Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-11
1 QUESTION RAISED BY
 THE EUROPEAN WAR.
Rev. C. H. Rioketts Asks Whether We
 Are Christians or Pagans.

The talk given at the plant of the Richmond Radiator company Wednes- day noo2t by Rev. C. Il. Rtckotts under the auspices of the Y. M. C. 4. was on the topic Christian or Pagan? Rev. Mir. Ric5etts said the carnival of butchery now going on in Europe has raised tle question in thoughtful minds whether we are Christians or Pagans. The nations of Europe wear the label of Christianity; they extol the high degree of their civilization, they pride themselves in the size and spIen- 1 dor of their churches; they claim to have the finest educational system in the world; that college graduates from all parts of the world flock to their ] universities to complete their educa- ton; that they have carried present knowledge of the arts and sciences to the highest degree of perfection; that their armies and navies. their warlik e equipment, their industry and con-
 Tnerce surpass anything known in hu- man history.
 Let Us readily grant all this; that the nations have reached q, degree Of material greatness far beyond any thing in the past, but if they treat one another like VandalS and yiSigOthS how far are they removed in spirit from those early savages? The parties whoever hey may be, who are respon- sible for this flying at one another's thrOatS like vultuTes will be known in
 ; mankind. Many wars in the past have been waged in the interests Of human ity. like our Civil war. which was un- dertaken for the political redemption of the coioTed race: and the later con- test with Spain which was a protest against cruelty to Cuba. There have been many even Unjustidable wars in which the issues were clearly defined ana the causes perfectly clear. But l can find, after careful searching, abso- n iy1e n e l the least shadow Of an excuse, for bringing this deluge of blood and slf- lering upon d whole continent. The question that arises is this: How long win intelligent peoples suffer their loved ones to be brutally murdered, 1 their homes burned, their business sacrificed and their country impover- ished merely to satisfy the blood lust or . comparatively few selfish aristo- ! Cr3JS: II this war has no real cause, 1t will bring about one great result, and that is world act that will sweep from the earth this constant menace to national and international peace in the shape of great arnnaments. This being
 armed to the teeth invites rather than discourages war, and the time has come for the wrath of the nations to sn1ite this great idol Of Mars.
 Some of the magazines tell us that
 tll1s war shows the utter collapse of Christianity. The magazines are
 wrong. How can anything fail that
 has not had q fair trial? l claim that the nations have not yet given Christ Q fair chance. What this war proves,
 in my judgment, is this: the utter col lapse of nations that are hostile to the teachings and practice of Christ. Tell me, men, what is one of the great Fundamental facts Of Christ's king dom? Isn't it peace? Didn't the choir of angels sing at Christ's birth and on earth peace?" Is this making of the earth trembje with the cannon's roar what the angels meant by peace? What is another great plank in the platform
 of Christianity? Isn't it love? Didn't God so love the world that He sent His Son 10 die for us? Is this whole sale butchery Of one another by the millions. this blowing one another up, putting one another in prison, and re- duoing one anothers families to beg
 gary and Starvation--is this love, or it's opposite of the bitterest hate? And the nations that deliberately plan such
 atrocities. tell me, men, are they Chris tian or Pagan? It is the duty of us all
 to pray that the great God of human
 ity will end this cruel war. and so end
 it that its recurrence will be forever
 impossible.