Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-24
Bv Bishop W. a. Gambler


Edmund Burke says: "War suspends
tba rules of moral obligation, and what
is long suspended is in danger OF oelns
totally abrogated."
This profound observation deserves
careful consideration at this time. our
country is entering upon war with one
of the strongest political powers IN the
world. No one can foresee the develop
ments that may follow. The war may
he short. or it may be long. But wheth-
err shorter or longer, the American peo-
ple will be tempted, as all people are
tempted in times of war. to relax their
hold upon the fundamental principles or
both our political system and our moral
code.
In times of war men make the plea OF
necessity for setting aside the most
fundamental things, and once the plea OF
necessity is allowed to make any abate-
ment of fixed principles. they are liable
to go to the utmost extremes.
We may adopt in this time of political
stress, policies that will revolutionize
the nature of our government. This was
true in the case of the war between the
States during the times of that long
and bloody conflict. Courses of action
were pursued that were subversive of
ton; and now these subversions have be-
come mere matters of course. The revo-
lutionary effect of the Civil War on
American institutions can scarcely be
overstated.
But the fundamental principles of our
political system, great as they are, are
not so sacred as the fixed principles of
morality; and some of these also were
set aside during the Civil War to the
great damage of the nation. For ex-
ample, mail was not delivered, nor Sun
day papers published before the war
Under the stress of what the people
called necessity the postoffices were
opened and newspapers were printed in
order to get news from the front The
Sabbath has never been so we'll OBJ
served in the. United States since the
war as 1t was prior to that period
The bellfgerent nations of Europe
have been setting aside moral princi-
pies, some going much farther than
others. but all disregarding to a degree
the sanctity Of the moral law. The de-
leterlous effect upon these nations will
last for years to come
we should be on our guard at this
point. Nothing can compensate an in
diVidual, or a nation for the loss of
moral character, and in the end such
loss is the direst disaster which can
come; and il is a disaster which is sell
dom repaired.
Complaint has been made against
Germany, and Justly made that under
the plea of necessity she trampled upon
the rights of Belgium and dealt out
much wretched cruelty In those dis
tricts of France occupied by her armies
Under the same pleas she justif1es ruth
less submarine warfare, which may be
ran Id 49,
nation at sea- The lives Of women and
children, as we'll as the lives of male
non-combatants, have been taken with
out warning. Such a course is repug-
nant TO our moral sense. and perhaps a
few years ago the German authorities
would not themselves have defended
methods of this sort. Now. they are
ready to go to war in assertion of their
right TO wage such barbarous warfare
upon all the nations of the earth
Let us not suppose human nature Is
very different In us. We too may plead
necessity for relaxing the authority or
moral law over us, and we should be
on guard against this danger to tho
supreme interest of our lives
There Is a maxim of worldly wisdom
which affirms, Necessity knows no
law" but the teaching of the Scriptures
is that Gods law knows no necessity.
This was the firm ground upon which
Jesus planted himself in his temptation
In the wilderness. The tempter sug-
gested TO him that he renounce his de-
pendence upon the Divine Father and
use his own power for selfish ends, be-
cause he was hungry and needed
bread. To his suggestion came the
prompt response. Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth Of God
In all the recorded incidents of our
Lords life in the flesh there is not one
in which he follows any other course
than that of unfinchins loyalty TO the