Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-01
TIME is NOT RIPE
FOR WORLD PEACE
GENERAL CHRISTIANITY MUST
COME FIRST
Rev. Charles T. Murphy OF St Atha-
nasius' Church Discusses Purpose
Of Conference in Session
at The Hague

v. VII 20
Athanasius church, Temple and custer
streets, preached yesterday morning
from the text, 81 came not TO senu
peace. but a sword" Matt. x:S4'
He said in part:
"The word peace is being brougnt
prominently to our attention at tnls
season. Not only do we ind IL IN tne
collect and teaching for TINS SUNDAY ~ ~
orr services but the public press Is
giving much space to the discussion OF
fhe sIibiect at this time. There is now
An session in Europe great lnterna-
tfonal peace conference. And many Oh
our ablest men have been urging py
voice and pen the Importance OF tnls
ioint modern movement to encourage
peace between the nations of the eartn.
1.-THE American church has by no
means been lax in encouraging TINS
noteworthy evidence of the extending
rule of the Prince of Peace over the
hearts of men. Our own bishop has
lately urged upon us the Importance
of the Hague conference. He asks the
clergy of this diocese to throw their IN
fluence upon the side of peace-lovlng
and peace-making policy. Tnis is
duty all leaders of Christian tnoughI'
small and great, will cheerfully Strive
to fulfill.
"The discussion of policies for promot-
ing international peace properly belong
to statesmen But wise public oplh-
ion can discern and support those tnat
are based on correct principles ohiy
when it is guided by knowledge OF
what the correct principles are. ana
that knowledge must be sougnt III inc
teachings of religion. That is TO say,
a. lasting world peace must pc paseo
,,non the eternal principles of righteous
nass The matter involves the estaD-
1ishjne, of Justice and truth in every de-
nartment of human activity. For we
are learning in this day that the COM
nIexities of orr civilization are sucn
THAT an Injustice in an out Of the way
place, or wrong of seemingly small
dimensions may upset the delcately
adjusted machinery of international
Doiitics. The solution of the peace
nrobIem really involves the correction
~ every injustice, and the righting OF
every wrong existing in the const1tu-
fion of human socieyt. We would pet
ter face the problem squarely at the
outset.
Universal Peace Not Yet
"Now what we have to say at this
time rests on this opinion. Christian
man cannot anticipate the usherlne
in of the final world peace until that
day when the rule of his king Jesus
Christ shall have been extended TO
comprehend the whole human race.
Nothing less than universal Christian
itv can achieve universal peace, ac-
cording to his theory of life. And
therefore he must work milltantiy
towards that end. Mankind cannot pe
legislated into ighteousness-it must
be redeemed into the kingdom OF
heaven. Therefore as religious men,
we must perforce emphasize our reh-
zion as the necessary basis for the
study of the problem.
s.This sweeping claim that enduring
peace depends upon the universal con-
quest of the church of Christ may seem
startling to some, but 1t can be Justl-
fed. 1 believe, if the historic faith be
followed as true for our argument. For
what is peace but the absence OF con-
flict among intelligent beings? When
we speak of peace or the absence OF
peace in the brute creation, or among
the elemental force of nature, we are
indulging in a sort of poetical license.
peace in the sense we are using 1t,
is a quality properly postulated OF per-
sonality only. ut refers to the proper
adjustment of all relations existing be-
tween Individual personalities or groups
of persons. And so we speak properly
of peace not only between men, but
also between man and God. And in
deed the root of all lack of concord
among men is found in the original dis
cord existing between man and God,
speaking in the largest sense.
For all history records a common
consciousness in the human race that
it is and has been in conflict with the
divine will for it. All literature testi-
fies that man has ever striven to know
evil as well as good-to attain an un-
lawful power or good for some at the
expense of the majesty of God. or the
rights Of others (Which is about the
same thing). Peace between God and
humanity, then, is the overcoming of
that strife between the divine will
which would have men subserve God
holy, loving purposes in creating man,
and the perverted will of man to do
something else.
Purpose of Incarnation
Nov we are definitely taught that
the purpose of the incarnation was to
establish peace on earth. The vague
ness and flabbiness of much of modern
theological thought is due to failure to
do justice to this fundamental postu-
late of the atonement.
1.-THE great king sent his only Son to
effect reconciliation with his alostate,
Iebellious subjects. This is the under
lying idea of the New Testament. The
Son comes into the midst of the hostile
land unarmed except for the dignity of
MS perfect cldTdcIeT. ne QOeS lOI
threaten, for he comes to proclaim a
complete amnesty and restoration to all
who will return to their riChtful ale
glance.
"But he does not by any means coun-
tenance the continuance of the rebel
lion, for he claims from the first COM
plete jurisdiction over all men in the
name of his royal Father, that he may
of right restore the peace of light, order
and love their rebellion had destroyed
He himself lives of course a life of per-
feet loyalty and obedience to the great
king even in the face of the hostility of
men.
but to all he proclaims the terms of
peace graciously offered, viz: repen-
tance unto the remission of sins. That
is that by now laying down the weap-
pons of insurrection and ackEowledg-
Ing the king, and promising future allie
glance, one by one, they will no longer
be considered as rebels but e counted
as children OF the great Father and no
longer in danger of punirhment for
their dreadful treason against his
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