The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-08-19

ling details Of the awful catastrophe
of war that daily confronts us in the
press, am reminded Of the reply made
by father to his boy who asked, .sPa,
what is the difference between a civil
lied man and barbarianf' The father
answered, ga barbarian is man who
knocks your brain out with club at
arms length, while civilized man
blows them out mile away"
The present situation in Europe DEM
onstrates, if any demonstration is need
ed, that there is no such thing az civil
lied warfare. War is butchery. It
is wholesome murder It stands for sor-
row, suffering, and death. As well
talk Of constructive tornado as civil
lied warfare.
Like some mighty Samson, the war
god seems to be at work to pull down
the temple Of civilization, and turn
the clock Of progress back into the dark
ages. Half Of the world is convulsed
by the earthquake of war. The devas-
tations of fire and sword go on daily.
A continent is torn and ruined by this
awful Moloch. Through the inventive
genius of man, new and tremendous
dangers face the dismayed inhabitants
in the cataclysm of war. In terror they
must flee from their homes in the dead
of the night, leaving all they have be-
hind, lest some bomb, spreading ruin
and death, is dropped upon their de-
fenseless heads from the sky
The nerve-racking terror and the aw-
full catastrophe of ruin caused by all
that attends war of such vast proper
tions as the present one can only be
realized by those who are compelled to
face the situation. Human suffering is
the inevitable symbol of war. 1t is
sufficient to stagger the imagination,
and cause the heart to grow faint. Tens
of thousands Of men are but the pawn
in the game of the nations, to be all
slaughtered-fed to the cannon, to main
tain what is called national honor and
commercial supremacy. Many Of the
sufferers are the widow and orphans
who are left to mourn in poverty and
unspeakable loneliness as victims of the
great military struggle. Poverty, ruin,
hunger, and famine are the real men,
bers Of the alliance.
Then comes the burden of grinding
taxation to foot the bills caused by the
enormous expenditure of funds neces-
sary to defray the expenses Of bloody
contest. What the tremendous total
will be, no one can ever guess. If the
war is much longer continued it is sure
to bring financial disaster, resulting in
the obliteration of credit. War means
paralyzed industries and staggering
debt. After the glory of victory and
the despair of defeat, will come bust
ness depression.
And when will war cease g-Never
while sin is in the earth. The present
death struggle will doubtless end sooner
~ ~0A, ""SA SUNNI AdtIOH HAS won
conclusive victory, or all have worn
themselves out. But peace will not be
permanent or long continued. Not until
the Prince of Peace comes, and all the
nations are carried away like chaff from
the threshing floor, and the everlasting
kingdom of God is ushered in, will there
be real peace.
Men may talk peace, and peace COM
pacts may be negotiated with the ma
lions, and all this is laudable, to be
sure. But in the end, the work will
come to naught. War will come again.
Armageddon is ahead of as, struggle
before which the present contest pales
in comparison.
The hope of the world is in the ad-
vent of the Prince Of Peace. And it
should encourage our hearts to know
that His coming is near, even at the
doors. By His advent He will make war
to cease to the end of the earth. Glad
day!
Very sincerely yours,
r. w. CROSKREY,
Elder of Seventh day Adventist church.