The Washington herald., 1917-05-06

light OF liberty so high that It shall
tighten the world.
Today great men are driving nails that
make for a more enduring civilization,
and are putting new pinnacles on the
temple OF Christianity.
We did not see at first SO clearly the
issues in this conflict that Is now almost
rending this old world asunder, but,
as this war has gone on through the
three dreary, bleeding years. the issues
are becoming more clearly defined and
we are beginning to understand that
this is the greatest conflict for liberty
that the world has ever SEEN
Lloyd George, that dynamic master
ful premier OF Great Britain. has well
said America has a noble distinction
OF never having engaged in a war ex-
cept for liberty; this war Is the greatest
struggle for liberty that they have ever
embarked on" This is high tribute to
our nation and our great leaders and the
people are trying Just now TO live up
to It.
We have been very patient and have
borne great deal and did not respond
until We saw the white robes Of self
Righteousness drawn from the black form
Of militarism and saw that the rights
Of all free-loving people were in
jeopardy. We saw Belgium protest be-
cause of her sincerity and Of her faith
fulness to liberty. and the applause we
gave her for her courage, was all too
faint here in America. We saw England
ny to the rescue of poor little Belgium
and still our eyes were holden. not see
ing any of the greatness OF England's
sacrifice. We saw France rally to the
cause and defend her native land Hike
true American patriots and there was
no American Lafayette to help, but,
there were men who saw the real meaning
back OF II all and who had a new vision
and the great nations of the world today
are uniting In the one purpose that such
thing shall never occur again and that
no one nation, gone mad with war and
the lust for conquest. shall ruthlessly
tramped under foot a weaker foe. This
much, II nothing else. has been settled
by the war.
II, out of all the suffering and the de-
vastation that now mars the face OF this
world, there shall arise a new civili-
zation and there shall emerge a new
righteousness and there shall come new
standards. not only for individuals and
for nations. then this war will not have
been fought in vain.
see the dawn OF a hew day and its
warm breath Of love is about to blow
upon the world. I can almost believe that
the words in the Lords Prayer, are be-
coming more nearly a reality, and that
His will IL being done and that His
kingdom Is coming in a truer sense than
ever before. As Bishop Wilson said, when
1 hear the exiles singing as they come
from Siberia, and the Jews singing be-
cause for them the bondage Of Babylon
Is broken, and the soldiers in the trenches
in France singing with a new note Of
faith and liberty, and the Western con-
tinent joining In the song. when I hear
this II seems to me that God IL getting
ready the celestial choir and that the
WORM in a new song OF liberty and Jus
tice.
May that commission now in session IN
our city representing the liberty-loving
nations OF the world, so drive the nails
that the names of Viviani, Joffre. Bal
four, Lansing and Wilson will join that
illustrious company OF the worlds bene-
factors, so that for centuries TO come men
will look glorious and shall look upon
this age as the time when despotism died,
when militarism died, when imperialism,
that scourge like Attilla's, passed away
from the earth
The Stars and Stripes fioated from the
House OF Parliament the other day with
the Union Jack on the same flagstaff.
The time will come when not only will
the nag Of Great Britain and OF America
float from one hagstaf but when all the
nberty-loYing nations of the world will
be so united in thought and purpose that
all their fags shall consistently dy from
one pole with the blood-stained banner
OF jesus over all.
Because our liberty has been threat
ened We are seeing its form in new
beauty and are beginning to put the
high price upon It that was placed upon
It by our forefathers when they marched
out to meet the foreign foe that threat
ened to take Il away from them.
No nation can view with equanimity
the EFFORT on the part Of any other ma
tion to rob them of these sacred rights
and so today We are singing with new
meaning and new understanding those
words Of Hail. columbia" Thy ban