The midland journal., 1916-08-04
Declaration For Constructive
Peace.

"A Declaratl0n FOr Constructive
Peace.
The Religious Society of Friends,
from the beginning of its history
more than two and half centuries
ago, has interpreted Christianity as
having direct and practical bear
ing upon the relations of nations
with each other. 1t has accepted
the teachings of Christ to mean an
uncompromising condemnation of
war, and faithful devotion to that
divine spirit in man which does away
with the causes and fear of war and
with the need of all preparations for
it.
In accordance with this interpre-
tation of Christianity, the General
Conference of Friends in the United
States and Canada, assembled in
Cape May, New Jersey, from the 9Th
to the 18th of July, 1916, issues this
solemn warning and fervent appeal
to men everywhere, and especially
to those who bear the name of
Christians, to renounce now and
henceforth all reliance whatsoever
upon war as means of settling
disputes or of obtaining so-called
justice between nations
The Society believes that Christi
anty asserts the inviolability of the
conscience of the individual in the
sight of God as against the slightest
exercise of military depotism. The
Confernece therefore appeals to the
citizens of every State in our Union
and in the Dominion of Canada to
refrain from constraining the con-
sciences and conscripting the bodies
and minds of men or children by
imposing upon them compulsory
military training That the danger
of this aspect of militarism is real
and imminent one in our own Re-
public is proved by the fact that COM
pulsory training in the schools has
been enacted in the State of New
York and is urgently advocated in
several other American Common
wealths.
The Society believes that Christi
anity inculcates the right and duty
of citizens in democracy to do their
utmost to Danish public ills and pre-.
vent public wrongs. The Conference
therefore appeals to all citizens of
our Republic to prevent the enact
ment of any censorship of the press
or any limitation upon freedom of
speech in the interests of alleged
military efficiency.
The Society believes that Christi
anity proclaims the duty of men in
all nations to obey the divine in
junction to establish, by peace and
righteous means alone the kingdom
of peace and brotherhood, which is
the true kingdom of God, on earth.
The Conference therefore appeals to
men everywhere to strive whole
heartedly for the establishment of
genuine international peace and
justice by means of that Internal
ional judicial system which was out
lined in 1893 by William Penn,
which has been resorted to repeated
ly and successfully since the Hague
Conferences adopted it, and which
is justified by reason, by successful
practice, by the life and teachings
of the Prince of Peace and by the
voice of God in every human heart.
Finally, as practical means of
realizing the above principles, the
Conference solemnly appeals to all
legislators to endeavor, in singleness
of purpose and in purity of heart,
to learn and to obey the will of God
in their action on military proposals
and ON. the constructive peace pro-
gramme of our time; and it fervent
ly appeals to all voters to seek and
to follow the Divine guidance in
casting their ballots for candidates
into whose hands will be committed
the decision for pagan militarism or
for Christian democracy, within the
nations, and for, suspicion and
hatred, war and anarchy, or for
friendship and brotherhood, peace
and Justice, among the nations.