The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-04-29
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
CARDINAL. GIBBONS.
Theme: International Peace.


Peace" was the subject of the sermon
preached Sunday in the Cathedral
here by Cardinal Gibbons. He took
his text from John 1871: Peace BEL
unto you" He said in the course or
his sermon:
The first geeting of the risen Sa-
viour to His assembled apostles was
a message of blessed peace. Jesus
came and stood in the midst and said
to them: Peace be unto you
Christ's mission on earth was to es-
tablish a triple peace in the hearts
of men-peace with God by the OBJ
servance of His commandments, peace
with our fellowmen by the practice
of justice and charity, and peace
within our breasts by keeping our
passions subject to reason, and our
reason in harmony with the divine
law.
He came, above all, t'to break down.
the middle wall of partition" that d.
vided nation from nation, that alien
ated tribe from tribe, and people from
people, and to make them all one
family, acknowledging the Father
hood of God and the brotherhood Of
Jesus Christ. :.
But when looking back and con-
templating the wars that have raw
aged the Christian world during the
last twenty centuries, some persons
might be tempted, at first sight, to
exclaim in anguish of heart that the
mission of Christ was failure. :.
In the remarks that l shall make,
shall endeavor to disabuse the faint
hearted of this discouraging impress
sion, and show that Christ's mission
has not failed, but that the cause of
peace has made decisive and reassur-
ing progress, and the advance 1t has
already made inspires the hope of ul-
innate success. 1t is by comparisons
and contrasts that we can most eff
fectually gauge the results of Chris
tian civilization.
The United States has existed as
sovereign nation for about one hur-
dred twenty years, since the close Of
the Revolution. During that period
we have had four wars-the war with
England, from 1912 to 1915; the war
with Mexico, from 1916 to 184S; the
Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, and
the recent Spanish war. The COM
bined length of these campaigns was
about ten years. Hence we see the
United States has had about twelve
years of peace for one year of war,
while the Roman Empire beheld less
than one year of tranquility for every
century of military engagement.
But the blessed influence of our
Christian civilization has been expert
enced not only in reducing the num-
Der of wars, but still more in mitigat-
ing the horrors of military strife.
Prior to the dawn of Christianity,
IL, f4.~ ,q I1 rrToc a
victis'' -" WOE to the vanquished."
The captured cities were pillaged and
laid waste The wives and daughters
of the defeated nation became the
prey of ruthless soldiery. The con-
quered generals and army were
obliged to grace the triumphs of the
victors before they were condemned
to death or to ignominious bondage.
Alexander the Great, after the cap
ture Of the City of Tyre, ordered two
thousand of the inhabitants to be
crucifed, and the remainder of the
population were put to death or sold
into slavery.
Let US contrast the conduct of Titus
toward the Jews with General Grants
treatment of the defeated Confeder-
ate forces. When General Lee sur
rendered his sword to Grant at APP
pomattox Courthouse, he and his
brave army were permitted to return
without molestation to their respect
i've homes.
Imagine General Lee and his vet
Grams led in chains to Washington,
followed by the spoils and treasures
Of Southern homes and Southern
sanctuaries. Imagine the same Con-
federate soldiers compelled to erect
in the capital of the nation a monu-
ment to commemorate their own de-
feat and the triumph of the con-
queror That would be completing
the parallel. Would not the whole
nation, north as well as south of Ma
son and Dixon's line, rise up to its
might and denounce a degradation so
revolving to their humanity?
The Roman and the American gen.
eral, in their opposite conduct, were
rejecting the spirit of the times in
which they lived. Titus, in exercis-
ing cruelty toward the vanquished,
was following the traditions Of Pa
gantsm. Grant, in his magnanimity
toward the Confederate troops, was
obeying the mandate of Christian CIV
ilization.
The friends and advocates of inter-
national arbitration are engaged In
most noble and benevolent mission
that can engross the attention of man
kinda mission to which are at
tached the most sublime title and the
most precious reward. blessed are
the peacemakers, for they shall be
called the children of God"
A hundred years ago disputes be-
tween individuals were commonly de-
cided by a duel. Thanks to the nu-
manizing influence of a Christian
public opinion, these disegreements
are now usually adjusted by legisla-
ton and Cancellation. Have we not
reason to indulge the hope that the
same pacific agencies that have
checked the duels between individuals
will. in Gods own time, check the
duels between nations?
In our school days the most odious
and contemplate creature we used
to encounter was the bully who
played tyrant toward the weak, but
cringed before his strong companion.
But still more intolerable is bully
ing nation that picks a quarrel with
feeble nation, with the base intent
of Selling her possessions.
Let the friends and advocates of in
USE every Gl-
fort to protect the weak against the
strong, and then to the ruler of a
feeble nation, conscious of the justice
of its cause, may be applied the words
of the poet:
"Thfce armed is he that has his quar-
rel just"
First-He is armed with the con-
seriousness of the sacred right of his
property.
Second-He is armed with the
shield of an enlightened public opin-
! ion.
Third-He is armed with the con-
viction that his cause will be adiudi-
| Gated by the equitable decision of the
Board of Arbitration.
President Roosevelt, by his timely
and tactful Intervention, put an end
to the late destructive war between
Russia and Japan. AS a recognition
OF his daring act of humanity (for
failure would have seriously compro-
49, I, at.