Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-23

theological training to see It. 1t is this
the Christ Is stronger. II you don't be
lieve 1t, Tn''-but they did believe 1t.
1t Is evident that there were some point
In Christianity that King Olaf did not an
preciate. To cultivate these fruits O
the spirit required men of a differen
temper. Their work is not all done vet
| 1t Is progressing.
| There is one complication in the worl
OF peacemaking which has not been SUI.
hciently considered. 1t is the recurrence
OF Youth. i have listened to the argu-
| ments against war at great Peace Con-
gress. The reasoning was strong. the
statement Of facts conclusive. War was
shown to be cruel and foolish, and in
credibly expensive. The audience. con-
sisting of right minded and very intel
iigent people, was convinced of the JUS
tice OF the cause of Peace. Why, then,
does not the cause triumph?
In such cases l am in the habit Of
looking about with the intent to fix the
responsibility where it belongs, on those
VINO were not at the meeting Mature
life was well represented, but there was
a suspicious absence of young men in
the twenties. All! l said, there is the
difficulty. We can't be sure of lasting
peace until we make it more interesting
to these young absentees. They'll all be
peace men by and by, but meanwhile
there Is no knowing what trouble they
may get us into.
John Fiske traced the influence which
the prolongation of infancy has had on
the progress of civilization 1 am in
clined to think that equally great re-
suits would flow from any discovery bv
winch the period of middle age could
be prolonged beyond it's present term
War would be abolished without anv
more ado A uniformly middle-aged
community would be immune from any
attack of militant fever.
1t happens, however that every onca
In while the hot passions of youth car
rIy all before them. The account of what
happened at the beginning of the civil
wars in Israel is typical. King Rehobo-
am called meeting of the elder states
men of his kingdom. They outlined a
policy that was eminently conciliatory.
But we are told, He forsook the conn
sci Of the old men which they had given
him, and consulted with the young men
who had grown up with him and stood
by him."
That's the difficulty! The hardest
thing about a good policy is to get II ac-
cepted by the people who have the DOW
er. What avails the wisdom OF the old
men when the all the young men are
spelling for a fght?" Something more
Is needed than statesman-like plans for
strengthening the framework of civiliz-
alton. You may have a fireproof struc-
ture, but you are not safe so long as II
is crammed with highly infiammabie ma
terial
There is a periodicity in the passion
for war. 1t marks the coming into power
OF new generation. A quarter of a
century from now the good gray poet"
Rudyard Kipling may be singing sweet |
lyrics of peace All things come in
time.
There are things worse than war A
sordid slothfulness is worse. A cowardly |
acquiescence in injustice is worse 1t is a |
real revelation when to the heart OF youth |
comes sudden sense of the meaning of |
life. 1t is not a treasure to be preserved |
with misery carefulness It is to be |
nobly hazarded. 1t is better to fight for
the good than to rail, however eloquently |
against the i'll. To feel for ones native |
and, to unite in generous comradeship
with ones kind. to endure hardness for
4 noble cause these things are of the es-
sence of manhood
In times of national peril such awaken
ng has come. Many man has then for
ne hrst time discovered that he has a
soul. He has cried out mime eyes have
seen the glory of the coming of the
Lord"
Now just here we peace men NAV see
'ur most inspiring bit of unfinished bus
ness. War has been idealized ii Is left
o us to idealize peace. 1t cannot be done
Ill we bring out all its heroic POSSIBLE
ties IL II means dull stagnation. selfish
'ase the prosperity that can be measured
n dollars and cents. there is sure to come
| revulsion against 1t. The gospel Of the
ull dinner pail and the plethoric pocket
book does not satisfy. II the choice is
between commercialism and miltarism
Ne need not wonder II many an idealist
chooses the latter the less perilous
course. 1t seems less threatening toward
he things for which he cares
The call Is for a new chivalry Our duty
s not only to keep the peace, but to
make peace that is worth keeping. This
$ no easy task. 1t means the humanizing
n all our activities. Everywhere a human
deal must be placed above every other
lind OF success Religion must be lifted
-bove ecclesiasticism; and business hon
n above the vulgar standards OF COM
nercialism. The machinery of civiliz-
Ition must be made subservient to man.
iore careers must be opened for men of
he soldierly spirit whose ambition is for
ervice. The new generation must be
hown what opportunities the worlds
BUSINESS and politics offer to great
hearted gentlemen who are willing to
isk something for a cause The kind
II peace which the world needs cannot
ne had for the asking. 1t comes high
'ur 1t is worth the price.
The "old Man of the Mountain"