The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-09-25
THE EUROPEAN WAR AND CIVIL
LiZATioN

Is thy humanity and brotherly love?
Where are thy churches, temples, uni
versities and institutions of learning?
Where are thy moralists, phifosopk
ers, judges, laws, and ethereal codes =?
Is it conceivable, is 1t dream, or is
| it the darkest and saddest reality that
millions Of human beings are engaged
| in the beastliest and most heinous of
crimes-war? No earthquakes, no
| floods, no tornadoes, no cyclones, but
man, the so-called image of God, de-
stroying one another, devouring one
another, butchering one another
striking women, children, fathers,
mothers, and sweethearts.
Many centuries before our present
era, Hebrew Prophet, Isaiah, saw in
his visions and ideal state. He pro-
phesied or dreamt of a wonderful lea
| der, a great Judge, who will make this
world peaceful, righteous, ana happy.
Here is the prophecy.
And he will Judge among the ma
tons, and decide for many people,
and they shall beat theic swords into
plough-shares and their spears into
pruning knives. Nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, and they
shall not learn any more war.
"And the wolf shall dwell with the
sheep, and the leopard shall lie down
with the kid; and the calf and the
young lion and the failing shall be to-
gether, and a little boy shall lead
them.
"And the cow and the she-bear
shall feed, together shall their young
ones lie down; and the lion shall like
the OK eat straw.
"And the sucking child shall play
on the hole of the asp, and on the
basilisk's den shall the weaned child
stretch out his hand.
"They shall not do hurt nor destroy
on all my holy mountains, for the
earth shall be full of the knowledge
Of the Lord, as the waters covers the
sea-"
Twenty-seven hundred years have
elapsed since this beautiful prophecy,
but alas, behold now the greatest war
of all ages! If Isaiah could come
back and listen to the boom of the
cannon, the rattle of the rife, and
che scream of the shells, and see the
thousands already slain at Liege,
what would he think of his prophecy!
Would he consider it an empty
dream, or would he say 81 was mis-
taken in man, his religion and his civil
| lization."
The car, emperors, and kings are
each praying to the Almighty for the
victories of their armies. 1t is mar
row-mindedness, bigotry, ignorance,
superstititution, yea even savagery, to
make such prayer. One must have a
horrible conception of God to think
he would strengthen one army and
weaken another, that he would de.
stroy one class of innocent people. in
preference to another class of inno-
cent people.
Have we not one Father? Hath
not one God created us? Then why
shall we deal treacherously every
man against his brother? cries abound
another Prophet of old.
Why race prejudice? Why so much
bitterness? Why so much false honor
and glory? Even the Gear can only
occupy six feet of ground when the in.
evitable comes.
What is thy plea, Oh poor Civiliza.
ton, to the terrible indictment of the
great twentieth century war? What
defense canst thou offer for crushing
millions Of hearts and souls? Thou
has invented the most terrible en-
gines of destruction to make man
more dangerous than wild beasts.
Where are thy statesmen and Peace
Temples to open the eyes, hearts, and
minds of the rulers of Russia, France
Germany, England, Austria Hurery,
Belgium, and the whole world; aud to
make them see and think, and feel thy
disgrace and misfortune. Thy Crown,
On Civilization, hath fallen and the
whole human race must how their
heads with shame and sorrow before
this the greatest of catastrophes.
America is the melting pot of all
the nations. Under her flag all
creeds, sects, and nationalities are
protected. Let America be the great
leader, the just Judge, and the tru.
Messiah to bring about peace and
brotherly love among the rulers who
hold in their hands the swords of so
| vast a human slaughter-house. Let