The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-29
The Delaware Peace Society,

EDITOR OF REPUBLICAN.-SIR:- R:-Neither
the REPUBLICAN nor the Morning News
seems to have rightly understood the OBJ
ject of the Delaware Peace Society, mol
the real design and action of its Execu-
tive Committee at the meeting of the
Committee on Thursday evening last
Your editorial paragraph OF Saturday the
Goth, and the news item of tho 25th, dis.
close some misapprehensions which 1t will
afford me pleasure to correct, with your
permission.
First-The Delaware Peace Society did
not meet at any place, last Thursday
evening as your paragraph alleges.
Sccondly-No member OF the Executive
Committee 'and no others were present, I"
declined to support the Government, or
suggested, even by intimation dlsposi.
tion to be insubordinate ito the powers
that be" which "are ordained of God" as
we all know and freely admit.
The Peace Society, and the Executive
Committee OF it, are not so inflated with
arrogant pretension that they would as
sumo to possess the lofty sway that you
suggest that they think they have, over
national affairs.
Our Society is based upon the high gos-
pei principle that tho spiritual dominion
issuperor to the material. That is, that
everything material, as we use that word
Is below, and should be under the domlna-
ton, or control, of the spiritual nature in
man. We believe that the lowest and
therefore, literally the basest character Is
that in which the instrument or material
employed, is permitted to dominate the
higher part Of man, his spiritual nature,
for which all inanimate materials or agen-
cies, are intended to be but servants or ve-
hicles.
TO minds blinded by the God of this
fp mi IA 10 nhoof,
even visionary and uninteligble, yes.
even fooishness Hence we believe that
the baser passions as We call them, which
cluster about and idolize materlalsms
should not be fostered into ntrolling
supremacy over the "hetter angels of our
nature as the illustriuus Lincoln puts 1t.
Following the logical outcome Of these
views we study ''the things which make
for peace" and try to follow them, ..and to
do tho things which edify or build up
not those which pull down and destroy
oneanother as war and the like.
The Peace Society believes that govern.
ments arc invested with power by God,
which they are to exercise with majesty,
not against good works''-notlce the word
''works'-but against evil works" They
boar sword, and not in vain, for sword
is destructive weapon.
But we believe that wars of conquest
aggression and plundor, for selfish ambi-
tious ends, waged as so many wars have
been, wars unjustly provoked, mercilessy
prosecuted and eliminating in blood-curd.
ling atrocities and,oppression. are as odious
to God as they are destructive to men.
Hence "wars" spring from hatreds, covet-
business. envy, lust-and no lover OF his
race will claim that these are comnenda.
BILE passions, We draw a wide distinction
between the maintainance of power for de.
fense against aggressive injury. and for
the support of righteousness and peace,
and the exercise Of martial power for SOL
fish aggrandlzement or brutal insubordi.
nation and Unsuitable greed.
1.-The work of righteousness Is peace, and
the effect Of righteousness Is quietness and
assured rest forever" Honce, il men will
but restrict themselves to that which they
of right ought to have there will be no oc-
cas0n for war and therefore no war. To
this end the Peace Society ever seeks to at
tain. Can any man, worthy of esteem
condemn or derde 1t?
We desire always to protest against
those inflammatory words and acts which
evil disposed persons indulge and cncour-
age in order, while carefully shielding
themselves, to provoke contests which
they may witness at safo distance with
out bodily harm, and from which they
hope aad contrive to reap pecunary profit
ana personal advantage, Such base appe-
tites enjoy bull fights and pugilistio en-.
counters, or any other brutal spectacle :.
Against all this and against all that
leads toward 1t, the Peace Society is Or
ganized and maintained as protest and
an agency. Our Executive Committee In
no way sought or dcsredtto embarrass or
antagonize tho Government In u rghtful
exercise of its divincly appointed preroga.
tives Ior as I understand it, does tho
Peace Society hold doctrines which would
bo subversivo of oil right Government,
We advocate as our choice such Govern.
ment as will find more secure defense in
the hearts Of the people than can be OBJ
tanned by any engincry Of war. For the
protection of such Government all the
forces of heaven and earth combine. That
the powers of this Government have been
ordained and equipped OF Heaven and ought
to bo maintained by us, we firmly believe
Resp'y, WIN. W. CAMpBELL
Wilmington, March 2S. 1893.