The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-17

widows and orphans, when it is methods
to keep from making them we want.
What if that same young life and ener.
gy could be marshalled into that peace
full warfare against intemperance and
vice. Oh Toronto! your churches cry
out today that your city is growing
worse because your street cars have for
the first time run on the Sabbath. And
yet you will march two thousand sol.
diers through your streets on parade on
the same Sabbath, and will march thou
sands of your Sunday-school boys, in
shilling into their minds the idea of war,
when it is only the peace that they
should be taught.
Do you Racins people wonder that l
wander down to the lake and look across
in the direction where, on very clear
day, can see dim outline of the shore
over which the stars and stripes wave!
One asked me as that military parade
passed, if the cities of "the States" could
turn out such display of soldiers. and l
replied, Thank God. they can't" l dis
like 30 much anything which tends to
keep up war in any way. | am glad the
United States is not military nation,
and | am glad our church does not
march it's children.
1t seems as if we ought to have passed
the state of growth where war is neces-
sGry, on to the state where the battles
are mental, not physical. Battles of
peace. They are not small or easy. In
fact think many of them are harder
than those fought with sword and can
con. They do not have the noise and
rush to inspire, And yet they are
fought, the inspiration does come. We
must succeed The first one which l
think should be fought is the abolition
of war. l am SO sorry the United States
did not ratify the arbitration treaty. So
there is still some work to be done on
that line.
The temperance question is another
battle ground. 1t is more important
than thousands of questions over which
nations have gone to war. There are
causes worthy. and the victories will be
grand when they do come. So let's be
doing all we can.
am glad too. that the United States
has given up the idea of the divine right
of rulers. She has by this said that
there is no divine right but worthiness.
But do they always live up to that
standard of the right of the worthy to
rule. l fear they don't, and SO some
good citizenship work would not go
| amiss. People tell me this is politics.
| call it Christianity. So when the st.
James chimes ring out each day, God
Save the Queen" feel as if was not at
home. l want to be where everyone
has divine right to know as much and
rule as much as any other person in it.
My whole hope of the world is bound
up in the republics. The people may
not be any better, maybe not 30 good
but they are freer. Someday other peo-
| pie will be free, and they must begin to
| develope those parts of their character
| which have not been developed, we
| only develop as we are free. The United
States must teach them that republic
can live and be good. If we do it the
others must begin where we did, but
they will climb faster by the steps we
have made. | am coming home Ito the
United States) some day, for it has
learned to trust humanity. and | be-
lieve in humanity. 1t has. as nation,
taken the one great step towards the
liberal faith. 1t ought to be the home
of liberal Christianity.
So l shall expect you to go on fighting
the battles of peace. Remember in
kindness and love those who have fought
those other battles that you might have
the chance to live and fight the ones
| you do. Theirs we're no less divinely in
spired than yours. They we're inspired
| to go, were heroes who fought WE'LL and
martyrs who gave up their lives in the
late war. They may not have even
| r0AllZ6u III Iu0u50lF6s' Dub 0Ou huOWss
and he saw more even than they saw;
more than the freeing of the slaves and
the perpetuity of nation. or the wiping
out of an insult to flag. He saw,
even as we are beginning to see today,
great nation founded on manhood.
That there was better part in man,
divinity which could be trusted l
might call it Universalist government
and not be far off. Do you wonder
love the stars and stripes? will cease
to be Universalist on the same day
cease to believe in the grand prospects
and purpose of the United States gov
eminent. You should thank God and
those who have gone before you for the
grand government which has been given
to you. and should do all you can to
make it's future what it should be. Ma
tions need saving as well as souls. Even
the casting of vote may be divinely
| done. Yours in the faith,
MILTON BECK.
! TORONTO. Ont.