Evening star., 1915-11-25
'DR. M'K|M |ND0RSES
PREPAREDNESSPLAN
Pastor of Church of the
Epiphany Says Public Must
Support the President.
TOO MUCH TO ASK HIM
TO DANISH PLOTTERS?
Crisis in the History of a Nation, He
Says, When War Is Better Than
Loss of Honor.

Rev Dr. Randolph H. Mckim. pastor
| of the Church of the Epiphany,
| preached a Thanksgiving sermon this
! morning entitled National Opportunity
| and Responsibility in which he in
dorsed the Presidents program for in
creased military preparedness, and in
| which he appealed to President Wilson
ito adhere bravely to the principles he
has SO clearly enunciated in his diplo-
matte correspondence with Germany"
] In the latter connection he said.
/ rs it too much to ask him to Danish
| from our shores the plotters and con-
spirators who, wearing the livery of
| foreign nations and accepted as rep
resentatives of friendly powers, have
been using their diplomatic positions
as bases whence to wage war against
the peace of our country?
DR.. McKim said, in part:
There are crises in the history of a
nation when the words of Christ, He
that saveth his life shall lose il, lind
their national application. Better even
the losses and the sufferings of war,
terrible as they are. than the loss of
honor-the failure to respond to our
national ideals, the humiliation of our
national name! Listen to the brave
words of the leader of the bar of Brus-
being cast into a Prussian prison: q:
| Why these sacrifices, why this sorrow? ?
Belgium could have avoided these~dis-
asters. saved her existence, her treas
ures and the lives of her people: but
she preferred her honor
Should Support the President.
Let me guard myself against misun-
derstanding. God forbid that 1 should
utter word that could add u feathers
weight to the heavy burden that rests
on the Presidents shoulders All true
Americans should wish to support
their chief magistrate and to labor
sympathetically with him in his efforts
to grapple with the difficult tasks that
confront him at this crisis.
But it is for that very reason that
we appeal to him to adhere bravely to
the principles he has clearly enun
ciated in his diplomatic correspondence
with Germany. We are confident that
a courageous course of action, just in
line with his strong and patriotic ut
terance last spring and summer. would
tighten his burden and clear out of his
pathway many Of the difficulties and
dangers that now beset it 1t is our
friendliness to him-our sincere loyalty
our earnest wish that he should over
come the difficulties that face him, and
triumph over the people who are at
once his enemies and the enemies of
upon him a different course from that
which he is now pursuing-to seize the
opportunity that again presents itself
to take bold and decisive action in
vindication of the honor of our coun-
try
'Is it too much to ask him to Danish
from our shores the p1otters and con-
spirators, who, wearing the livery of
foreign nations, and accepted as repre-
sentatives of friendly powers, have
been using their diplomatic positions
as bases whence to wage war against
the peace of our country?
Desires to Know Public Sentiment.
The President no doubt desires to
know the sentiments of the people, and,
as many public men hesitate to speak
out. and as the officers of the army and
navy do not enjoy the right of free
speech. it may well be that the voice
of the pulpit-which has no political
or racial bias-will have unique value
as an expression of public Sentiment
We who minister in the things of God
occupy a position of detachment, unaf-
fected by the current of politics or of
commercial interest.
THE people are heartily with the
President in his patriotic purpose to
put the country In a state of prepara-
ton against any attack that may be
made upon 1t by foreign power; and
we believe that the people would be
just as heartily with him If he should
justify the stern purpose expressed in
his last note to Germany, by appro-
pirate action now" -