Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-03-26
Talma8e

BY Rev.
Frank De eChf
Tain age. ID. ID.

Los Angeles, Cal, March ~. - In
these times of worldwide military ac-
ttvity and when soldierly qualities are
everywhere discussed this sermon on
the ideal Christian soldier Is peculiarly
appropriate. The preacher chooses az
his text II Timothy ii, 3, Endure hard
ness as a good soldier of Jesus christ
What is war? "War is hell once
bluntly said William Il. Sherman. war
is n river of blood flowing into river
of blood. War means sickness ana
death. widowhood and orphanhoou'
mangled bodies, devastated harvest
fields and pauperism. War is mortar
grapple when nation says to nation'
"Nfy Quarrel with you cannot be set
tied but by fighting, and now we VIII
see which of us two has the power 10
crush the other" and then they put
their armies In the field commissioner
TO kill one another. War is grave
trench dug with bayonets. 1t Is tne
heavens deluging countless tears. II
ia man with clinched fist and flaming
eye-man with an artillery wagon TOT
n carriage and with the surgeons op-
Grating table for couch. war! IL ID
the most brutal. the most fiendish, the
most terrific. the most blasting curse
of the ages. We have the right 10 nate
Il with an intense hatred and to pray
that the Prince Of Peace may give US
more antipathy to 1t and a more IN
tense horror Of the awful suffering
and death that 1t entails.
War an International Curse.
But though war is an awful interna-
tional curse there have been occasions
whom men have entered the army ana
In @ gone to the battlefield from con-
scientious motives. There have been
coses. as every student OF history
knows. when it has become sacred
duty for the redress OF wrong OF
for the defense Of the home Tor the
patriotic citizen to take up arms
Christ himself recognized the fact
when he said, II came not to senu
peace on the earth, but sword" SO IL
has come to pass that his followers
have at times, with sore reluctance,
Int under a stern sense of duty, en-
gagged in war. Unhappily, too, they
have been found in hostile camps, as
In our own civil war, when good Chris
tian men conscientiously followed the
Confederate flag, as others equaiiy
conscientious followed the Union nag.
A conspicuous illustration was tnat OF
Leonldas Polk, the bishop OF Louisiana,
whose pure Christian character none
could deny. He was so gentle and
kind I'm his private life that when one
of his black slaves was dying ne was
lust as tender to him as If the black
man had been his own flesh and Diood
On the night OH which the humble
slave closed his eyes In death the gooo
bishop said, Tom, is there anything
else I can do for you?" The answer
was: Eyes, massa. If you VIII only
lie down by me on the bed and put
your arm around my neck, and let me
put my arm around your neck, as we
used to do when boys lying under th'
green walnut trees, think that l coulc
die more easy" SO the great southern
minister and leader lay down upon hi'
slaves cot and held his black seryan
in his white arms until the white an
gel of death came down and took th'
soul from beneath the black skin
Surely such a man Of God as Blshol
Polk was not cruel or malevolent. fe
at the bugle blast Of war he donneS
the soldiers uniform. AS lieutenan
general Of the Confederate army N
was shot at Pine Mountain, Ca, Jun
IA. 1864. He was shot only a feV
hours after he had confirmed into tn
Episcopal church some Of his brothe
officers.
When Good Men May Fight.
It is proper and right at certain time
= and seasons for good men to go I
war, if they go with the right motive
The qualities which go to make up
good and brave soldier are thos
. which should characterize q goo
Christian. The courage and self sac
rifice and devotion to a righteous caus
which have been displayed in the hel
are needed in the Christians daily Life
Therefore, Paul aptly and powerfull
uses the figure of my text for a gospf
comparison. He is practically sayln
Or to young Timothy: Look upon you
y, Christ as q great leader and genera
Enlist in his service. Implicitly obe
his orders. Charge in Christs nam
il the order is given you to charg
Do sentinel duty and trudge wear
marches if that is your order. d
ready to fight on battlefield, or starV
in trench, or suffer in hospital, as dut
NAV command" All young people al
delighted with a military parade. Ia
me in this sermon recount for you no
n gospel soldier should obey Christ
bugle call.
What does it mean to be gosp
soldier? First and foremost, TO tat
the oath of enlistment. The dineren'
between an army and a mob, the dl
ference between a collection OF me
o governed by one brain, ruled by OF
- voice, directed by one order, ana i
or men running Hllhel anu '
like a flock of sheep, or frightene
stampeding cattle, doing as they WI
is the difference between the oath
enlistment and no oath. Before mi
takes the oath of enlistment he Is
free man. After he takes the oath
ng enlistment he is no longer an indepen
we ent individuality. He is a soldi'
subject to the soldiers orders, and
liable to be shot if he deserts or q
obeys his superior officers. The GA
of enlistment practically says: Il WI
IL necessary, let others do my thinkir
Ne l will 40 where am told to go, ana
what am told to do" The oath
IAN enlistment Is more binding than ban
BE - e4aaI xrall rempmhpr the I'll