The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-05-05
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
CARDINAL GIBBONS.
Theme: International Peace.

Baltimore. Nd. - international
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"
| Christ's mission on earth was to es-
tablish triple peace in the hearts
or 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 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 a failure.
In the remarks that shall make,
1 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 ef-
fectually gauge the results of Chris
tian civilization.
The United States has existed as a
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 1872 to 1915: the war
with Mexico, from 1S45 to 1S4S; the
Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, and
the recent Spanish war. The com.
bired length of these campaigns was
about ten years. Hence we see the
United States has had about twelve
years of peace for one year O. 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 eXperi.
enced not only in reducing the num-
ber OF wars, but still more in mitigat-
ing the horrors of military strife.
Prior to the dawn of Christianity
the motto Of the conGueror was "Vae
victis" Woe to the vanquished. ~
! n q nj, cd nst ...lt ,
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 inhalhtants to be
crucified, and the remainder of the
| population were put to death or sold
into slavery.
| Let us contrast tine 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 Ap-
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
| or 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 it's
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
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 a
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 duel. Thanks to the hu.
manizing influence of Christian
public opinion, these disagreements
are now usually adjusted by legisla.
tion and conciliation. Have we not
reason to indulge the hope that the
same pacific agencies that have