The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-17

Jesus will be called TO meet both peace
and war as the very conditions of
progress. Too often we see the advocates
of peace and the advocates of war drawn
up In array against each other. Too often
In popular speech the war advocate ap-
pears rs n brute. the peace advocate ap-
pears as a coward Such controversy IL
folly. Both are partly right and partly
wrong. Right because each starts with a
fundamental instinct of man wrong, be-
cause their superficial Interpretation Of
human nature leads them into fanaticism.
Life must develop as 1t can. Its instincts
are not to be tempered with. The world
is saved not by making another man, but
by sanctifying the man we have What
we need is peace tempered with glory and
war tempered with morality. The sig
niflcance of a national peace conference is
that the nations of the earth have at last
come to recognize their dependence upon
each other in the solution of the problems
Of their civilization. The problems of
civilization are religion, education,
government. industry and trade. How to
achieve these results successfully and
economically as regards nervous and
material expense is the great concern of
all. 1t il not merely Christian ideal, 1t
is the natural result of the actual CON
ditions of modern life that compels
national rivalry to express itself not in
bloody strife. but in the higher strife of
arts and education and trade.
Two peculiar characteristics mark the
civil conditions OF our century:-a rapid
increase of population with attendant
completely of existence and "a sharply de-
fined spirit of patriotism as expressed in
national life. The nation as we know 1t
is a development of comparatively recent
times. Japan as an active national in
fiuence in the world, dates from the
memory of all of us. 1t is live political
question, which not even the civil war
has settled, as to whether the United
States are a nation or more or less
secure federation of independent states.
Germany's national life dates fr ON 1871,
the complete supremacy of Prussia. The
Italian nation was born in 1860, Greece
in 1929. Russia became factor in civili-
cation first in the present century.
France and England are older, but
Napoleon made France IA ion; and
England since the corn-laws agitation in
the late thirties has developed a new life
quite distinct from the England of the
past. 1t Is the struggle for national ex
istence of these countries that marks the
civilization we know. Fired with an al
most unparalleled patriotism, they have
to preserve their existence by gross
and passionate methods of rivalry and
emulation.
Internally they have brought themselves
to the verge of bankruptcy. Each citizen
is compelled to carry soldier on his
back 1.-The financial burdens" says
Nicholas H., strike at public prosperity
at its very source. Labor and CAPT tai are
for the most part diverted from their
natural application and unproductiyeiy
consumed.
Externally, By the natural, and almost
unconscious intercourse between nations,
there has arisen "a sense of the absolute
necessity of the life of all the rest to the
life of any one. Education, art. religion
pass from one to the other AS necessary
commodities for the higher life, just as
capital Is invested in whatever place Ii
brings the best returns. Out of II most
eager national necessity there has de-
veloped the genius of an interna tional
sympathy. The very exigency of the time
illustrates the old truth that the in
life is strongest when 1t dwells
nearest the universal good. The peace
conference of The Hague next month, is
the recognition OF an actual human ex-
perieEce which the peculiar conditions
of our century have forced into universal
notice.
This does not mean that international
strife hall cease, nor rivalries decline II
means that the methods of iuternationat
emulation ought to conform to the largest
civi ization of our present time. The key
to this Is in the words of Joseph Choate
lately uttered in England: II beg that
YOU win not mistake my me aiming do
not believe that although friends, We
shall ever CEASE to be rivals. In the
future as in the past, we on our side and
Won on yours will still press every nd
vantage that ran fairly be taken: but ii
shall 10 generous and loyal rivalry
The true internationa, peace is IA civil
lied and cunsecrated rivalry; an emula-
ton marked with vigor hut kindness; IA
strife prosecuted with zeal, but limited
by the highest honor, integrity and wis
dom.
REV. W. Nj. kIMMELLiS SERMON.
In the Church OF the Messiah Rev. Mr.
K im,nell spoke on The Concord OF
Nations, from the words, They shall
Leaf their swords into rioughshares, and