The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-04
AMERICAS SPIRITUAL
SALVATION IS N WAR
Rev. Samuel L. Dumville breaches
Forceful Sermon On Present
Crisis In Decatur Street.
NOT IN FOR VENGEANCE.
United States Has Entered Conflict to
Protect Those Who Are Unable to
Protect Themselves, Says South
Side Pastor.

the subject of sermon delivered yes
terday by Rev. Samuel l.. Dumvillc,
pastor of the Decatur Street Method
ist church. DIR. Dumville discussed
the ethics of the position of our coun-
try In the present conflict, a subject
which has naturally received much
consideration by the thoughtful of the
country. The pastor frequently quot
ed the Scriptures. and DIR. Lyman Alb
bolts mastery address on the subject
He said in part:
ject we md that there is much in
volved, many questions to be answer
ed Ia II ever right to use force, to
restrain the lawiess, to protect the
weak, to uphold fundamental prin-
ciples? Have we the right to over
come the burglar who would break
in our homes? Should we use force
against q brute who would destroy
tho nncIty of our families? Shall
the strong pro<ect the weak? II we
answer these questions affirmatively
with reference to the individual we
must necessarily answer them af-
frmativciy when the same or similar
questions involve nations. Are there
any principles thai are dearer 10 us
than life itseff? Are there times
when We must use force to preserve
theen principles and protect the .ess
fortunate onase Greater love hath
no man than this that a man lay down
his life for his friends, said the
Christ. Is there ever a time when
*e must face death fer others?
~Now we believe that in this present
war the United States, with it's allies.
are lighting tor principles that are
aearer than life Itself. that are
:hanpionine the cause Of the weak
and unfortunate oneN What II tire
great Lsusr 1t Is the struEgle OF de-
uiocraey against military oligarcnE.
The struggle Of those who believe that
the heads OF the government should
he The servants of ire people. against
those who hok that the people should
s"rve the princes II Is the stru ggle
OF the God given rights OF the in
divtdual OF all classes OF society
that falsa and pagan theory.
T. e. the divine right OF kings We
believe, a~ Dr.. Lyman Abbott says.
that America, Great Britain. France.
italy and Russia have caught some
thing OF the spirit OF lovA service and
sacrttice and have organized their Po-
hiirsl and educational systems upon
the principle that the princes shall be
the servants OF the people. whereas,
on the other hand, a nation obsessed
by the pagan spirit that the people
shall ne the servants Of the princes,
has heAn armed by its princes To en-
foTce that pagan principle on all the
.pther nations of the earth. The is
sue is very simple. X ls written IN
letters OF blood and FIRE IN the ruined
tiles and the devastated fields Of
Belgium and France, Have Christian
nations right TO be Christians
Have the people right To establish
the kingdom of God on earth--the
klnsdom Of love. service. and self
e4crinoc, the kingdom in which the
rich shall serve the poor, the strong
shall serve the weak. and the wise
shah serve the ignorant, the kingdom
ir which he who Is greatest shall be
the servant of alls
&. ...e. Vi gFmlssssi Il, I.esstgrIse Him.
TN days gone by there were those
who thought that God would brina
His Kingdom. fnllgrown, into being
some day When the deiiverer came
they failed to recognize Him. All.
There are times when we must stand
stu, and fast and pray and wait on
God There are ether times when
God Himself bids US, with no stacking
In our faith, go forward in His Name.
In other words. God is using mankind
for the furtherance or His purpose,
/. e., tho bringing in of His King
dom. There are times when some
cry: Peace, peace. when there is no
peace For when ~co~etousness. un-
holy lust for world pewA=,-nnnn-
mania OF lordship over nations and
races have possessed man or set OF
men, then there can be no peace
The day will come, and l for one
do not heheve ii is far distant. when
the ideal of the Kingdom of God AZ
described by the prophets shall be
realized In that golden age. oppres-
sion will cease, law will be enforced
nv conscience. war will cease: weap-
ons Of warfare will be turned into i'm
PIGMENTS of agriculture. poverty Will
be no more: every man will have MS
siust share shall sit undfsturbed and
untreubled under his own vine and
fr tree Industry will be purged OF
creed and xelfshness holiness will be
Inscribed on the bells of the horses:
education will be universal no man
will teach his neighbor; the family
will be knit together by the bonds OF
love: the heart Of the fathers will be
turned to the children apd the heart
of the children to the fathers.
ours is a favored nation. We
should lend our power to the bring
INK about of this kingdom OF God
II il not right for America to be
dereIict Of this sacred trust. and, with
Or. Abbott. L am unable to under
stand how any man who calls him
self a Christian should wish the
United States to make Of itself A~vast
monastery where Christian people,
strong enough to save Europe from
paganism, give themselves, not to fast,
ing and praying for the kingdom, but
to feasting and forgetting all about
the kingdom
IT may be mistaken. but It seems
to me | see Americas spiritual salva-
ton in this war. for is it not the spirit
of altruism, yes, the spirit of rea
Christianity-'We that are strons
ought to bear the infrmities OF the
weak and not to please ourselves?
I'VE have entered this war. not for
vengeance. not even primarily to pro-
tect our rights, but 20 protect those
=. who are unable to protect themselves
II have the deepest sympathy for
the German people and would no,
wound those loyal American citizens
of German percentage who are true
to the nag of their adopted country
but when I read of the outrages per-
petrated by the Prussian military
oligarchy,~ such as the hands Of the
baby boys in Belgium cut off with the
statement that they will never be
able to fight against Germany; the
girls of twelve to fifteen of France