Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-01-10
A Sermon to the Philistines.
"on earth peace. goodwill to men, .

p1IS G1G4 OUT Va Al AAA<@A
countries, are opposed to war
Savages like to go to war; We do
not.
We are farmers. mechanics. manu-
facturers. teachers. and ali We ask is
the privilege of attending to our own
business. We own our homes, love
our friends, are devoted to our families,
and do not interfere with our neigh
bors any more than is necessary-we
have work to do, and wish TO work
while it is called the day. We recog-
nize that life is short, and the night
cometh. Leave US alone.
But they will not-these demagogues,
politicians and rogGes intent on the
Strenuous Life We wish to be peace
able and want to be kind. but they say
this life is warfare and We must fight.
OF course we would fight to protect
our homes; but our homes are not
threatened, nor our liberties. either,
save by the men who chew the ubiqui-
tous Glove and insist on the Strenuous
Life. Leave Us alone.
We wish to pay off the mortgages on
our houses, to educate our children. to
work, to read, to mediate, to prepare
for old age and quick-coming, cool. all
enfolding death.
But they will not leave US alone
these men who insist on governing US
and living of our labor. They tax Us,
eat our substance, conscript US. draft
our boys into their wars to fight farm
ers whose chief offenses are that they
wear trousers that bag at the knee and
cultivate an objectionable style of
whisker.
They call themselves the Superior
Glass. They live off the labor of our
hands. They essay the task OF govern
ing us for consideration. They de-
ceive us-this Superior Class-they
hoodwink US; they betray Us; they
bulldoze US by the plea of Patriotism.
They deceive US, and On. the infamy
and the shame of it, They deceive US
in the name of the bleeding Christ
the gentle Chris; whose love embraced
a world, and whose plying eyes look
down upon US from a cross-the Christ
who distinctly taught that war was
wrong, and that the only rule of life
should be to do unto others as we
would be done by.
In order to establish a reason for
their domination this self-appointed
Superior Glass pretend to follow in the
footsteps of Christ-they call them
selves Christians.
Few people. comparatively. think
for themselves, and so this deception,
being backed up by many preachers
and alleged educated people, acts as
hypnosis on the many, and being peace
ably disposed, they accept it.
But Christ never endorsed war. not
even a war of self-defeuse, much less a
war of aggression. The Bible is the
book we all talk about but seldom read.
We pay pew-rent and let Strenuous men
explain the Bible to US; or If we read.
we read it with our eyes shut. Those
men in the Pulpit who claim to be-
long to the Superior Glass explain
things to US to the best interests of the
Superior Glass, of course. We sup
plv them broadcloth suits, kid glove:
and high hats. and they teach US whal
they call truth, thus saving US the
trouble of thinking for ourselves.
These preachers, who pretend to b'
followers of the Christ, for the mos
part believe in war, and whenever mel
60 to war and bayonets glisten and
CLEAN in the name of God, a preache
in uniform is found. This preache
keeps out of the firing line, but b.
goes to war and calls himself soldier
They call themselves Christians. bu
Christ opposed war, never took up
collection, accepted no salary, founde'
no church, had no ritual, wore n
surplice nor robe of Office. He did no
belong to the Superior Class-did no
ever take pains to associate with re
spectacle people. He was a carpente
who felt certain truths so fntensel
that he left his bench for a time an
went forth speaking to men in, th
streets, the market places and by tn
seashore.
And now this Superior Glass. inter
on taxing us. declare war and mair
tain staading armies in the name {
this Man who had no fellowship wit
either armies, war or the Superic
Glass. All the myriads OF men VII
live of the government, depend upo
the government to tax Us, and in orde
to tax US successfully, standing armit
: are maintained. The plea that tt
army is needed for the protection
the country is pure fraud and pretens'