The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-28
Episcopal Letter Warns of
Race Antipathy Fla ming
into Hatred
URGENT APPEAL MADE
FOR WAR CHARITIES
Americas Contribution to Sufferers of
European Countries Is Called the
"Merest Pittance Pew Have Civ
en- Lavishly.

en- Lavishly.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Oct. 2s.-The gen
cral convention of the Protestant Epis-
copal church ended here yesterday af-
ternoon with reading of the pastoral
letter of the House of Bishops warn
ing against the perils of the world
confusion which hesets the nation.
This message, which is to be dis
tiibuted for reading from all pulpits
Of the faith, was read in Christ church
| cathedral by Bishop Charles Henry
| Brent of the Philippines as the vested
shepherds of the sees sat in the chan
eel. The draft was written by him and
Bishops Lawrence of Massachusetts
and Anderson of Chicago, and revised
by the episeopate in chancel. Thoughts
of the tragedy of Europe have affected
the proceedings of the convention at
every angle, and their influence fills
TINS last utterance. The letter sets
forth that so interviewer are the for
tunes of the nations in the tapestry
of fate that. to ignore such fact were
folly. The fact that our nation is not
at war affords no ground for snug
ness
1T throws upon us the searching
responsibility of exalting the true
ideals of peace and incorporating them
III our national life, the letter saws.
Nationalisms too often assume the
ugly role of group-selfshness or false
patriotism. Local conditions determine
what form this disease will take. Yon-
der 1t breaks forth in war; here I'm I'M
eonsecrated prosperity which is bound
10 cause manhood to decay. The nation
That in some quarters, for the sake of
sain, still chains to the wheels of in
dustry the bodies and souls of her lit
tie children. that allows human life
to be sacrificed to the inventions of
speed and production from lack of
costly safeguards, that heeds but list
lrssly the cry of the poor and op-
pressed, is not at peace even though
she he not at war. If presently-we
aspire to act as peacemakers in behalf
OF the warning nations on the ground
that we are not caught in the meshes
of the actual conflict, let our aspira-
tions be tempered by the reflection
that we are tainted with the common
disease of which the eruption of war
Is a symptom, not a cause. God hates
a Goddess and empty peace as much as
he hates unrighteous war.
/ Let it be sadly said that. in pro-
/ portion to her swollen wealth, as fig
urcs show, America s contribution to-
/ ward the alienation of innocent suf-
/ ferers in Europe is the merest pittance.
/ A few have given lavishly, even to the
/ laying down of their lives, many in
/ due proportion to their substance. the
! vast majority little or nothing. But
/ the opportunity has not yet swept by
| The wounds of Armenia, Poland, and
] Belgium still lie gaping to the sky and
offer their dumb appeal to God and
/ man. If America comes out of this
/ day of world disorder, richer in purse
and poorer in manhood, she will invite
and bring upon herself the penalty of
a debased national life or even of los
ing her soul, The peace that smothers
the soul is as ruthless and inexorable
as the war which mangles the bodies
of its victims.
The Bishops declare that the nation
IS still in danger of race antipathy
flaming into the hatred which always
+ constitutes the call to arms.
Whatever dangers may lie lurking
i beyond our western horizon, - they say
"can surely be averted by spirit OF
! justice, which has not always pre-
vailed in our dealing with the multi
/ tudinous Orient, which presently will
be the center of the world s atten
ton. -