Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-08-27

Iioho, pCIllleu ny IRE ana SWORD,
are assembled in worship of the one
true God. Peace and prosperity,
holiness and happiness are beautiful
ly blended in that glorious kingdom
of righteousness.
Such is the vision of Isaiah the
son of Amos" The conditions
which he describes are similar to
those of our time. One looking
abroad upon the world just before
this great war would have found it
grown rich and luxurious. Re-
sources were developed to high de-
gree. Commerce had threaded the
seas with highways and lanes of
trade. But this prosperity was not
accompanied by a corresponding
growth in piety. National jealousy
and the lust of conquest dictated
policy or governments. Our vaunt-
ed intellectual culture was charac-
terized by pride and arrogance.
The diabolical cruelty, the wanton
destruction of life and property that
characterize this war in Europe ex-
hibit our twentieth century civiliza-
ton on moral plane no higher than
that of Isaiah's day.
HOW GOD LOOKS UPON THE NATIONS.
Let US glance at these warning
nations of to-day, and endeavor to
see them as God looks upon them.
The three most brilliant capitals of
Europe - Paris, Berlin and Vienna
are notorious as nurseries of fashion
able sins and hotbeds of vice. We
see poor little Belgium, and our
hearts are wrung with grief over
her sufferings. But it will be re-
membered that the world was hor-
row smitten a few years ago by the
revelation of atrocities practised by
Belgians on the helpless creatures
of the Congo. 1t will be recalled
also that BeIigum's former king,
Leopold, was SO grossly immoral in
life that his own daughter repudiat-
ed him. Consider Germany. Pass
over her cruel military system that
glorifies war, and the absolutism of
her government that regards all
citizens as the slaves of the State,
and let us consider Germany's intel
lectuai culture of which she is sc
proud.
Germany's intellectual culture
heads up in her great universities
One chief contribution of these
universities is their materialistit
philosophy that has no place for
God or spiritual experience. The
logical fruits of this philosophy have
already appeared in Germany. The
teaching of the schools has filtered
through to the common people, ano
they were rapidly becoming atheists
before this war. The churches i at
least the State churches were
largely deserted. Sunday was a
day of feasting and pleasure
Scores of thousands of men and
women were having their names
erased from the rolls of the State
Church, and avowing themselves
atheists. Socialism in Germany is
overwhelmingly atheistic Work.
ingmen in the factories who pro.
fessed themselves Christians and
persisted in their loyalty to theil
church were driven out of the
works. In conservation last spring
with prominent Baptist minister
in Germany in regard to the rapiC
growth of atheism in that country
| asked what, in his judgment
would be the outcome. He replied
1T will go on and grow worse anC
worse until some terrible scourg'
comes on Germany and drives tn,
people back to true faith in God.
Was he not prophet?
What of England She is a rum
soaked nation. What observan
visitor to Lond On has not notice
the besotted condition of her multi
tudes of poor? 1t is a common
sight to see women standing befor,
the unscreened bars drinking whil'
their little children walt for then
outside the saloon. "Whiskey ant
soda" is the all too popular drink o
polite society. Government officials
missionary societies and relief com
mi.tees are making urgent appeal
for temperance since this war began
Then the English government ha
been consistently harsh toward tn,