The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-20
METHODIST DIVINE CALLS CHURCHMEN
 TO PRAY FOR PEACE

Washington, May 22.-In behalf of the bishops of the Methodist Epis- coptl church. Bishop Earl Cranston, or Washington has made public a. special Gall to Prayer" appointed to be read in all the Methodist-Epis- copa1 churches.
 Mot once a day only, nor merely when convenient, but in our every thought of God***Iet the cry of our hearts necessarily ascend for the peace of Europe and the world,'' says the appeal.
 The text of the call is as follows:
 Tn the divine ordering of events 1t has been given to American Metho- dfsm to develop and occupy the world parish claimed by the daring faith of John Wesley when Methodists were a despised people. The Methodist Episcopal church, now firmly planted on every continent on the globe, must therefore recognize at this crucial period in human affairs her honor able and responsible relation to all races and conditions of mankind. The tenure of our own spiritual life and leadership is at stake in her attitude toward this sacred obligation. From the beginning of MethodisIn has con- ceived of the Kingdom of God as a universal brotherhood founded in the spirit and teachings of Jesus Christ, with God as One Father, Love as the supreme law, and all people and peo- pies eligible on equal terms to all it's benefits for time and eternity What ever obscures this vision of the king dom of God bars the way to it's gIo- rious realization The prayer, Thy Kingdom Come has therefore ever been the first petition on all human tongues consecrated by the ha1low1ng of the Fathers name. But now, to the horror of anOa1S and raaT1 vision is for the time being lost by one continent that has been beyond all others sanctiffed by the blood of Christian martyrs, and the voice of God silenced in the councils of the embittered nations. Europe is en- gulfed in unutterabIe woe and the world is filled with an agony and of dread. Christian soldiers are daily passing in multitudes to judgment with the blood of fellow Christian sol- diers on their hands. On every wind the walls of widowed mothers and or phaned children are mingled with the groans of mang1ed and dying men.
 Under such conditions your chief pastors can no longer be silent, nor can they meet their duty by a per functory exhortationl to formal pray CTS for divine interpretation. Not until we realize that, beneath all that appears, this war with it's awful car mage is but a struggle for commercial supremacy, can we understand how alien to heriditary dynasties is the thought of the universal brotherhood of man. Every tradition and every instinct of imperialism is in constant friction with the rule of Christ. The jealOsies and hatreds of kings and of peoples are not born in heaven Let victory rest where it may after mill lions of brave hearts have ceased to
 
 material wealth, wealth and power will remain the sure harbtnger of other wars, of increasing deadliness of suborned science adds to the ma chfnery of destruction, unless God shall nightly intervene by unseen forces, whose strategies we may dis cern but whose existence and eff1- cnenyc we dare not doubt. What we do know is that willing, loving, obe- dient hearts are the conductors Of these divine forces in human affairs. There are enough praying souls in America, to call down truce on every battle front if once they felt the agony of Christ's intercession. That our country is yet free from the mad ness of strife should the more move us to importune and increasing peti- ton that God will make His voice to be everywhere heard again on land and sea. Only thus at such time can we witness our faith in God and
 
 our love for men Only thus can we restrain amoug our own people the Gslatent spirit of war that is already lconJuring every untoward incident abroad into an intended insult to our flag. Only thus can we subdue the rising resentment of our own hearts agains unjust foreign criticism of our nation at this crisis in its hist tory. So the spirit of our Lord pleads with us by every consideration of peace at home, as well as of human ity the world over, to follow Him into Gethsemane of prevailing prayer. Somewhere the song of the angelic host must still be heard Somewhere the sun of peace must continue to ] shine, while Europe is in eclipse. ! From somewhere must blow the kind- 1 ly currents that shall cool the fever of hate and revenge that is consum- ing our brothers beyond the sea. l Therefore, your chief pastors have commissioned me as their voice of the Church, to call every member of our communion to synpathetic fellowship with the Saviour of men in His unceasing intercessions with the 1 Father in behalf of His erring cT1iI- dren, and in the soothing of the an gered hearts of men into patience and | compassion toward all their neigh bors, to, the end that the rulers and peoples now at war may cease to kill, and learn to love as children of the One Father in Heaven.