Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-07-23

causes, but what more do they all
amount to than failure to consider the
rights of other nations as equal to our
own rights? Again. objection will be
made that If war is punishment from
God, then the punishment is failure,
for war has existed from the earliest
times, and therefore Gods chastise-
ments are unavailing and mankind will
continue to the end Of time much as
| it is now. Partly true and partly false.
One generation quickly forgets the ex-
periences, the tragedies, the sentiments
Of an earlier generation. One of the
puzzles Of life is that we almost never
will learn from others experience. The
teaching of history is clear about the
luxury, the weakening Of moral senti-
ment, the final decline Of the splendid
Roman empire, but many nations since
then have gone or are going the same
way. No, there is nothing in history
that will controvert the assumption
that war is Gods way Of bringing ma
tions and races to proper understand
ing Of the fact that this Is his world
and if kings, princes, rulers and peo-
Piles will not live in 1t in accordance
with his laws but insist upon infring-
ing those laws, by the very nature or
the case retribution must follow. The
more severe the punishment the short
er 1t may be. The horror Of the pres
ent war has never been equalled. But
the sins Of the nations have never been
so great because in the light Of Gods
revelation Of his will and his law made
so plain by the Christ that man can
read his meaning even while he runs
and the meaning may be clear even to
half-wit in the bright light Of this
revelation, say, brighter as the years
roll by, what do we find to be the
conditions prevailing throughout the
nations? Drunkenness everywhere;
vice, commercialized or otherwise,
rampant in city. town, village, even in
the home; lust Of gold and lust of
power consuming the hearts and filling
the minds Of multitudes; trifling with
Justice in the name Of the law; su-
preme indifference to the agony and
suffering Of the poor; envy, jealousy,
hatred, common as the air we breathe.
This Is but the beginning Of the list of
crimes and follies Of the present day;
condition which has long existed and
which has caused agony so great that
the cry has long been ascending to the
very gates Of heaven, How long, O
Lord, how long?" The answer to the
cry is being seen in the present war.
The query often arises-Is this the
last great war? There is no reason for
| thinking so unless mankind has reach
ed that stage Of development, Of evolu-
ton If you like, where common sense at
last prevails over stupid perversity. If
that wonderful day is dawning when at
last the ruler Of the universe Is recog-
nized as God that Furnishes as we'll as
a father that loves and saves, then
there is hope Of permanent peace and
not until then.
It may be suggested that according
to this theory America is spotless,
since she has not yet at least been
drawn into the vortex Of this whirl-
wind Of madness; and we know that
such Is far from being the truth. No,
our fair land Is smirched and soiled
with the same vileness and criminal
folly. But America Is still a young
nation; God Is still patient with her;
there Is ample time for her to fill to
the brim her cup of iniquity and to
so weary the patience Of the Almighty
that at last she, too, will feel the light
ming and the fury Of his wrath. At
times we can almost hear the warning
and can almost see the flash Of the dis
tant storm.
Listen: Not long ago very early one
morning, before the darkness had left
the sky, before the birds began to sing,
I heard a rumble Of distant thunder.
In the stiffness Of the night it sounded
ominous, startling, and suddenly
seemed to see a vision Of the future,
the ultimate America, caught at last
in the consequence Of her sin and
groaning under the agony Of punish
ment divine.
In the dawning of the morning
Came the thunder of the Lord,
The day Of wrath was breaking
In accordance with his word.
Malachi Al.
I do verify believe that unless there
is some radical change in our treat
ment Of these great issues that there is
no escape from the wrath Of an out
ragged God.
Regarding the terms Of peace for the
present war. Is it possible to discuss
the terms on an entirely new basis, in
a manner different from any hith-
erto employed, basis consonant
with our original proposition, love to
our neighbor? Let us see how such
a policy would work out If applied to
the nations of Europe. Let us suppose
that some years ago Great Britain de-
cided on a certain policy affecting her
.
France and Russia. The policy became
law and was executed because it was
advantageous to Britain. Its effects on
Germany, France and Russia would un-
doubtedly be injurious, but that fact
would be Of secondary Importance, and
in turn might even be considered an
advantage as a retaliation for some
previous injury to England resulting
from policy adopted by either Ger
many, France or Russia at some FORM
er time. Now, what do we find? When
England adopts this policy beneficial
to herself alone and injurious to her
neighbors, exciting their just resent
ment right then and there has been
sown one Of the seeds Of a future war.
A wiser and more statesmanlike meth
cd Of procedure would be for Eng
land to frankly present to Germany,
France and Russia a brief Of her new
policy and inquire Of them If such
policy would be mutually satisfactory.
If either Germany, France or Russia
I