The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-10-07
Peace Service.

President Woodrow Wilson. the con
grceations Of the EaptiS: and PreSbv-
te,.ian churches held IL union service
in the Baptist church last Sunday
night. which Was largely attended.
Rev. l. P. McCord pastor of the Pres
byterian church presided. There was
splendid song service, gospel read
ing and prayers. Talks were made by
the two ministers. Messrs. Ansley, and
McCord. and an address delivered by
Capt. W. G. Davis, there were also
short prayers from individuals in the
congregation, all praying that peace
may come to the lands now in the grap-
pie of death. T. was indeed, an ap-
propriately unique CHEERING Of peo-
pie earnestly recognizing the efficacy
Of PRAYER petitioning 70 (. merciful God
that be will invoke His all powerful
intervention that the lowering clouds
of distress and destruction may be dis
sipated that peace and the brotherhood
of man may be restored
This service was universal through
out America: not only did the Presl-
dent OF the United States call upon the
christian people OF this great Nation TO
appeal to Almighty God, but his call
was to ali people who recognized the
divinity of the Creator, AND the faith
in the efficacy OF prayer. He calls
upon the Christian, the pagan anG the
Jew, and all Of them throughout the
lene tn and breadth of this neutral
Nation assembled al their meeting
houses dedicated TO him who reisns
supreme and with mighty earnestness
for Peace on Earth.
One Of the best editorials that has
been written on the grave matter now
in the minds. .of the people OF the world
appeared in Sundays State, and it is
so appropriate that we reproduce parts
Of il here.
There is Peace in the United States,
but every home in the land feels the
vibration of war in its daily life. There
are men in the cilies who are out OF
work who are desperate in idleness as
other men on the Continent are des-
perate in the bloody work OF the
trenches. There are children among
our people who will as surely he de-
MED the ability to develop by reason
of the European var as those pitltul
waits of the burned cities Of Belgium.
There are women with Us rs surely
weeping because kings are making
battles as there are women IN Germany,
Englsud aud France who are learning
anew the old lesson that war smltes
most terribly those who have least to
dc either with its inception or It's
progress.
This is ''worid war; in very truth.
Not the smallest island Of the Seven
Seas that does now know OF and thrill
TO it. Not the most submerged atom
of humanity who does not feel It's pinch
in some manner. Not the most )uxur-
io1s poten,ate millionaire, society bud
who does lin some way or the other
contribute TO its tax in money, in
heartache. or despair.
Why, then. ought not the one really
great nation that is. s'audlng wit:
clean hands and sorrowful brow as
spectator TO the carnage and tina woe
turn TO the Power which man every
where instiuctively recognizes and rev.
erences? Half the world IS making
bitter Jest of what all the world has
lived ard hoped by. What does the
Hindu, with his doctrine of the sacred
ness of life. thinks of the development
of the Gospel of the Prince OF Peace:
What sh;l.l we answer 10 all those calm
moralities of Coutucius. How combat
the social errors OF Mohammed when.
like his followers, the great Christian
uatiops draw the sword for a holy
WARP"
Even for Us, so great is the turmoil,
the possibility of embodiment is not
unthinkable. though remote. Yet II
aiy is trembling on the very brink OF
war. The trouble Balkans are Strain
ing at the leash. The Turk is grumb-
ling in his beard.
The thing of point is that this very
universally Of interest in war. this
impossibili!y Of avoiding its effects in
daily life and interests, shows :he WOE
derful fact of honcgeneity. Tie world
has essentially become one family. y
segment OF the household cores to
blows. There are discord, walls, dis
organization. The entire domestic
economy OF this great family that has
been welded by invention, by inter-
communication, by ships and wireless
and cables, has been upset, attacked,
imperilsd.
Yet one thing all this family of the
world holds dear in its heart. 1t be-
lieves in it's future. II believes in the
milk of human kindness in the human
life. It believes in charity. Despite
its passions, its cruelties. its barbara
ties, it believes that there must finally
come true the promise OF Peace on
Earth. There is nothing else for any
one to believe who believes anything,
who is still strong enough to hope for
anything. Despite its failipgs and its
vices, human nature is an amiable
beast, but it will be a sad day when the
beast that is human nature finally
comes to think that it has no soul.
Everybody can pray today with a
clean conscience and good purpose,
Christian, Pagan, Jew, or even Ag-
nostic or In6de!, it is a duty that we
owe TO the mystery of life and of mind
to contemplate the woe of the world
and by that much to add 70 the cumu-
lative effect of'mundars petition laid IN
humble sorrow and penitence at the
feet of Power Omipetent.
The World has grown entirely loo
big and too confident.
In two months it has been whipped
to sense of lis littleness.
The prayers of the one great neutral
nation for Peace may help to bring it
its senses.