The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-07
A PLEA FOR PEACE.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

selves the homes made deSolate, the
'Rachels bewailing their children, ami
would not be comforted because they are
not
During the Civil War l served as a
volunteer chaplain at Fort MdHenry and
Fort Marshall, and 1 had many occasions
TO contemplate the frightful calamites
occasioned by war. General Sherman re-
marked in his own blunt and expressive
language that War was He'll Happen
ing to converse with Gen. Sheridan ques-
toned about his Virginia campaign. His
face assumed an expression of sadness,
and with a mournful voice, he said
he hoped never 10 witness another war
rs it not a mockery OF Justice and
scandal to the Pagan world, to see two
Christian nations cutting each others
throat in the name of Christian cfviliza-
ton?
rs 1t not an outrage to contemplate one
nation forcing by the sword her laws, her
government and political institutions ON
another nation in the interests of trade
and commerce, as If merchandise and dol
lars and cents were of more value than
human lives? Is it not monstrous to see
strong Power invading weak one, and
SELLING her territories on the hypocritical
plea of rectifying her boundaries? This
rectificauon of boundaries Is a very old
practice, and is a polite name for robbery
on a large scale
King Aehab and Queen Jesabel, two
of the most infamous tyrants that ever
reigned, reoltified their boundaries by seiz-
ing the vineyard of Naboth and by putting
to u cruel death, that innocent man.
The old Roman Empire two thousand
years ago. was constantly engaged AZ rec
tifying its boundaries. 1t did not stop
till it had annexed all of Europe and
good slice of Asia and Africa. But the
day of retribution came at last. The
warlike tribes of the North swooped down
like avenging eagles on that delaying and
corrupt body--the Roman Empire, and
rectifed her boundaries over again. The
empire was dismembered and the map of
Europe was changed.
Cicero tells us that when a pirate was
once brought before Alexander the Great,
the general reproached him for his crimes
on the high seas. You are a greater rob
Der and murderer than L. replied the pi-
rate, for while have plundered and slain
a few, you are the slayer and robber of
nations. He went on adjusting his boun-
daries till he had overrun large portion
of Asia. But very soon after his death,
these boundaries were readjusted by his
generals.
1T is a subject of great concern to the
| friends of the Gospel of peace that Chris
tan Europe presents to-day the specta-
Gle of huge military camp. All the ma
tions of the continent, as well as England,
are armed to the teeth, and are living In
mutual dread and distrust of each other.
They are devoured by an Unsuitable ambl-
ton of conquest and dominion or by
| fear of invasion. When you see heavy
| clouds surcharged with the electricity of
war hanging over these nations you may
| expect the thunder-clap of battle to re-
sound at any moment. Armed nations like
armed individuals are a constant menace
to one another and are easily provoked
| to fight
and these military forces instead of
diminishing are unhappily increasing ev-
cry year. As soon as one nation aug
ments It's armament, its neighbor feels i'm
PEELED to do likewise in self-protection.
According to a report compiled and pub
| lished in 1887; from official sources, the
army list of Europe on war footing COM
prised nearly fourteen millions of men,
! and the annual cost of maintaining the
military establishments even in time of
| peace, exceeded six hundred millions of
dollars. At the present time the cost
would probably amount TO one thousand
millions.
when we consider the immense num-
| Der of men that are torn from the bosom
of their families in the prime of life. that
|
suits, when we see these young men veg
etating in idleness in time of peace, and
luxuriating in license and disspatio in
! time of war, we may form some idea of
| the moral, material and social evils result
| ing from such a system. In contemplating
| these standing armies, the calm observer
might be forced to conclude that Euro
pean governments were primarily estab-
| lished to destroy, rather than to save life,
/ Il
souces of a country.
May God so guide our legislators and
statesmen that they may never be be-
! tTayed into initiating European govern
ments by the establishment of formida bic
standing armies. God forbid that We our
selves, flushed with recent victories,
should ever become intoxicated with the
wine of Imperialism or militarism, but
may we always follow the traditions of
the fathers of the republic.
Hitherto we have presented to the
world a beautiful spectacle. Europeans
accustomed at home to meet a soldier
or gendarme at every street corner, ON
arriving in this country have been filed
with surprise and admiration that a ma
ton of so vast an extent and with such
an immense population contains an army
of only 5000 men. They have been for-i-
bly, impressed with the fact that they
can lldNtl lIOIu hdiu6 TO tdllIOftla With
out meeting a single soldier They see
that every citizen of the United States is
soldier without uniform, engaged in the
active pursuits of life. and ready At a
moments notice to defend his country.
They would feel that we are a strong ma
tion because we cheerfully bow to The
majesty of the law. and are not confront
ed and intimidated by military satraps.
May this fair picture never be defaced
Every Christian nation of the world
has its own national flag, it fights under
it's own chosen leaders, IL listens TO its
own favorite war cry.
But there is one banner before which
they all should bow, and that is the ban
ner of the Cross; there is one Leader
whom they should all revere and worship
and that is Christ, the Prince of Peace
There is one clarion trumpet TO which
they all should harken. aud that Is the
trumpet of the Gospel
THE teachings Of the gospel form the
only basis OF peace for the rulers Of the
earth. All the arts and resources Of d.
plomacy will be in vain; all the courts Of
arbitration and peace conferences that
ever shall assemble. will avail but little,
as experience demonstrates All their
deliberations will be so much waste-paper,
unless their decision are guided and franz
ed under the invocation OF the Lord Of
Peace, who sits enthroned on the cross.
MAY all the rulers Of the earth draw
their inspirations from the Prince OF Jus
It..a~ 1T