go to war;"
Declares the Confedcrates Would Fight.
CHICAGO, Dec 23.-General John b. Cor
don spoke in Central Music Hall upon
"The First Days of the Confederacyp to
an audience that filled the building. Gen
erai Gordon's declarations that tho Mon
roe doctrine must be upheld at any cost
was received with enthusiastic cheers,
mo man who knows what war means"
said General Gordon, will speak upon
this matter without deep thought and
grave consideration. However, as a man
representative of the south, and us the
present COMMUNICATIVE of the Con
federate veterans, consider myself safe
in saying that If war should come again
the boys who wore the gray, old as they
are now, would come to the front once
more, and their old rebel yell would be
heard beyond the Canadian borders.
'1.et Us Have Peace"
RpooKIyN Dee Q3-plymouth church