The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1915-07-10
Who's to Blame?

all the earth is budding forth into new
life, when the very air we breathe is
laden with the promise of fruit, we are
filled with awe and reverence for the
Creator whose power, wisdom and good
ness are manifest in all His handiwork.
AS our eyes feast on the beauties of
nature, Goods open book" we get
vision of the infinite goodness of the
Master Artist, and we wonder how
man could ever look with terror on such
a God. Yet we know that the pages
of history are filled with the record of
man on his knees begging for mercy,
trying by self-inficted punishment and
all manner of sacrifices to appease His
wrath.
How they trembled with fear at the
rumbling of the earthquake and the
roar of thunder! To their ignorant
minds they were terrible threats from
the Almighty. They saw in every mis-
fortune that befell them the awful
hand of judgment. They were bound
by chains of fear and superstition.
How thankful we should be today
that the light of science has loosened
those chains, that we need not tremble
at the workings of the elements, know
ing they are all moving according to
the laws of nature. Our task is to
combat these forces, turning them into
channels of usefulness, for did not God
give us dominion over the earth?
Yet for all our knowledge we still
find people who look upon misfortune
or suffering as the hand of God in judg-
ment. have even heard ministers of
the Gospel say that the awful slaughter
in Europe is the judgment of God.
My very soul cries out against such
injustice to God of love.
Can we imagine for moment that
Christ is pleased and approves of the
terrible suffering of innocents? He
who wept over Jerusalem because He
could not save them from just such
fate! How His heart bled for them!
II would have gathered you together
as hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not" How
He longed to mother the human race,
but they would not" They could not
think of selling their possessions and
fellowshipping the harlots and publ
cans. Mammon was their god He
turned away sorrowing, for he had
great possessions. So they sealed their
fate, and for 1900 years we have
chung to our idol and spurned Christ's
plan of peace and brotherhood through
the common ownership of the means of
life, giving every man the right to en-
joy the fruit of his toll, eliminating
forever the master and slave.
When we have learned our lesson
and are willing to renounce our idol,
embracing all mankind as our brothers,
each living for all without desire for
reward, then, and only then, can we
hope to see the kingdom of heaven on
earth.
What an injustice we do the Lord,
and how cowardly in us, to hint that
He has personally visited Europe with
this awful carnage. Wouldn't it be
more manly to shoulder the RESPONSE
bility ourselves, always remembering
that "God is not Knocked, whatsoever
a man soweth that shall he also reap"
In other words, God does not change
His laws to please or to punish man.
Shall we then blame God when we
reap the fruit of our own misdeeds, or
when innocent children suffer for our
sins?
For not only do we reap what we
SOW, but oftentimes what the "other
fellow" sows, for mo man liveth to
himself" and we are all "our brothers.
keeper" Salvation must be universal.
The sooner we learn these truths the
better it will be for the human race.
AS we look about US we see how all
nature works in harmony with Gods
law, every flower, bird and beast CO.
operating with Him in the reproduction
of life, and we blush with shame to
think that man alone, whom God
created in His own image, should de-
part from His way of peace and har-
mony and live apart, as it were, in
selfishness, discord and strife-every
man living to himself, fighting for the
means of life, the stronger crushing
the weaker, the more efficient taking
the place of his less fortunate brother,
who has perhaps lived few years too
long, or for some other cause finds his
faculties failing.
Nations to compete with each other
for the markets of the world main
tain great armies and navies to protect
their respective interests. They teach
their youth to plumber and destroy life
for their respective flags. Why then
should we be amazed when these in
terests clash and their armies are called
out in defense?
Can we live on volcano and hope to
escape when the eruption takes place?
In the face of all this, are we coward
ly enough to lay our crime upon God?-
Mrs r. r. DOWnie Rice