Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-01
CAUTION GIVEN TO CHURCHES
Catholics and Protestants Warn
Pastors Against Making Par.
tisan War Talks.
FURTHER INFORMATION PEACE

NEW YORK. Feb 2.-The Church
Peace Union. founded year ago by An
drew Carnegie. through it's secretary.
Rev. Frederick Lynch. made public here
today message which the union has ad-
dressed TO "the churches and clergy Of
America" cautioning ministers and
church people against partisanship in
discussing the European war, and pro-
testing against the present agitation for
increased ornaments.
This is said TO be the first time in
church history that Catholics and Prot
estants have Joined in signing a common
letter addressed to the churches. The
Peace unions letter is signed by Car
dinal Gibbons Of Baltimore. and Arch
bishop Glennon Of st. Louis. The presi-
dent of the union is the Right Rev. David
II. Greer Protestant Episcopal bishop
OF New York, who is one Of the sigma
tories
Two Million Endowment.
AZ the first meeting OF the Church
Peace union. on February 10, 1914. it was
announced that Mr.. Carnegie had made
II an endowment of 100000, its aim
being the furtherance of the cause OF
international peace through the united
efforts of all religious bodies. Twenty
nine prominent clergymen and churchmen,
representing all denominations, including
Jewish organizations. were appointed
trustees. 1t is these men who have
signed the message in question. Follow
ing are some Of the striking paragraphs
in the message:
Partlsanship Is adding fuel to fires OF
passion which alrf ad fan ha4
gymen should allay prejudice, not in
tensny II. On this calamitous hour
denunciation of either side assumes a
superhuman knowledge Of complex pol-
ioies and purposes. irnperils the Influence
OF our government In promoting peace,
aggravates a quarrel which we should
help abate. creates dissensions among
our own people, inflames a war spirit in
America. and gives force to the criticism
mat the church has abdicated its sacred
concord.
Looking for War Spirit.
We should realize not only that each
OF the warning nations has helped to
create the conditions Of which the war
ls tragic expression, but that these con-
ditionS Characts rize Americans as we'll as
iE 4, We are quite as belligerent
IN temper as other men. We should con-
cerl1n the causes of war: but we should
look for them not so much In state papers
as In the feSrs, prejudices and rivairies
except as they are influenced by the
divine spirit. Our own freedom from mill
tarism has been due to protecting oceans
rather than TO superior virtue. The pres
emit clamor for an armament to resist a
possible attack Is prompted. not by peril
hut by the disposition to echo on our side
OF the sea the cries which have been
heaTd IN Europe for years; and il Is en-
gendering the same suspicious that have
wrecked tue rc'at:ons OF Germany and
Great Britain: Are we to repeat the
policy WHICH y dEtnGhing the continent
not for war, but for peace. % 80 -
Golden Rules Application
II nations fear ano hate one another
they will fight whether they annually add
one OF a dozen battlesbips TO their navy
or loo or 10000 men to their army The
golden rule must be made effective in
intercourse. This is the
urgent duty OF the churches, and Ameri-
can churches now have free opportunity
70 speak. They should be the channel
come operative. They should make clear
the distinction between the teachings of
jesus and so-called modern civilization
cease baptizing national pride and selfise-
forth greater effort to make the divine
spirit leaven all human RELATIONSHIPS, and
proclaim the mis- sionary message of inter-
national Christianity. of altruistic minis
tres to other peoples, of God as the uni
verSal Father instead OF a national deity.
of the unity of the human race, OF religion
as the power OF God unto salvation" and
the antithesis of aggression and brute
force. 2.
signitRrfes to Document.
The following names are signed to the
document Rev. Peter Ainslee, Rev Ar
thur Judson Brown. Rev. Francis ,E.
Clark, Rtv, Or. w. II, p. Faunce, presi-
dent OF Brown university; His Eminenee
James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop
James ]. Glennon, Rt Rev. David H.
Greer. Rev. Frank o. Hall. Bishop r. r.
Hendrix. Rabbi Emil c.. Hirsch, Hamilton
Holt, Prof. William I. Hull, Rev. Charles
f. Jefferson. Rev Frederick Lynch, Rev.
Charles S. mcfarland, Marcus NJ. Marks,
DIR. Shaiier Mathews. Edwin ID. Mead,
Rev. William Pearson Merrill DR.. John r.
Mott. George A. Plimpton, Rev. Junius
B. Remensnyder Judge Henry Wade
Rogera DIR. Robert E. Speer, Francis
Lynde stetson. DR.. James ]. Walsh and
Bishop Luther B. Wilson. FL