The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-07-16
We Must Expect Continued
War Until There Is a Uni
form Moral Law for All
People of the World.
BISHOP WARREN A. GAMBLER.

did not exceed four persons war be-
gan, and in the first assault on one
fourth of the race perished. ms
was when Cain rose up against nus
brother Abel and slew him. The
motive of that conflict is much the
same as that which has given rise to
all subsequent conflicts between men
and nations. This motive is pointed
out in the Scriptures in these words:
"Wherefore slew he him? Because
his own works were evil and his
brothers righteous"
Unequal moral standards give rise
to diverging moral courses between
men, and this being so, collisions are
inevitable. In every such case q NOR
al issue is involved The age-long
conflicts in human history have all
been. in their last analysis, wars be-
tween good and evil. Because this is
true, all issues between men and ma
tions must reach final settlement
on an ethical basis.
In the uprising of the Israelites in
Egypt and their exodus from the
land of the Pharaohs, we see a con-
flict of Hebrew faith with Egyptian
superstition. Pharaoh's ignorance Of
the true God was, according to his
own account, the reason for his de-
tanning the children of Abraham as
his slaves: 81 know not the Lord,
neither will | let Israel CO." All
along the journey, from Egypt to the
land of promise, Moses and his peo-
pie were meeting opposition from
fierce tribes whose moral standards
were lower than the Hebrew law. In
the conquest of Canaan battles were
fought on the bare issue of pagan
idolatry with the religion revealed by
Jehovah.
In the war now raging in Europe
the belligerent powers without eX-
ception evince the consciousness that
they must justify themselves under
the moral law. Hence the zeal dis
played upon the part of each to prove
the other wrong; and, hence, the re-
ports of Commissions designed to es-
tablish the righteousness of the cause
of each and the unrighteousness OF
its foes. Those warning nations are
not mistaken in this matter. None of
them are great enough or strong
enough to set aside the moral law.
By it they must be judged, and by
it they must stand or fall.
1t is commonly supposed that nat
ural laws are self-enforcing, but that
the moral law has no power to ell
force its demands. There can be no
greater mistake than this. Far
above all natural forces and laws
rises the majesty of righteousness,
and the man or nation who deties it
rushes upon the bucklers of the AL
mighty. 1t towers above US with
such holy serenity that we mistake its
calmness for indifference; but in the
end it speaks with the voice Of God
saying: "Vengeance is mine, | will
repay"
If these things be true, and no one
will deny them, we must expect con-
tinued conflicts between nations un-
til there is a uniform moral stand
ard among all the people of the earth
and supreme moral authority which
all respect and obey.
If the ethical standards of the Ori-
ent continue as they are, while the
moral standards of the Occident are
such as they are, there is before the
world, at no distant day, the bloodiest
of all wars which mankind has ever
seen, the present conflict in Europe
not excepted. That part of the world
commonly called "Christendom' will
never submit to the moral standards
of Buddhism, or Confucianism, or
Hinduism, or Mohammedanism On
the other hand, the Pagan nations
will not submit to the moral stand
ards of Christianity until they have
been brought to know and love the
God of Christianity. This being the
case, a worldwide war, not many de-
cades hence, can not be diverted eX-
cept by worldwide evangelization.
The missionary enterprise is the hope
of the world for perpetual peace.
We have seen enough during the
past year to know that we can not
rely upon peace conferences" and
"peace treaties" When a nation
takes leave of the moral law all its
international covenants aye thrown
to the winds as mere scraps of pa
per-" Then national interests and
aspirations assume the supreme
place, and the moral law is trampled
under foot; right ceases to be con-
sidered and might becomes the rule
of life.
Inc program OF Jne extreme IdCl-
ficists is an iridescent dream until the
nations recognize a standard of right
eousness which is universal and invi-
olable. To disarm the good, while the
wicked retain their armaments and
cherish their evil purposes, would be
very much the same as for city to
dismiss its policemen and depend up
on the consciences of the burglars
and highwaymen to secure the prop
erty and lives of its citizens. This
would not result in fewer deaths, but
in more deaths; it would not mean
the prevalence of peace, but a riot
of disorder. At the present stage
of human development the most de-
sirahle thing is that the highest pow
9r may be retained by the puresc peo-
plrs.
Inasmuch as the missionary enter
prise aims at extending the area of
righteousness in the earth, it tends to
bring the moral level of all men up
to the highest standard; and, there
fore, it contributes more than does
any other one force to the pacifica-
tion of the world; and it behooves