The Irish standard., 1914-11-14
Noted Jesuit Priest Writes of Ma
tional Spirit of Germans As
1t Appears in Present
Crisis.
Uprising Has Become An Act of
Divine Worship Among the
People. Squares Trans
formed Into Churches
Germans Kind to Wounded and De-
fenseless. Bury Enemy's Dead
With Prayers. Germany's
Religious Revival.

The warning nations Of Europe have
severally and jointly maintained that
their cause is the cause of civilization
and culture, and even the cause of
Christianity, and that to degree
which renders the appeal well-nigh
trite and commonplace. We find, how
ever, in the noted Jesuit magazine, the
"Stimmen aus Maria-Laach," perhaps
the most distinguished periodical of
its class, a remarkable article by the
well-known Jesuit Father Lippert on
this subject, in which the author dis
sects the claims of Germany to the
Righteousness Of it's cause and to the
fact that that cause is the cause OF
Christianity. After a brilliant defense
of the spirit of nationalism as an I'M
portant asset in the character and
power of the German people, the
learned Jesuit takes up the immediate
issue of the war and its justification.
Under the caption: "On the Opening
of the European War" he writes:
"The uprising of the German peo-
pie has truly become an act of divine
worship: We have seen the great pub
lie squares transformed into churches,
where thousands of men stood with
barred heads, praying and singing. We
have seen the churches filled to over
flowing, and in numerous families
grace was said at table in a most
fervent manner, for the first time per-
haps in many months. Before the
German people arose for the day OF
reckoning with their enemies they
bent their knees and bowed their
heads, even as the angels Of God may
do when they go forth to execute a
Judgment of the Lord. We have In
deed prayed for victory for our arms,
and Herewith also for defeat and ruin
and death for our enemies; and we
have done so knowingly and from the
bottom of our hearts, yea, with a ter
rible invocation of Christianity and
the Gospel. But we could do so Justly.
For we had tested our martial prayer
by the precepts Of the Gospel, had sub.
mitted our national enthusiasm to the
teachings of Christianity and we had
found, after careful and honest
scrutiny. that we could claim that our
cause is just cause"
1--WE did not desire to venture forth
for conquest, not for deeds of violence
dictated by recklessness or conceit,
not led by blind hatred of peaceful
and harmless peoples living beyond
our borders and beyond the sea. We
have scarcely even heard an insult,
prompted by mean or vulgar motives,
offered the enemy in our own country.
We have purified our anger until it
became the righteous indignation Of q
man preparing to defend himself
against injustice and hypocrisy. We
do not wage war on defenseless for
eignets or wounded soldiers; we give
even food and drink to helpless foes
and bury their dead with prayers.
And when individual hasty brethren
were led to commit unworthy acts,
they were quickly and energetically
rebuked by the people themselves.
The German people have demonstrate
ed the knightly spirit Of their national
ism and thereby also their right to
pray to the God Of the Gospel, and
their right to bear the name of Chris
tians. For the God Of Christianity is
q lover of q noble and cultured spirit,
a God Of reason and Justice. as we'll
as a God Of love and compassion.
Thus did the national spirit of the
Catholics Of Germany remain in con-
formity with the creed Of their uni
versal Church which embraces all ma
tions; for this creed implies above all
things magnanimity, nobility Of soul,
loyalty, justice and charity"
The noted essayist Lippert has not
merely entered q plea for the Justice
Of the German cause, but has present
ed an apology for that which forms q
valuable asset in the makeup Of any
people, healthy national spirit.
Moreover, he insists that the war has
not alone brought about . religious re-
vival, but has also purified that na'
tionalism which spurns what 10 un-
worthy and mean. The character Of