Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-12
PEACE MAYBE AGREATER
CURSE TO AMERICA THAN
THE WAR TO EUROPE

multiply, and thy silver and thy
gold is multiplied, and all that thou
hast is multiplied
Then thine heart be lifted up. and
thou forget the Lord thy God, which
brought thee forth out of the land
Of Egypt, from the house of bond
age;
Who led thee through that great
and terrible wilderness, wherein were
fiery serpents, and scorpions, and
drought, whsre there was no water;
who brought thee forth water out
of the rock of flint;
Who fed thee in the wilderness
with mamma. which thy fathers
knew not, that he might humble
thee, and that he might prove thee,
to do the good at thy latter end;
And thou say in thine heart, my
power and the might of mine hand
hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the Lord
thy God, for it is he that giveth
thee power to get wealth, that he
may establish his covenant which
he sware unto thy fathers, as 1t is
this day.
And it shall be, if thou do all for
get the Lord thy God, and walk
after other gods, and serve them,
and worship them, 1 testify against
you this day that We shall surely
perish.
AS the nations which the Lord de-
stroyeth before your face, so shall
We perish; because We would not be
obedient unto the voice of the Lord
your God" deuteronomy viii:
10-20.)
When Moses thus warned the childrel
Of Israel. they were still in the wilder
ness, involved in poverty and hardship
Perhaps many thought his words wer
untimely and needless; but subsequen
history showed that the Hebrew peopl
persisted in days of prosperity becaus
they failed to heed the warning of thei
great leader. The prosperous age of Sol
ONION produced conditions out of whic
sprang the secession of the Ten Tribe
and the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the nation.
The American people will do we'll t
lay the words of Moses to heart and con
slider carefully the fact that the Hebrew
nation persisted by prosperity, and no
by poverty.
The people of the United States
possess more wealth than does any
other nation now existing, or, which
ever did exist from the foundation
OF the world. Such being the case,
the perils of our republic are greater
than ever threatened any other gov
eminent. The war-torn nations of
Europe are not in half so much dam
ger as are our people amid peace and
super-abundant prosperity. Our
country overfiows with plenty and
our people are wild with wordliness
and self-indulgence. Six days in
the week are not sufficient for the
indulgences which many of them
pursue, and they invade the Sabbath
with all sorts of pleasure-seekingg
Evidences of a wasteful and wicked
extravaganza are visible on all sides.
Conflicts between labor and capital
over the distribution of material
goods proclaim in ominous tones the
presence of unbrotherly greed among
all classes. Even some of the preach
ers of The gospel have succumbed to
the injurious influence of this period
of prosperity, and they are apologize
ing for indulgence and turning away
from the preaching of the gospel to
the delivery of lectures on social
subjects. So did the poor priests of
Solomon's time when not a pro-
pneIlC voice was raised 10 warn the
Hebrew people of their impending
doom.
Our country will be fortunate, If W
shall have prophets to arouse us agains
the perils of the prosperous period II
which we are living. DR.. Hills has don
we'll in what he has said, and it is to b
hoped others will join in calling the ma
ton to repentance for its prosperou
and God-forgetting wick
edness.
The war in Europe is hardening
the muscles and Strengthening the
manhood of veteran troops. In Japan
there are hundreds of thousands of
veterans who have been has hard
ened by conflicts. But in our country
there is a multitude of men whose
muscles are fiabby and whose man.
hood is f1accid by reason of indul-
gence in luxuries. 1t is doubtful
If we could organize an army just
now strong enough to resist success
fully two hundred thousand Mexi-
can veterans if they were we'll arm
ed and we'll fed. In view of these
facts It is pertinent to inquire If we
are prepared to meet successfully
foreign foes or overcome perfectly
domestic dangers?