The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-11-10
PASTORAL LETTER
TO EPISCOPALIANS
National Preparedness is Clear Duty
Bishops State Their Admon1-
ton.

st. Louis, Oct. 31.-Warnl.s Auiehf
cans against "the danger OF race an
tlpathy flaming into hatred ana
against ''unconsecratei prosperity
which is bound to cause manhood to
decay" the pastoral letter of the
Protestant Episcopal Church was read
at the final joint session of the trlen-
rial convention hero today.
The letter is the message of the 10S
bishops of the church TO its coDnu-
nicants, and under the chudch law,
viii be read in every Episcopalian
church in the country.
Unlike most preTious pastoral let
ters, it dealt with secular rather than
ecclesiastical affairs. 1t reviewed con-
ditions in the United States, in Europe
and in the Orient an6 pointed ont to
this country the threat that lies in
nationalism which assumes the ugly
role Of group selhshness or false pa
triotism."
Whatever dangers may .ie lurking
beyond our western horizon it as
serted, "can surely be averted by a
spirit of justice, wl;c1 has not always
prevailed in our dealings With the
Orient"
Sanctify Weslth.
Members of the church were ad-
monished to "sanctify their yealth by
Offering freely of their substs e to
Gods cause" it being added tt" he
wounds OF Armenia, Poland aud Bel
gium still, lie gaping to the sky ana
offer their dumb appeal to God and
man." The letter in part follows:
America is involved today in world
wide confusion which finds its most
acute expression in the battle-flelds OF
Europe. No self-isolation on our part
is possible The fortunes Of the ma
tions are interviewer as the threads
of tapestry.
Interest never can again be sec
: tional. The world is henceforth one,
for the time being in disturbed and
suffering unity, in days to come in a
unity where order and health will
reign. Political expediency may in
war time require neutrality of the
state, but it cannot hold in leash the
sympathies of the individual citizen:
J A man cannot be passionless and re-
tain his manhood.
Searching Responsibility.
"The fact that our nation is not at
war affords no grounds for smugness.
1t throws upon ue the searching re-
spensibility of exalting the true ideals
of peace and Incorporating them in
our national life. Nstionalism, too OF
ten assumes the ugly role of group
selfshness or false patriotism. Local
conditions determine what form this
disease will take. Yonder it breaks
forth in the scarlet rash OF war, here
anconsecrated prosperity, which 10
bound to cause mannood to decay.
"The nation. that is some quarters,
for the sake of gain, still chains to the
wheels of industry, the bodies and
souls of her little children, that allows
human life to be sacrificed to the in
ventions of speed and production from
lack of costly safeguards. that heeds
but listlessly the cry Of the poor and
oppressed, is not at peace even though
she be not at war If frequently we
aspire to act as peaeemakegs in be-
half Of the warning nations, let our
aspirations be tempted by the reflec-
ton that We are tainted with the CON-
man disease of which the eruption OF
war is symptom, not cause. God
hates a goddess and empty peace as
much as He hates an nnrighteous war
Merest Pittance.
''Let it be sadly said that in proper
ton to her swollen wealth Americas