The times., 1900-12-24
NATIONS STILL At WAR
The Prophet Isaiah S Predictions Of
Universal Peace Unfuliiiled.
The Rev. DR.. McIlin's Discourse at
the Church OF the Epipbany-The
Decay in MiIitnrism-Stiii Hopeful
That Christianity Will Conquer.

shares, and their spears into pruning
hooks; nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn
Isaiah liza, formed the theme of the SER
mon which was delivered by the Rev. DR..
McKim at yesterday mornings services
at the Church of the Epiphany.
In his sermon. Rev DR.. McKim said
in part: This vision of universal peace
broke upon the astonished eyes OF the
prophet in the midst of a period of uni
versal war. Uplifted by the afflatus of
the spirit of God to the lofty heights-of
prophecy, he beheld on the far distant
horizon the star of Bethlehem arise,
herald OF the Messiah whose name should
be called The Prince of Peace, and in
the radiant glow of that Messianic era,
he beheld the world redeemed and re-
generated, war abolished, and peace
triumphant everywhere.
1.-TWO thousand six hundred and fifty
years have rolled away, and yet that
glowing vision has not been realized. Far
indeed from it. The nations still learn
war-they bend their utmost energies to
learn it. Christendom bows down under
the burden of taxation, rendered neces-
sary to support the mighty armaments of
the nations. Never did the oceans float
such costly and powerful nayies. Never
did the soil of Europe resound to the
tread of so many millions of armed men.
1t cannot be said that militarism' shows
much external sign of decay.
Yes, il must be confessed, our faith
in the ultimate inauguration Of the era
of peace, when the nations shall learn
war no more, is sorely tried just now.
The nineteenth century has closed amid
wars and rumors of wars. Its sun has
gone down in blood. In South Africa 20O,-
00o British soldiers have been battling,
as they believe, 10 repel invasion and to
uphold the integrity of the Empire, and
q region Of country almost as large as
Continental Europe has for twelve
months been the scene of carnage, Desc
lation, and death. In the Philippines
the United States is at this very moment
maintaining an army OF $4,000 men. to
uphold, as the Government believes, its
rightful authority over territory which
came under its aag by treaty rights. In
China, after scenes of ruthless massacre
of innocent and inoffensive people, the
right arm of united christendom has been
made bare to defend its people, TO vindi-
cate solemn treaty rights, and to punish
those guilty of wholesale murder and
spoliation.
IAN this is most disappointing aad
discouraging. II is not an ideal finale
to century which has certainly achiey-
ed much in the field of humanity, justice,
and brotherly love. 1t is not exactly in
harmony with the bo@stful tone in which
the century has been wont to speak of
itself. But even this is not the worst
Passing by the perhaps not well authen-
ticated stories of cruelty and barbarity
in South Africa and the Philippines, we
are confronted by a horror OF great
darkness in China. The armies of the
so-called Christian powers have, it is be-
lieyed, TO a very large extent been guilty
of pillage, robbery, brutality, and ruth
less cruelty, only less abominable than
those of the pagan Chinese themselves
Thank God there was one exception tc
this shameful conduct, and that was the
army of the United States.
Now, | am not one OF those who go so
far as to affirm that war is always and
under all circumstances unjustifiable.
Doubtless there is wickedness in all wars
but all wars are not wicked. The sword
is sometimes righteously drawn, even as
death is righteously inflicted upon the
| murderer by the ministers of justice.
Nevertheless, 1 strenuously insist that a
| Christian man should throw all his in
| fuence against war, except when 1t is uIf-
| avcidable; that is to say, except when it
| is waged in defence of home and freside
and country; or when 1t is the ultima
ratio of Justice in yindication of the rights
of the oppressed; or in the protection of
| the territory which divine providence has
placed under the nations care.
War should be always the last resort,
| uybp nfh hGr of at
| tlement has been tried and found in vain.
| II is always, even when just and neces-
| sary. deplorable alternative 1t IS to be
! deprecated because OF the arts insepara-
| BILE from it. albeit it is not without its
| compensations.
THE battlefield is not more demoral-
| izing or more brutalizing than the stock
| exchange may be when INSCRIPTIONS men
use it to crush their rivals, to wreck rail
| roads, to crowd the weak investors to the
| wall, to create a panic, and TO enrich
| themselves at the cost of running widows
| and orphans whose investments are by
| their art turned into so much waste pa
per-"
Speaking of the approaching Christmas
and its accompanying happiness, and dark
background of war and carnage, Rev. DR..
| MeKim said:
"Is Christianity. then, failure? Is the
| Christians hope for peace and good will
a vain dream. an empty illusion? Are
Mammon and Moloch, indeed, tri-
umphant over the Christ-child and his
gospel of brotherly love? My brethren,
| look this question straight in the face and
| answer No. a thousand times MOI, God
| forbid that we should succumb to such
! ignoble skepticism!
| "In the first place, let Us remember that
! God works his wonders slowly, and
through long periods of development. The
| upward movement Of the physical uni
verse was slow. The upward movement
! of civilization was slow. The upward
| movement OF moral progress has been
| slow. This is the great discovery OF the
nineteenth century. Science has found il
| stamped upon every phase and feature OF
nature and man. Geology. astronomy BIZ
| ology, sociology. all tell the same story
1t Is the language of impat:ence and un-
belief that We have in the irreverent de-
mand, Let God make speed and hasten
his work that we may see it!'
"The reverent spirit, joining hands With
| the scientific spirit. will say, The vision
| is for an appointed time. but at the ond
it shall speak, and not lie; though il
tarry wait for 1t, because it viii surel.
| come
Spiritual progress is realized only
| through long and slow development. The
! Christian ideal will only penetrate the
heart OF mankind after an agelong strug
| gle.
shall we be disheartened then because
| the era of universal peace and good vii
is solw in its realizations on the earth
| But, you say, the present state of things
seems a distinct retrograde movement
such a view is surely very short
sighted as well as very fainthearted. Their,
! are backward eddies In every advancing
tide No great forward movement bu
has its occasional checks. And as sure a,