The herald., 1898-04-18
MORAL COURAGE
As DISPLAYED IN WAR AND
PEACE
THE CITIZENS DUTY
as INTERPRETED BY THE PASTOR
OF UNITY CHURCH
SELECTIONS OF SERMONS
Burt Estes Howard's First Service
With His Reorganized Congre-
gation-Singing Evangelist

At the Church of the Unity Rev. Z. w
Wendte preached on physical and mora
courage as displayed in war and peace.
Moral courage was higher type thar
mere physical bravery. Jesus, Paul, Luth'
er and Garrison were greater heroes than
Samson, Hercules Horatius, Nelson or
Sheridan. Representative johnson of In.
diana eloquently pleading for peace before
q turbulent and dissen tieut congress and a
kissing gallery is a nobler example of per
sonal valor than even brave Fitzhugh Lee
in Havana. Not what public opinion ap.
plauds but what conscience dictates and
God approves. A final proof of manhood is
the courage to think for oneself and fear
1essly to utter ones convictions.
Mr.. Wendte in closing dweit upon the
present issue of peace or war. Within a
few days grave, momentous question will
have been decided for this people. Wemay
be satisfied, as patriotic citizens, TO leave
this decision to President Mckinley and his
cabinet, and to follow where they lead.
But every lover of civilization and human
ity will earnestly pray that the issue will
be peace and not war. For war, at its best,
Is terrible evil and curse. as Moltke,
Grant, Sherman and other great captains
have declared. 1t may become a necessary
evil but may We not rashy or lightly in
woke II. Those who really desire and JOY
In the thought of war at this present juno
ture are the brutal and pasSon-ied, In
whom the animal has not YET been over
come by the higher sentiments and ideals:
the unemployed, restless and dissatisfied
elements in our midst, who would welcome
any occurrence that would promise an i'm
provement in their condition; the lovers
Of excitement and adventure, whose crav-
ing Is fed by Klondike rush or a war; the
large number of persons who display great
patriotic ardor but do not stop to ref1ec.
on the consequences Of their conduct or
estimate the cost of such a conflict FL
nally. there Is an elem ent in our popula ton
which has personal and selfish interest In
bringing on war. Such are the army and
navy, who hope for occupation, promotion
and opportunity to show their courage
resources and devotion, and to win glory;
politicians ready to sacrifice the higher
interests Of the country TO personal ambl-
t!on-party success; contractors, specu-
lators and all who deal in the great staples
OF war-powder and armor plate, corn and
cattle, etc. Opposed to these is the great
mass Of industrious, wel!-to-do. contented.
who realize that the burdens Of war would
fall chiefly on them. They may not be as
vociferous as the lingo party but they do
a deal of quiet thinking and they are the
most reliable patriots.
Let us not undertake the burdens of a
war with Spain. A trustworthy estimate
puts its expense at s1O0,OOO,OOo month. II
waged eighteen months it would double the
rn a1 1aL y.
cost. If few privateers during our civil
war could do such damage to American
shipping and importing interests, what
might not fifty Spanish vessels Of maroue,
backed by fleet quite as large as our own,
accomplish in destroying our important
coasting trade? Add to this the enhanced
cost of living when war prices prevail,
the internal revenue taxes levied to meet
the continual drain of military expendi-
lures, the corruption and theft in filling con-
tracts and supplying the army stores, the
aftermath of pensions (the petty Seminole
war has cost our government 1852, 900 900 in
pensions up to date, the ascendency in our
national councils for years to come of mil
itary men, representing the coarser ideals
and methods of society, and, finally, the
fearful cost of human life by violence or
disease-and you have an arraignment of
the rampant war spirit which ought to
shame it into modesty, if not silence.
And all this sacrifice for what? For the
national glory? What glory can there be
in pitting our S0,000,000 people and vast re-
sources against their $4,000 .000 impover-
ished, ignorant and demoralized? The re-
suit is inevitable and would yield us little
honor. Is 1t to free Cuba and put a stop to
the barbarous and inhuman conduct of its
Spanish tyrants? Truly, this is a nobler
aim, but pacific measures seem quite as
likely to lead to it as warlike ones, and are
we quite sure that we have a right to in
ferfere with the home affairs of a nation
that has held Cuba for over three CEN
turies?
us it to revenge the Maine incident? R,lt
It is by no means certain that Spain. as a
government, was guilty of that outrage
If outrage it was. If the work of a fanatic.
all exponents of international law agree
that Spain is not responsible. In anv case
this is question for arbitration, and not
for war. We who have recently forced
England to submit her Venezuelan claims
to an impartial tribunal ought to be equally
willing to arbitrate our own grievances
national president and his advisers. wise
Just and peace-loving men, shall decide that
we must go to war with Spain, it is our
solemn and sad duty to sustain that decis-
Ion, without regard to party or private
opinions, and support the administration
of our country in war as in peace. But let
us not lightly nor recklessly invoke the
dread ordeal of battle or joy in the thought
of conflict Let us do all we can to dis
the war spirit in ourselves and
the general community. Let us not con-
tribute by word or deed to the present at
tempt to force the president to precipitate
unjust action. But let us encourage him,
rather, in his laudable endeavors to secure
the desired ends by peaceful and amicabIe
This is true courage, as well as
true humanitarianism. 1t is the only course
befitting the patriot and the Christian"
DIRECTNESs OF PURPOSE
Sunday Service at the Young Woman's