The San Francisco call., 1898-04-18
IT IS JUSTIFIABLE NOW.

At the Howard-street Methodist Epis copal Church last night the pastor, John A. B. Wilson, DID,, before his sermon on Counterfeit Religion" from Isa. xxviii; 20, made this address in part to the Boys Brigade and the young men of the church: You have not been receiving any dissertations upon war from this pulpit during these days of excitement. The action of Congress last night, how ever, means war in all probability, and if ever war was righteous and justifable it would seem to be so in this case. We were indignant when a year and half ago the unSpeakable Turk put to the sword and flame immediately 100000 Armenians, and we blamed the nations of Europe for not making recurrence inn possible by dismembering the Turkish empire. But we as nation have per- mitted a so-called Christian nation to perpetrate outrages and starvation, and uncalled for disease upon women and children and noncombatant men, until 100000 have gone down in awful lingering deaths within ninety miles of our border, and nothing but the massacre of 266 American sailors and the loss of battle ship has awakened us to the duty which we owe our neighbor And we have played at diplomacy for sixty days, which has meant 800 deaths per day to women and children. At last we are to drive the savage of the ages from the western hem isphere by the dreadful ordeal of war.
 
 mans war. Young men are and ever have been the soldiers of the world. The Grand Army heroes whom we delight to honor won their right to our homage while in their teens and early tWentieS. Young men of America will be called upon to settle the question of Spanish right to starve helpless women and chil- dren and to murder sleeping sailors of this nation by cruel treachery.
 Already the Cadets of the Cross have offered their services. | congratulate them and the country that these young Roman Catholics. in war with an ex- clusively Roman Catholic country, are the first band of organized churchmen to anticipate their country's call for volun- teers. They thus demonstrate their patriotism, too often denied them by the superficial, and when we consider the enemy they are to fight, the demonstra- tion leaves little to be desired. am quite aware of the patriotic fervor of the Boys Brigade, and I honor it. And their opportunity will come. A movement is already inaugurated for a regiment of those young men pledged against tobacco, profanity and intoXicants.
 Next to God and our parents comes duty to our country. But do not rush off and enlist at the first sound of a drum you hear. Remember that wounding and death in battle is not the worst results of war, but the destruction of personal char acter through evil companonship in camp. If duty calls you will have a chance to choose associations of safety llcluSluDtI llle lIlllldllN6 mas dlr6aQY been taken to bring together those with whom the dangers of camp life will be minim- ized. One other thing. Do not enlist even Tn the service of your country without the consent of your parents. If they do not say yes, then do not go. You cannot ex- pect the blessing of God upon you if you disregard the divine law which says Honor thy father and thy mother There is no emergency in the coming con fiict which makes it necessary O disregard their wishes l was 12 when the war be- tween the States broke out and 16 when 1t closed. It has been the regret of my life that my parents would not consent to my enlistment. But I have always been glad that the principles they imparted sustained me, and while in agony throughout the whole period to have a hand in the conflict, I would take no step without their consent. Wait, I beg you, for their consent before enlisting, and when 1t is obtained seek for that regiment where the best moral influences will be about you. And know we'll what you are doing. It will be no childs play. Ten will die from the dreadful climate where one