The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-05-31

this fine Grafton, because it SO nearly
comedies with its own views Ed.
Banner.)
And he shall judge among the ma
tions and he shall rebuke many peo-
pie: and they shall beat their swords
into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks nation shall not lift
ND sword against nation, neither shall
they learn war any more"
Thus spoke the ancient prophet
many centuries before the coming of
the Savior. These words were ut
tered at a time in the worlds history
when war and slaughter and blood
shed we're the ordinary occupation of
men and of nations.
II was Isaiah's vision of universal
peace. and IL foretold the final infiu-
ence of Christianity upon the human
race. It foresaw the triumph of rea-
son and justice and love. over force
and hatred and strife.
Al ldtLs diHlOSI AOVV yOoi0 oAINA
the coming of the Prince of Peace,
men are beginning to see the truth.
SAYS President Butler of Columbia
University, speaking as the president
of the American association for in
ternational Cancellation: Never be-
fore has the mind of the world been
so occupied with the problems of sub
stituting law for war, peace with
righteousness for triumphs after
slaughter the victories of right and
reasonableness for those of might
and brute force"
Ever since man emerged from the
condition of the savage and developed
the power to think, there have been
some of a superior moral and intel
lectual power who realized the bru-
talizing effect of war, and who under
stood the benefits and blessings of
peace; but those were so few that
their voices we're unheeded and their
influence was not felt. Therefore, for
centuries, Notwithstanding that the
conscience of men loves peace rather
than strife the world has continued
strnction of life and property. Men
and women alike have been led to be-
lieve that brutality is manly and glo-
rious. and that reason and justice
and mercy are cowardly. The great
est hero. according to the prevailing
opinion of the world has been he
who has wrought the most destruc-
ton and bloodshed; the most admira-
BILE human character has been the
man most successful in piliage and
the destruction of life..
We turn to the pages of the history
of nations and find that it is in great
part a chronicle of bloody deeds. The
heroes OF history have not been the
just. the merciful, the self-sacrificing
nor have they been the writers OF
books. the artists, nor the men of
science. On the contrary. these he
roes have been the kings, the emper-
ors. the generals and commanders of
the warning hosts. We find, too, that
while most of the wars have been
waged In the name of patriotism, and
while the slaughter has generally
been carried on under the pretext of
lofty motives sometimes under the
guise of the Christian religion itself,
the fact remains that the fundamen-
tai reason for the great wars has
been the greed, ambition or selfish
ness of rulers. War has been gener-
ally the outgrowth of the evil or bas-
er side OF human nature. How many
wars have truly been declared and
fought for the enforcement of JUS
tiee. the protection of the weak, the
prevention of wrong. the betterment
of the people or the enlightenment of
the world? On the other hand how
many have been begun and carried
on for the enrichment of sOvereigns,
the oppression of the weak, for plum
der and pillage, or for the glory of a
monarch? How many millions Of
human lives have been destroyed in
order that the name of some powerful
and wicked ruffian and despoiler
might shine on the pages of history!
What rivers of blood have been spill
ed in war to crafty the evil passions
of corrupt and selfish man!
Too long have the minds of the
youth been taught to admire the mill
itary hero. The historical picture of
the warrior has been drawn so as to
appeal to the imagination of the
young and thus they have been led
90 believe that true greatness is meas
ured by the result of bloody battles.
Better would it have been for civiliza-
ton. for the true progress of the
world. had all the record of the whole