The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-28
WAR BLAME REPUD|ATED
BY GERMAN CHURCHMEN
Twenty-Five Leading Protestants
Send Communication TO Ameri-
can Religious Body.
VIGOROUS TONE IS SURPRISE
Only Under Compulsion to Repel
Wanton Attack, Statement Says,
Was Sword Drawn-Right to In
woke Gods Assistance Proclaimed. .

NEW YORK, September 21.-Tlc
! Federal Council OF Churches tonight
! made public communication from
twenty-nine leading Protestant church
men OF Germany, repudiating in behalf
OF German Christianity and the Ger
man government, responsibility for Il e
European war ana liking it on those
who long, secretly and cunninsly have
been spinning web of conspiracy
against Germany. which now they have
lung over US 70 strangle us therein"
The comriuuica ton is addressed TO
the EvanSelical Churches Abroad"
It's wariikc tone" says Il statement
issued by the Federal Council. and
vigorous denunciation OF C;erInany's
opponents Is Il matter OF considerable
surprise TO members of tho council"
"A systematic network of lies" the
COMMUNICATION reads, "controlliue the
international telegraph service, is en-
deaNorIng in other lands 20 cast on our
people ami its government guilt Tor the
outbreak or this war. and has dared
dispute the inner right OF US and otr
Emperor TO invoke the assistance Of
Cod"
The communication points 10 Ger
maHy's forty three years Of peace and
10 her material development lin friend
ly competition with other people," and
declares that only under conpulsion
70 repcl wanton attack has she drawn
the sword
COHPELI.ED TO HEsfST
THREATENED INVASION
Her frontiers threatened. Germany
was compelled to protect herself from
being rav2Scd by .tsia;ic barbar!sin."
il is declared.
over against n world in arms" the
communication continues. we recog-
nizc Clearly thai-we have to defend
our existence and ou!' honor No
scruple holds back our enemies when
through our destruction of ,ci2ing Tor
themselves an increase of power our
colonial possessions or our trade We
stand over against this raging of the
peoples, fearless because OF our trust
lin God. Precisely because this war
has been THRUST upon US wantonly. il
mas us single people. in which dis
tincttons OF race ana rank of parties
and confessions have vanished In :;
holH enthusiasm, not shrinking from
battle and from DEATH and looking To
'ioa' we are all Of one>inind, and pre-
pared joyfully to stake our ali for our
land ard for our liberty"
II is declared that "unnamcablc
horrors nave been committed against
Gernans living peacefully abroad, and
mat into the war which the Car has
openly proclaimed as the decisive cam
paign against Teutonism and protes
tantism heather Japan is called under
prcteXt of an alliance
Not for the sake Of our peonlc
whose sword is bright ana keen. but
for the sake of the unique werld task
OF the Christian people in the decisive
hour Of the world mission, we now ad-
dress ourselvey evangelical Christians
abroad in neutral and inimical land
GOD Is CALLING
NATION TO REPENTAN nee
IF the peoples among whom missions
ana brothcrly lorc had begun to bo a
power lapse into savagcry in murder
Gus war, through hate and bitterness;
II IL Is Christian Europe that forfcits
notable portion OF her position of the
world the guilt OF this rests not on our
people. We know that through this
sansuirary judgment God is calling our
nation TO repentance, and we rejoice
that she is hearing His Holy voice and
turning 10 Him But in this we know
that We can, and must repuiintc re-
snoc;,hiity for III. terrible c.;irc If
this war and all its consequences for
the development OF the Kingdom of
God on cartl;. Win the deepest con
viction we must attribute il to those
who have long secretly ami cunmingly
been spinning q web OF conspiracy
against Germany, which now they have
flung over us in order to stranslc us
tncrein.
The communication was made public
with the following comment 10y the