The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-02-15
ABLE SERMON
REV. PARKER
ON HE THAT HATH NO SWORD
LET HIM SELL HIS GARMENT
AND BUY ONE.
WAR is NECESSARY
Sometimes Special Reference to the
Russian-Japanese War.

H'He that hath no sword, let him
sell his garment and buy one" Luke
p SO, was the stirring text of dis
course by the pastor of the First Bap-
tist church yesterday evening. lie
held that war is sometimes absolutely
necessary for the maintenance OF ma
tional integrity, and believed no 9th
er course was open to the imperial
honor and fortunes of the Island En-
pire of the far East. The discourse
carried added weight because of the
personal familiarity of the reverend
speaker with the political sltuatlonS
and the arena Of the great conflict
now opening.
'.The sword,' he said, "is an i'm
plement of war. 1t stands as the
symbol of destructive power. 1t IS an
implement of which due account must
/ be taken In the recognition of those
! forces that control the world. Man
when empty handed has little strength.
/ Put tool into his hands and he be-
comes a tiller of the ground, an artl-
+ ficer, a world subduer Put a weapon
In his hands and with it he gains and
holds dominion With sword, battle
ak or cross bow he becomes a great
warrior. Give him muskets, cannon
and battle ships and his might be-
comes tremendous
The minister discussed his theme
under three heads-the sword girded
on, the sword drawn, the sword
sheathed. Taking up the first head
he continued:
cit may seem strange that the
Prince of Peace counsels His disciples
to the purchase of the sword. Is it
by such means that His person is to
be defended and His kingdom main
tanned? Should the sweet trumpet of
the gospel be silenced by the rude
clarion of war? No! Not that! But
Christ would teach that foc different
emergencies we must rely on different
resources. There are occasions when
the use of force comes to be a right
and a duty. War has place in the
world s civilization. Great battles
have not always been without the
amplest justification. With all its
cruelty and horror war becomes at
times the chosen instrument of Al
mighty God. There are conditions
iol,f ,.1,lo All crIf
comes.' Only by war could Israel
gain its promised land. Only by war
could Gustavus Adolphus save
Professionalism from wreck in Ger
many. Only by war could the usur-
pations Of Napoleon be overthrown.
Only by war could our own beloved
land obtain its freedom. Only by war
could the blot of slavery be wiped
from our fair escutcheon. IF ever a
nation has been driven into war
through the shameless perfdy and
erasping arrogance of rival; if ever
nation was in place where, every
other resource having failed, it could
do nothing but fight or go into
eCIlDSt. 10 tIlSIC JOudN.
than this the issues involved are
something beyond those of a single
nationality. They are vital to q
whole hemisphere of Asiatics just
preparing to awaken from sleep of
ages. The future of 500 millions of
people is directly involved. Japan
has girded herself for the conflict,
with something mightier than the old
sword the Samarai used to wear.
With her splendid army and navy she
stands equipped as the champion of
the rights of the Asiatics to their own
domains, their own self control, and
their own outworking of the new
phases of their destinies She stands
for high type of modern civiliza-
ton, constitutional government, en-
larged culture and religious freedom.
Who can withhold admiration for her
intrepid attitude as she confronts her
raI