The times., 1898-06-19
God and Wnr.


God and War.
The medieval character of Spanish
thought has been Illustrated once more,
this time by the Archbishop of Manila.
This dignitary announces that he has
had a communication from the AL
mighty 10 the effect that the Yankee
pigs will be driven out of the Philip
pines and Spain will be triumphant in
the end
The idea of the tribal God, whose bust
ness it is to protect one nation and an
initiate another. has nearly disappeared
from civilized thought. History has
of Napoleon is generally much nearer
the truth-that God is on the s de of the
heaviest battalions. The idea that a
sort of telephone message can be re-
ceived by the priest of one nation en-
gagged in war. informing him that the
powers above are on the side OF his
people and are going to strike a crush
ing blow at the other party, would be
ridiculous if II were not pathetic And
when ii is announced that this divine
interposition is to take place in behalf
OF a country whose policy represents
unprovoked murder, rapine, torture.
and tyranny. it comes very near being
blasphemous. il is scarcely possible to
suppose that il the Creator OF the uni
verse takes any interest in a conflict
between two nations. He should regard
ii with any sentiment other than pity.
War is not a business OF a pastime II
is an unfortunate necessity. 1t calls
forth some Of the noblest and basest
instincts of human nature. When a ma
tion becomes dangerous to the interests
of civilization and enlightenment, it has
10 be suppressed-eXte if nee
essary-but the thing should be done
in just the same spirit in which an in
dividual, dangerous to the community
is imprisoned or hanged. In the strict
sense of the word, there can never be a
holy war. any more than there can be
holy hanging. Both are necessary, and
should be engaged in without hesitation
and without reluctance. when occasion
requires, but there is no tribal God, with
particular spite against the criminal
TO be invoked in either case
The truth which the notion of the
tribal God dimiy foreshadows is that
there are certain divine laws which
govern this world, and in accordance
with which all progress is. When an
individual, or nation, persistently goes
contrary to those divine laws. it be-
comes disintegrated If a war is an
unholy war that is. if it is against the
interests of civilization. morality. and
progress, il can never be permanently
successful. There is a force. like the
force which lifts the Seeding oak out
of the earth toward the sky. which.
sooner or later. will overturn the judg
ment of the God of War, if it is not
true Judgment
With a cloudy recognition of this
principle. the half-savage nations of old
time prayed that their God might favor
them. II this war We're against a ma
uon chivalrous, merciful, just in its
dealings with helpless people, if W,
We're actuated by the greed of gain, and
the pride of race, we might well fear
that our victory would be poisoned by
the unworthiness of our cause But if
progress means anything, if liberty
justice. and kindness are more than
mere words, then the outrage and muir
der of women, children, and wounded
men in Cuba, the oppression of the ma
tives of the Philippines, the unprovoked
murder Of the sailors of the Maine.
should be avenged.
There are mixed motives in this war
Remember the Maine" has been the
battle-cry of our men. But revenge is
not the only motive which moves our
recruits TO offer their lives to their
country. We believe in our national
future because the Star-Spangled
Banner means freedom and justice
for all men. The flag of Spain repre-
sents ideas directly opposed to eth.
freedom or justice. And so, in the last
analysis, this war is a war of sentiment
and, in the main. we believe the senti-
ment TO be just and true