The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-07-26
THE MENACE OF
uDREAD war.
Has Hung Over the World for Years
and 10 Not Vet Solved by
tho Nations
HOW WILL IT be DEsTRoYEDl
Men Must Learn to Live and Do OFF
ferently Before Peace viii
Finally Come.
By Geo. r. TRACER.

..4.G BY Geo. e. TRACER.
Truly the meEace of war has hung
over us for many years; and when
war burst in all its dread reality upon
us. it only gave a feverish stir to war
preparations such as went far beyond
the gigantic efforts that already had
been made. In fact, all the colossal
piling up OF ornaments seemed but a
feeble thing as compared with. what
has come since then. '-'.. 20.
And now, as never before, all are
looking forward to the time when they
hope the menace of war shall be de.
stroyed England and France. for ex.
ample, see that the only hope of peace
Is to crush Germany so completely
that she will not be able to threaten
them again for generation to come,
at least. This is one means that is
put forth to secure world peace and
to destroy the world menace OF war.
David Starr Jordan and others have
another way. 1t is world court OF
arbitration. the supreme court of the
nations, where every question ordinar'
lily settled by war shall be settled once
and for all by the supreme dictators
OF world affairs Hitherto all their
efforts have been but fulfil!ment Of
the old prophecy. Saying peace.
peace, when there is no peace"--in
other words, talking peace and making
war The socialists, bound in a world
coalition, promised that there would
be no more wars They had enough
men in every nation pledged to stand
as socialists against war. Socialists
were brothers. Brothers must not
fight They all were mighty union:
and if any nation declared war, they
would declare strike on the war. and
make 1t impossible. When wars
alarms sounded. the German socialists
rallied to war, forgot socialism to fight
English, French and Russian social
lists. The big strike was never de.
ciarei Shali4we blame them for love
OF country? We are not DESTROYS Of
saying anything here except to show
the failure of socialism to destroy the
menace Of war.
In the United States, the hope of de-
stroying the menace Of war Is Ito he
thoroughly prepared" This is not
new A prominent ruler of one of the
nations of Europe is credited with hav
ing said, not long ago. that after this
war, the nations will prepare more
thoroughly than ever for wars event.
ualities. He is reported as saying
that the nations will not forget the
lesson of Belgium: that it. is Switzer
lands and Hollands effective soldiery
that saves them from the war; that
the only safeguard is, to be prepared
This has been the talk for a genera
tion: and when war comes. we find
that preparation, instead of preventing
war. makes war thousandfold more
terrible. The only logical way of de-
stroying the menace Of war is to get
at the cause of it. Removing the
cause. you no longer have the effect.
What is the cause of the war? There Is
but one authority that can tell us fin
ally and fully.
whence come wars and whence
come fighting among you? Come they
not hence. even of your pleasures that
war in your members? Ye lust, and
have not; ye kill and covet, and can
not obtain; We fight and war; We have
not; because We ask not. Ye ask, and
receive not. because We ask amiss
that 5ye may spend it in your pleas
ures." James 4: 1-3. F.
There are things that the nations
want badly enough to spend treasure
and blood to obtain them. That makes
war Now the remedy is this: "Who
is wise and understanding among you:
let him show by his good life his works
in meekness of wisdom. {. :. i. for where
jealousy and faction are, there is con
fusion and every vile deed. But the
wisdom that is from above is first
pure, then ceaceable. gentle, easy to
be entreated. full of mercy and good
fruits, without variance, without by.
pocrisy. And the fruit of righteous
ness is sown in peace for them that
make peace" James 3: 1918. E
Remember the words of Jesus,
Blessed are the peacemakers: for
they shall be called sons of God"
There may be what are considered
righteous wars. or wars of self-de.
Tense; but always there is some one
who is invading. else there would be
no need OF self.defense. And why the
invasion? We must go back to the
scripture we have quoted. There Is
only one means of destroying the men.
ace of war, and that is. to accept. the
principles of Righteousness as reveal
ed in the bible. This the world refuses
to do. Every other means is but a
subterfuge. and will fail. BY none OF
the means that the world is using
will the menace of war be destroyed
Armageddon will be the ultimate
clash, and then will come the end.
Very sincerely yours,
GEO. E. TRACER,
OF the local Seventf-day
Adventist Church.