Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-08
RELIGION

csm in the magazine press for allowing the
war to happen A majority OF the articles on
religious topics in the secular press this win
ter have taken war as their theme, and It
is interesting to note, without regard to
what 1t indicates that most of the articles
written from the religious point of view do
not attempt to apologize for the war but
are rather on the defensive for the necessity
of war.
There Is some calling religion to account
for failure in this crisis. Others argue as
to how the church can help civilization out
or it's present predicament. Some of the re-
hgious journals pursue the even tenor of
their way discussing heresies preaching
their "doNies." undsturbed by wars alarums
Agnes Repper, one of Philadelphia's most
distinguished writer's, speaks of the situa-
ton with unaccustomed severity in Chris
ttanity and the War" %. She characterizes
as amazing the fiabbiness of our peace talk
and the mournful forebodings of pious
Christians who lament the failure of Chris
tanity to reconcile the irreconcilable
Whatever is morally right is in accord
with Christianity she says. To spsnk loosely
of war as un- Christian is to ignore not only
the Christian right but the Christian duty
which rests with every nation and with
every man to protect that of which nation
and man are lawful protectors. Even ag-
gressVe warfare is not necessarily denial
we have chosen to believe that arbitration
would secure for the world a maximum of
comfort at n minimum of cost, and that the
religion of humanity would achieve what
the religion of Christ has never achieved
the brotherhood OF man. From this dream
we have been rudelv awakened; but. being
awake, let us clearly recognize that simple
and great quality which makes every man
the defender of his home, the guardian of
his rights, the avenger of his shameful
wrongs.
o.1,r f,,rN
than this. Ignoring considerations OF Of
fensve and defensive, justified and unjusti
fed 1t defends war a valuable and nee
essary element in our evolution, and an
essential part of the theosophical cult (2),
they say that they are
Compelled to recognize and assert the
spiritual value of war. Peace is SOUGHT and
praised not so much as a spiritual victory
over selfishness, but rather making a
secure field for the growth of selfish self
INDULGENCE. OF course all kinds of nleas are
made for family life for domestic bliss and
well-being, for the torn hearts of women and
children: but under all this is the assump-
tion, which we cannot but think Is at once
base and essentiaIlv false that real we'll
being lies in self-will and self-indulPence;
that fattening is good for the soul. Stand
ing the basis Of sheer materialism, and
all through the ages of organic evolution,
find growth without danger and self
sacrifice that the surest and most endur-
ing Growth has invariably been made In the
face Of imminent and imnendtng death. The
snirtual life Is ceaseless warfare: we hold
that earthly warfare has lessons invaluable
lessons not To he learned IN neace: for this
reason. II for no other, that tts conditions
are far closer TO those Of normal sntritual |
life the long warfare AGAINST active insidi-
ous forces Of evil for the making Of i'm
mortals for the redempton of the soul.
"Long Way to Tipperary"
Sometimes the incidentals are more inter-
esting than the main theme, and 1t is al
ways interesting to follow out the remote
reactions and complications of any great
event Far in the wake of the world war
and the singing of "Tipperary" follows
protest from Mrs Ellen Ryan Jolly, of
Providence, r. l., national president of the
auxiliaries of the Ancient Order of Hiber-
mans. It is published in the Boston Pilot,
the official organ of Cardinal O'Connell in
Boston go. The protest receives certain
amount of sanction from the following edi-
torial comment: Mrs. jolly doesn't mince
nor spare words in her condemnation of mis-
representation OF the Irish race, nor of the
attempts to doddle it,"
Mrs Jolly writes:
With all the pent-up scorn of my loyal
Tipperary heart 1 resent the insult and ut
ter this public and indignant protest against
such prostitution of my heritage, the blood
and spirit of the Tipperary my mother loved.
She describes the song as "maudlin, men
dacious set of jingling, meaningless doggerel,
sung in ragtime, by the poltroonS wearing
the lobster back uniform of the British
army; and adds, God love and bless sweet
Tipperary, for my heart is surely there; ana
it's there I'm longing to be 10 tell the
"natchless men Of Tipperary" to continue
TO refuse to accept the Kings shilling, to
refuse to wear the livery OF the British ".
rant TO refuse to listen to Enslands mad
appeals for Irish volunteers to fight Ire
lands old friends.
Brooklyn doctor, travelling In the BRITISH
Isles, suggests the other side Of the picture
in a description of Sunday morning service
in old Saint Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh
ca. Doctor Kayanagh writes;
This Is the oldest parish church of the
city founded in the 18th century, 1t was a
military service Two thousand soldiers
were present and enough of their friends to
crowd the edihce. Their chaplain preached
cod There was no hard word for the foe,
hut an appeal of the Cromwellian type 10
that God was their refuge ana
nothing short OF the whole armor could NJ
them for the trenches.
Christianity and Socialism
While the church does not apologize for
the war, Socialists do, and incidentally at
tack the church for failing to. Max East
man, who is the son Of a Protestant minis
ter, writes 90;
would like TO can the attention Of those
who are shouting about the breakdown OF
Socialist internationalism in this war to the
fact that while Socialists have been preach
ing the conception of internationalism only
sixty-odd years, the Christian church has
been preaching internationalism for 20 cen
turies and yet nobody is shouting about its
breakdown And why2 Because they do not
take it seriously, and for rs centuries they
have not taken it seriously. And why do they
shout about the breakdown of Socialist In
ternatiOnalism2 Because though II Is so
young they know Il 10 be founded upon q
truth as to the real nature Of humanity and
Of human history, and they do take Ct seri-