The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-16
WHERE WAR PREVAILS
CHRISTIANITY Is WEAK
tutitorit. on Economy aud Religion
says That Wherever the Church IN
Strong Wnr Rarely Occurs.

l.amcnting the titantic conflict into
which practically the whole of Europe
has plunged. IN eminent authority
SAYS:
"rhc great War in Europe speaks
cloQucutly Of III. Weakness OF the
church in all the cnun,ries engaged.
The church stands for peace. Jesus
christ. its founder has been hailed as
The Prince ~ Peace. He preached the
Golden Rule. Love for ones neigh
h"rS. love even for ones enemies. are
cardinal features OF the Christ ia n
creed. War is cXcusahic IN the turk
because his religion justitics MIN in
killing his enemies. The pagan tribes
Nh" pcoplcd Central Europe for cen :
turtles before the Romans came be-
licycd that q warrior was rewarded in
tile hereafter according 10 the number
OF enemies he slew in battle The
american Indian hung the sc:tips oi his
Wei inns upon Il pole. or al his belt. AMI
their number determined his iIstir,.
aenonY his people
'War is brutal: war is harharic. War
as ii is, wngcd to-day is more barbavic
than III past centuries. because science
has mad" the weapons Of warfare more
deadly War spreads it's ruin upon q
nroilou commandment Thou shalt nct
kin War Was mans chief occupat ion
until the coming Of Christ. 1909 years
ago. Hhcn a reaction began. and men
turned their faces toward higher and
noble, things,
Wherever the church is strong and
true 10 the doctrines Of sits founder,
war rarely ~ never occurs. WA, is
not popular III the United states be
cause the people are essentially Chris
tian. Ii the church Was more effective
in This country. wa", unless il WAS :,
~ar for self preservation. would never
Occur Wherever churches are numcr-
y ~
fearing preachers OF the gospel peace
sentiment is strong. This is true OF
most American communities.
III il not true Of the wild mountain
districts. where churches are few and
far between, and where family rises
against family In bloody fcud OF tri-
ning provocntion, 1t was not true III
the Far West a half century ago. where
rough men in frontier communities
KILLED those with whom they quarclcd
without compunction. Rut as soon as
the church touched those frontier com
muuities. the killing stopped
~ preacher. Just returned from Ber-
lin, tells OF attending religious ser
vice in the Dom. or cathedral. irh.which
= note OF fnilitancy marked the ser
mon and singing. There were no pray
crs 10" peace: instead. he clcrgyma IL
told his congregation that God pre-
sided over the destiny Of Europe. ana
~" was watching. over TIE Sfea mess OF
ihc German empire, There is little
Chris;iai humility IN that Kind OF ser
mon
II All the churches or Europe had
preached UnG prayed foy peace during
/ the last quarter Of = century. the rulers
would have found II well-nieh i'm
possible 10 keen m their mad race for
supremacy Ia arnamcnts. " I'll Chris
tiaus la those countries had preached
. the doctrine Of loving your fellow man.
including those OF different nationality
across TIC boundary line. this great
wa. which viii set back the progress
OF Europe Il century. would not have
come t. pass Unfortunately. The
churches ~ Europe seem 10 have been
influenced. al least in sentiment. 10y thc
politics - the realm.
"War viii cease when the church he
comes 50 strong and 50 faithful To IT'S
Founder that politics in all countries
win he influenced by the teachings Of
Z ~. .t,utf,I