The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-03
CBy the Rev. Charles Baird MftoheII.)

i It Is not strange unat many are III
Qufring whether the present war does
| not prove that Christianity Is q fail
ure. With the leading Christian ma
tons OF the world, representing all OF
the great divisions OF Christianity en-
gagged in war, what must be the YER
dict as to the power OF the Christian
religion?
\ Unthinkfng men. men who are will
4 ing to believe 1T, men who would ike
! to have 1t so may claim, because OF
the war, that Christianity has broken
down. A we'll balanced mind would
never accept such a conclusion Tor
4 moment Christianity has no more
broken down in these nations at war,
than it has broken down in the indi-
Evidual man who stumbles in his
EChristian course. but who still in spite
Eof his stumble, or even his fall, keeps
ibis faith In God.
Nations, quite as truly as indivfd-
uals are liable to sin. II a nation, as
represented by its government, ana
supported by its people, is covetous
OF the lands of another nation, envl-
Gus Of It's prosperity, hates it's people,
| becomes angry without cause or steals
! its property, that nation corporately
/ commits sin. And nations, like ind1-
yiduals cannot sin without paying the
pen atty.
The rulers of a nation are respon-
sible to God and to their people for
their policies.
| The church has to do with personal
motives, not with national policies;
the state is rightly sovereign in that
field.
At the very time war was declared
organized Christianity was leading
the minds of men in efforts for peace
| Is she to be held wholly responsi-
bic for the acts of the civil heads OF
nations?
! The Pope, whose universal jurts-
diction is legally recognized IN AUS
tria, refused to give his blessing on
the war, and urged that peace be
maintained.
| Non-Roman Christianity was hold
ling world wide peace dem onstration
at Constance, on the border between
Germany and Switzerland, when the
war broke out. The Roman Catholic
world was expecting to hold similar
demonstration in Liege, on the very
day the German armes arrived at that
tcity. What could organized Cnrlstl-
anity do that was not done! Inc
state, not the church, must De neio
! responsible for the crimes OF the
state. Men have failed to be Chris
tian: Christianity has not failed. The
human heart in the aggregate, ana
lin the individual has broken down
far a time-but Christianity has not
failed.
war. indeed, always Is the product
! Of human sin. So we may justly
lconclude that while men or nat1ons
have failed in their Chrlstlanily
tichristfanity itself has neither failed
or broken down.
it has. then it is empty mockery
for the church to bid her people to
pray for peace, to pray that Goa
would SO oyerru1e aud guide the
| hearts of men. that wars should
cease in all the world and that the
/ reign of the Prince of Peace should
! be established among all nations OF
! the earth.
The present function of the church
should be one of earnest, unremitting
prayer ...
Il is not necessary for us to inform
Almighty God which party Is in the
right and should win and which party
Is, wrong and should suffer. There
IL. In the war, right and . wrong.
Somebody is responsible before God
for 1t. Vengeance Is His; He Will
repay. Our part Is to pray Him 10
override the sins that have caused
the war. to protect and guard the M
nocant. to bring good OUT OF the pres
ant chaos. to strengthen the forces
that make for peace, to bring peace to
the nations when that shall be posi-
BE and right, to keep and bless all
those who are afflicted or distressed
ii mind, body or estate, to protect
the fatheriess and widows and All
Who are desolate and oppressed, to
pardon and receive those who are
slain.
Christianity has not failed, except
!. IN g Tar aa il fails Whenever anyone