The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-01-02
Peace on Earth.

Peace on Earth.
IF there is one thought more thar
another which comes 10 the mind b
Christians at thisseason, it Is the echn
of the angels song "Peace on earth
There was peace at the time of The
Saviour's birth, the gates of the TEN
pie of Janus were closed, but we know
thai such peace followed long ages 81
bloody warfare aud devastating cop.
quests. In the vigorous language 6i
the Roman historian, Solituolinen, tG'
ciuat, pucena appellant. There is Q
peace which comes from absolute eS.
haustion and peace which comes
from strength in repose the peace o.
the corpse or the peace of the laboreI
resting from mis- toll. The peace or
earth for which Christian hearts lons
and pray ia not the result of the con-
quest of the weak by the strong, or thE
crushing out of all opposing forces
1t ia the peace which comes from hat
mony among the nations, unity of ad-
ton in each country, brotherly help
fulness following upon the selfish
Is the dream nearer realization now
than In the centuries past?
1t is disheartening to think of the
huge armaments which drain the fin.
ances of Europe, the costly munitions
of war on which our own national
wealth IL lavished, and the tension
which exists now among so-called
Christian nations. Just mis-step here
or there, a/diplomantic Llunder, q ras h
act may plunge all Europe into war.
/ In our own country. while we are
professedly at peace with all nations
there are elements of social disorder
among ourselves. The existence of all
social or1er seems at times to be threat
ened, the conflict of labor and capital
assumes portentous dimensions. and
political excitement may lead to strife
and bloodshed. l
Something has undoubtedly heeh
gained, the duel has become a thing
of the past in many parts of the coun
try where it was once common anti
the feeling of .unwillingness to go tP
war with countries on friendly term e
with our own is deepening. This Is
shown by readiness to submit to arbI-
tration, questions which once would
have plunged the country into war.
The same principle is extending over
internal questions of labor. Instead
of widely extended strikes, leading to
acts of violence affecting thousands bs-
sides the original parties, there is q
tendency toward arbitrating all these
matters.
The war In the East while lying OUT
side of tine circle of Christian nations
Is largely dependent on their inven :
tions. manufactures and military train :
ing. Japan has learned how to fight
20 skillfuIly by getting European and
American weapons, gunboats, arms,
and even engineers, sailors and Off
GERS. So that the war would have
been fought out in the old barbaric
fashion unless both China and Japan
had to some extent relied upon the
Christian nations to furnish them
with the improved methods OF destruc-
ton.
Aswe move on toward the twentieth
Of Christianity. it ought to be
the prayer of all Christian people that
peace on earth may not long be merer
ly dream and hope, but become an
established fact. To effect this endp
the active cooperation of all Christian
people must be employed. The basis
of universal peace, lies in the heart of
each individual. The peaceful teml
per, when shared by all men will lead
to the establishment of peace among
the nations. And the basis of the
peaceful temper lies in the sense of
peace with God. The consciousness of
our own ill-desert, the feeling of grati7
tude for sins forgiven, the peace which
comes through our Lords absolutiO nI
will prevent any one from being hars h
and overbearing towards others. He|
who feels how deeply he has sinned,
and how greatly he has been forgivenf
ought to learn to forgive his brother'a
trespasses.
And as this peaceful temper acts|
outwardly, it makes peaceful neigh
borhOods. How different the condi-
tions of life in quiet, settled, Chris,k
lian community and some wild mini
ing camp where each man goes armed
and ready to kill at sight! Instead OF
glorying in the quick temper whichf
returns death for the slightest INSULT
men leaves their wrongs to be righted
by the sense Of justice in the commu4
kpity.
It is very practical thing to prob
note peace on earth. 1t does not conf
ist first in establishing Peace Socie
4es, and sending memorials to nation-
governments to lay aside their arms
hese things may accomplish good i1b
q eir place, but the starting point
1 Just be In the humber sphere Of th4,
D dividual and his immediate environ-
D ent.
there is In any heart trace off
1t terness, if there Is a grudge unfoH-
IL en, if there is an old quarrel unad- :
Ia ted, the coming of peace on earth
II be retarded by just 50 much. Let
= Feek with the coming Of the Christi
ia! season the effacement of all such
Iaf b in our own hearts, let us clear
souls of any trace of hatred to-
is another, let us enter into the
wing spirit of our Lord whose
ing was to establish peace on earth J
can we with a good conscience
, thankful heart take up the I'd
Of the IA a. u!ss9n2a 1a es& zig