The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-02-05

A well known magazine issues it's cover page. It depicts Mars, ths, God of war with darknened back ground, sword in hand dripping with blood, standing agnast at a vision of Christ in the distance, surround cd as it is with a halo of heavenly light. The inference is that the war god is shocked from his work by the miraculous appearance of tho Savior, and halts in his internal operations during that month whercin the birth of Christ is celebrated.
 All of which is supposed to show the potency of religion and the di- yinoly healing effect of grace upon the souls of tho most savage of men.
 Now that cover is all buncombe This is said with no disrcsp2ct to- wards those who believe they are religious, but because the magazine cover does not begin to illustrate an actual condition.
 One of the most pocitivo facts in the nations involved are religious They all more or lesss openly pro- fess one sort or another of Christ ianity Some are protestant and others Catholic; but all unite in worshipping the same God, and outside mere theological difference, in accepting the same code of religious morai- ity. Moreover, it is positively cor rect thct instead of being in any way a detorrent upon the nations, their religion has been deliberately used to increase their fighting capa- city, their war fcrvor, their detormi- nation, zeal and enthusiasm.
 Moving picture men hGve depicted divine service for departing regi- mcnts, they show high ecclesiastics blessing flying machines, guns and battle flags, They show the very great importance which tho leaders attach to the religious ceremonies that are an adjunct of warlike meas ures.
 Furthermore every ruicr w;thou. exception signifies his trust in God, and days of prayer for victory are frequently held by both sides in the conflict.
 The idea suggested in the cover design that Mars is sti, tho pagan God that dominates tho woT d while christianity sleeps is not so far iron. actual fact that it is a misropresen- tation and pcrvers:on Of tho truth. Hand in hand with the war has gone on tho religious mummery of the rulers who fomented it; hand ill hand with the war has gone on the religious ceremony that is recognizel as suitable to arms and men of war, hand in hand with tho war has gone the medication of religious beliefs which were powerleGs to prevent the war
 There's not a single nation invClv- which can be called an irroligious nation in the accepted sense of tn, term, and we sec it declared that one of the happiest features of the war is that the fighting arc becoming more and more religious.
 Now there is no admitting that the doctrines of Jesus Christ have anything in common with this war, nor is there any religious code ex- cept that of Mahomet which justl- fies it's slaughter. Everyone agrees that the war has turned back civil;- zation along the path of retrogres- sion; everyone agrcss that it is all evil and an unmixed evil But who will be found to come forward and declare that christianity has been d failure in those nations that are az war?
 Yet to judge the value of prssenr day christianity by the standard set down by it's Founder, surely it is found wanting. The tree shall be known by it's fruit Grapes do not grow on missiles. And judging by the fruit of thousands Of years de- vetion to the recognized principles of Christianity surely it would have to be condemned. a
 Facing this alternative some reli- gionists claim that it is Gods judg-