The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-29


 mission of the penalty of transgression. Like these old northmen-the vikings who, it is said, held back the sword l arm when the baptismal water was poured upon them that that arm might be free to fight these men largely with held the heart when they accepted the form of Christianity, from the day that Peter went into the presence of a Ro- man -COrnelius-and said "Goi
 is no respecter of persons and He hath 1 showed me to call no man common or unclean;" and from the day Paul stood
 before the philosophers of Athens-the
 teachers of men-and said. God hath male of one every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth;" the belief in the fatherho0d of God and in
 the brotherhood of men began to spread in the world. This belief was first put thus in the hearts of Warllke people. It did not at once-it could not change the customs of men. But it began to change conceptions and then
 to change customs It elevated the lot
 or Womeni it gave rights to children; it
 mitigated the condition of the slave; it set in operation those moral and social forces whose great power we now see working so benefciently. Let it not be forgotten that it was the church which stayed the destructive power of the Goths when they conquered Rome; it was the church which gave a common bond to the nations of Europe when they were divided into warning fac tions; it was the church which gave a universal court of appeal to serf and lord alike; it was the church which practtced democracy and whose offices were never hereditary but were open
 to the children of all alike; it was the | church which held before men the lea and the practice also of self denial, service through love and sacrifice for
 the good of others. Ii was the church,
 in some of her forms, which later led
 in establishing political democracy and Switzerland, Holland, England ami the United States are tn epoltcal flowers | of principles planted in the minds of
 men by the church, Here then, his torically are the forces operating the
 one the native human love leading to
 war and the spiritual power of neigh
 borly love leading to peace. No nation illustrates these political power and which has been so conquering a poli- tical power and which has planted her
 symbols of kingly authority around the globe and no nation has been so be- nelicent in her treatment of the peoples
 which she has subjugated
 Wars, however which have sprung from lusts and which have been carried on in violation of the commands of God in disobedience to the spirit of Christ and in disregard to the rights of others must cease more and more as
 the truly religious spirit and as Chris
 tlan principles of love and good will prevail among men. Not all men who favor peace may recognize its connec- tlor with Christianity, nevertheless 1t Is the spirit of Christianity extending beyond those who profess the faith which impels men to seek peace. The recent conference in the interests of peace held in New York and the coming peace congress to convene in the Hague call attention to a great movement Iamong men. As any political action will but register the sentiment of men all discussions. like the present sermon, will tend in some measure to secure po- litical action issuing in peace.
 One thing to be noted is that peace not only has it's victories as well as war but its virtues also. The manufactur- CT who raises hi- own capital, builds his factory employs his workmen, finds
 the place where raw material may be purchased and the place where the fln- ished product may be sold is using and developing all the faculties which have made the military commander famous
 The great manufacturer, merchant and railroad president rival the great com- manders in kingly qualities, The work men in factories, stores and on rail- roads acquire habits of respect, obed- fence, diligence self-control and often herolsm equal to the best qualities de- vcloped in the soldier, We no longer think 1t needful for boys 10 fight In or der to become manly. The boys in Rugby and Eton and other British schools formerly considered fighting as an essential part of the education to be acquired, Students in our preparatory schools do not fight and I feel sure they are none the less manly. In my boy hood enough of pioneer spirit fingered in rural communities to make fighting among boys common. But l would place the boys I now know who have
 been brought up differently by the side of the boys I knew in boyhood to the advantage, I think of the latter, As with individuals, so with nations; they do not need war to develop manliness. Again we shall note the fact that the lway to secure peace is not by increasing the means of war. Recently in New York many Italians were arrested and punished for carrying weapons, Be- cause some men will fight and kill we do not consider the carrying of weap- ons as the best means of securing peace and avoiding bloodshed. We recognize the fact that people who carry weapons are more likely to fight and to kill tNan people who bear no arms. In like maN- Iner, while some armies and ornaments must be continued under present condi- tlcns, the attempt of nations to outdo each other in the size of their armies and the number of their battleships is not likely to hasten peace. A num-
 ber of men educated for war and whose promotion depends on war are not like ly to be fervent for peace; and nations greatly prepared for war are likely to
 be quick to resent injury, for nations arc only an aggregate of individuals. TNis 70 r1nn a,nnnnt ncnnrnnlishnd q a 2 ra1nidltt