New-York tribune., 1916-01-01
Become a Sacred Du

standing in the presence Of that grim alter
native even now. If so, we must quickly
realize that there are many worse things than
war. To sit mutely by while the lives and
liberties of fellow democracies are IN the
clutches of a mad Mahometanism; 70 be will
ing that Belgium should be robbed and en-
shaved, if we but have the chance 20 sing our
Christmas carols and put some money In our
purse; 70 be content that free England and
republican France should suffer wrong and
spoiation if only We obtain the opportunity
to steal their trade TO be so unspeakabiy
base as TO be satisfied with peace for our
selves when, at the same moment, the consti-
tu.ional liberties OF the world are in peril;
to be ready and even anxious 10 do this Is 70
register q pusilanimous choice which Will
be our deep damnation in the moral world.
A peace such as this and obtained az such
a cos. 70 national character and democratic
institutions can hardly promote that eman-
cipation of spiritual force and principle
wherewith Christ Jesus makes US free Peace
at such price means loss OF moral stamina,
forfeit Of opportunity 70 battle for the right
and surrender of that sublime mission among
the peoples Of the world which Washington
and Lincoln bequeathed US as hallowed
trust. Such n peace may bring us trade ana
give TO William Jennings Bryan the golden
opportunity he desires for the display OF his
lucrative rhetoric but il will not bring US
that high peace of soul which comes OF duty
done and of sacrifices suffered in great and
noble cause. Such a peace may bring us
wealth, but il will also bring US shame.
From across the water will come the re-
proach that Henry of Navarro threw at Grill
lon: go hang yourself, Crilon. for We
fought at Argues and you were not there;
and in the night watches this same reproach
will be reechoed from within our own hearts
as we remember that Frenchmen and Eng
lishmen and Belgians fought for liberty in
/ Flanders and We, the Americans, were not
there. I know not what others may feel, but
for myself can truly affirm that had ! ten
sons, | should prefer to see them all dead in
the trenches in France rather than have the
black and damning consciousness that, while
the liberties Of mankind were threatened
with extinction, my sons were pleased TO
peacefully chatter on change with brokers and
money lenders and glad 10 phi!ander in
theatre and parlor with the girls.
For be it remembered that when the gods
OF silver and gold and iron worshipped
by a nation the day Of its decadence has
arrived and the hour of its doom has struck
Centuries ago BelshazZar celebrated his
famous feast and lauded these material gods
20 whom he had dedicated his allegiance. In
that same hour appeared "the writing on the
WALL" and the kingdom that preferred peir
20 character perishcd. And Belshazzar's king
dom was neither the first no- the last 20 reap
in overthrow the logical harvest of it, own
naturalization. The kingdom of Solomon be-
came magnifcently rotten, and "a conse-
quence il was first divided and then pas 5el
away SO also with Greece and Rome and
Spain. And the same fate is awaiting the
United States II they decide that, for the sake
Of desp.cable peace, they Will bow before
the matcrialstic gods OF "Deutsche Kultur"
rather than defend with the sword the spirit
ual affairs where their forefathers worshipped.
The purchase OF such peace would be the
triumph Of the bourgeois pacifsm of our day.
but it would also be the defea. OF our na-
tioual ideals and Of the spirit of true religion.
| seem 10 recall an incident in the history
Of the FIRST and only Christian which gives
an account OF the conduct OF that exalted per-
sonage when lie found the templc OF his race
defiled by the tables of the money changers
and OF those who sold doves of peace p. He
could not brook the presence OF these sordid
trafiickers within the temple incosure. and so
He made for Himself "a scourge Of small
cords and entering in He drove them all
forth into the open, proclaiming in no peace
fu! terms 90 them that sold doves: Take
these things hence o.. Ny house shall be
called The house o. prayer; but ye have made
it den Of thieves
Now, ny fellow countrymen. our forefath-
crs built upon these shores a holy temple and
dedicated D, TO that God OF spiritual freedom
without which neither manhood nor Chris,
tianity can be brought 70 flower. The tenn
pie was built of the people and for the peo-