New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-02
Paci6st Sermon by DR.. Holmes
Moves His Trustees to Act
Pastor Offers to Quit Church of the MessiahSays No
Order of President or Governor Will Force
Him to Engage in War

mons. Other clergymen may pray to
God for victory for our srms-I will
not. In this church. il nowhere else
in all America. the Germans will still
be included in the family of Gods
children. No word of hatred shall be
spoken against them, no evil fate shall
be desired upon them. ! will remcm-
ber the starving millions of Belgium,
Serbia, Poland and Armenia, whom
my countrymen may neglect for the
more important business of killing
Germans"
Answers Own Question
Answering his own question of low
a pacifist might serve his country in
time of war, DR.. Holmes said he would
do so by preparing the way so far as
he was able, for the establishment of
peace. BY entering the war, he said,
America would cast away her sacred
charge as peacemaker.
"By conscription, more effectively
than by the attack of German le-
gions," he declared, "this country can
be destroyed and the fairest eXreri-
ment of democracy the world has ever
seen brought TO an untimely end.
"If you tell me that this war is
fought for the integrity of interna-
tional law. ! must ask you why it Is
directed only against Germany. and
not also against England, which is an
equal, although far less terrible, vio-
lator of covenants between nations.
"If you say that it is fought on
behalf of the rights of neutrals.
| must ask you where, when and
by which belligerent the rights of
neutrals have been conserved in this
war. and what guarantee you can offer
that. after all our expenditure of
blood and money for their defence,
these rights will not be similarly vio-
lated all over again in the next war
by any nation which is battling for
its life.
VIII BE No Safer
"If you say that it is fought for the
security OF American property and
lives, | must ask you how and TO what
extent il will be safer for our citizens
10 cross the seas after the declaration
Of war than il was before.
"lf you say that it is fought
in vindcation OF our national
honor, ] must ask you why no
harm has come to the honor OF other
nations. such as Holland and Scandi-
ravis, for example. which have suffered
even more than we. but, for prudential
reasons, refuse 10 take up arms.
"If you say that this is a war o. de-
fence against wanton and intolerable
aggression, ! must reply that every
blow which we have endured has been
primarily a blow directed. not against
ourselves, but against England, and
haS 20 hA ~
many has any intention or desire OF
attacking us.
"If you say that this war is life
end death struggle for the preservation
of civilization against barbarism, !
must ask you why we remained neutral
when Belgium was raped. and were at
last aroused to action. not by the cries
of the stricken abroad. but by our own
losses in men and money.
ar you say that this war ia
last resort in situation
which every other method. patient
lv tried, has failed TO meet, ! must an
swer that this is not true-that other
WAYS and means of action. tried by ex-
perience and justified by success, have
been laid before the Administration and
vilfully rejected.
"I deny without evasion that any
thing that have said. or may say. can
be interpreted as traitorous or disloysl
In time of war, as in time of peace IN
the hour of sin. as in the hour of glory.
| shall love my country and serve her
TO the end. Nothing that America can
do can queneh my passion for her
beauty or divert my loyalty from her
service. In this impending crisis with
Germany | believe that shs Is wrong"