Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-09-10
THE DAY OF PRAYER FOIi
PEACE.

In view Of the Unprecedented hor-
rors visited upon the world because
Of the war now raging. the president
OF the United States has issued a
proclamation designating october 4,
as day OF prayer for the restoration
of peace.
For this action. President Wilson
not only has sanction Of the religion
TO which he earnestly adhcrcs, but
has the precedent In two proclama-
lions issued during the civil war by
President Lincoln who called upon
the people 10 meet In the churches
and observe THURSDAY. the 3Oth day
of April, 1868. as day Of national
humiliation. fasting and prayer"
The proclamation requested 'all the
people 10 abstain on that day from
their ordinary secular pursuits, and
to unite al the several places Of pub
lie worship and their respective
homes In keeping the day holy to
the Lord and devoted TO the humble
discharge OF the religious duties prop
er 10 that solemn OCCASION"
lie further reminded the nation
that IAN this being done In sincerity
and truth. let us then rest humbly IN
the hope authorized by the divine
teaching that the united cry OF the
nation will be heard on high and
answered with blessings no less than
The pardon Of our national sins and
the restoration of our now divided
and suffering country to It's former
happy condition OF unity and pence
over year later Lincoln issued
another proclamation designating the
first Thursday OF August as a day Of
prayer for peace. Ills utterances In
that proclamation were q deeply
solemn recognition Of the nenrneas
Of God IN the affairs of the nation
aud an Invocation of His mercy to-
ward the people of the country sore
" distressed,
Il was in the same spirit OF faith
In God that Woodrow Wilson called
upon the people of the United States
to observe day OF prayer that the
acouree ~ war may speedily pass
away. The president understands
aomeihing Of the horrors now being
perpetratcd in Europe. Minds with
less grasp do not comprehend Some
even sneer,
While most OF us know that what
Is happening in Europe Is u human
tragedy on an unprecedented scale,
We do not yet grasp the full horror,
the appalling. fact of infinite dcstruc-
tlen--its stupcndous carnage.
should the war stop tomorrow the
destruction already wrought would
require the efforts of 4 generation TO
repair. Belgium month ago was the
most thlckly populated area OF Eur
ope. perhaps In the world The
whole little country was one work
shop. no husier or more productive
on earth. To-day half Of Il Is food
less desert The flame Of war has not
only seorchcd L, but has consumed
Ii to a clndcr
And Belgium Is the prototype Of
every country into which war enters.
French Arlois and picardy, French
Lorraine and the champalene country
are now suffering the abomlnation OF
deaolation. Already the Russian
hordes are eating up eastern Prus-
ala and Austrian Calicla. like breath
Of flame.
should the war continue through
the winter. the millions on the con-
tinent viii suffer as the lesser mil
lions suffered during the medieval
ages stark famine In the menace
Germany may be winning In the
Held but IS idle at home. Her mills,
her factories are forsaken; there are
no hands TO run them, and II there
We're. the markets for their products
are cut Off
II is for the ending II these horrors
that President Wilson proclahns a
day Of prayer.