The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-04-28
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 1881: Peace be
unto YOU" He said in the course of
his sermon:
The first geeting of the risen Sa-
viour to His assembled apostles was
message of blessed peace. Jesus
came and stood in the midst and said
TO them: Peace be unto you "
Christs mission on earth was to es-
tablish n 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, "to break down
the middle wall of partition" that dl-
vlded 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 dlsabuse the faint
hearted of this discouraging impress
sion, and show that Christs mission
has not failed, but that the cause of
peace has made decisive and reassur-
ing progress, and the advance II has
already made inspires the hope of ul-
innate success. It is by comparisons
and contrasts that we can most eff
foctually gauge the results OF Chris
tian civilization.
The United States has existed as q
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 1S45 to 1S4S; 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,
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-
her of wars, but still more in mitigat-
ing the horrors of military strife.
Prior to the dawn of Christianity,
the motto of the conqueror was "Vae
victis" - Woo 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 trlumphs 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 10 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 n 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 Diyon's line, rise up to It's
might and denounce a degradation SO
revolving to their humanity?
The Roman and tho American gen.
eral. in their opposite conduct. we're
rejecting the spirit of the times in
which they lived. Titus, in exercls-
ing cruelty toward the yanauished.
was following the traditions of Pa
ganism. 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 o
most noble and benevolent mission
lHdl can eusTOsS Lue ulIcHLlOu Oh man
kinda mission 20 which are at
tached the most sublime title and the
most precious reward. blessed are
the peaeemakers, for they shall be
called the children of God"
A hundred years ago disputes be-
tween individuals were commonly de-
clded by a duel. Thanks to the nu-
manizing influence OF a Christian
public opinion, these disagreements
are now usually adjusted by legisla-
tion and conoiliation. Have we not
reason to indulge the hope that the
same pacific agencies that have
checked the duels between individuals
VIII. in Gods own time, check the
duels between nations?
In our school days the most odious
and contemplate creature we used
10 encounter was the bully who
played tyrant toward the weak. but
crirged before his strong companion.
But still more intolerable is a bully
Ing nation that picks quarrel with
a feeble nation, with the base intent
OF seizing her possessions.
Let the friends and advocates OF In
ternational arbitration use every ef-
fort TO protect the weak against the
strong, and then to the ruler OF a
feeble nation, conscious of the justice
OF It's cause. may be applied the words
OF the poet: