The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-31
APPEAL FOR RIGHT
START Of new YEAR.
Rev. DR.. Stoetzer breaches
Fine Sermon at First
Presbyterian.

at the Presbyterian church yester-
day morning, Rev. Mr.. Stoetzer
preached q sermon that held his small
audience spelI-bound. Though the
temperature registered zero and
many did not venture out, those who
did were well rewarded. The choir
consisting of four sang in their usual
artistic manner. An especially ap-
pealing line ran as follows: Teach
me to put my trust in Thee In his
prayer Rev. Mr.. Stoetzer said, LET
us start the year with higher purposes
in spite of Observation-Disclosures of
environment Of other kinds. We have
not passed this way before, and nat
urally have made many mistakes"
DR.. Stoetzer said that many beliey-
ed the war was due to different schools,
different teachings, different plliloso-
plies. but that he felt 1t was due to
Germany's belief in the individual ex-
listing for the State instead of the
, State existing for the Individual. He
spoke of Bismark as the man OF all
men who wanted to unity Germany
that he had received his idea from the
happy relation OF the United States.
He deliberately precipitated three DIFF
ferent wars with the object of unity
/! ing Germany and extending her terri
tory-the war in 1854, the war in
1856 with Austria and the war in
| 1870 with France.
DIR. Stoetzer said that unity was the
Dig thought In every country. 1t was
tie big thought in the Catholic
church. the big thought In the Stand.
ard Doll company, the big thought In
the Presidents mind when he got a
grip on the railroads. It was the idea
taround which the state concentrated.
and this idea spelled power.
DR.. Stoetzer said there would al
ways be war as long as there was a
difference In mans opinions. He said
war had no SOUL, or conscience, and
that it's only life was here and now.
He. said that he understood the Kaiser
was very religious man; IL SO, that
he had got his religion from the old
testament. and that religion to him
meant power. He said in his read
ings he never knew Of the Kaiser u.s.
!, ing the word Jesus but once.
DR.. Stoetzer spoke OF the Darwin
Ian theory-of the fact that were this
theory true we were only becoming,
not a finality. The doctrine Of the
survival of the fittest meant that pow
er must rule utterly, and according
to the Germans this was the power
that should rule the world, and all
weak nations should. be blotted out.
This doctrine Of ruthlessness was re-
sponsible for all the horrors that Ger
many has been the author of. Ger
many uses more psychology than any
other nation Germany says, make
| war frightful and it will soon end;
she says. scare them to death. Ger
many uses treason. treachery and
bribery to gain her ends. The divine
right of the king has cropped out
again. We believe In the divine right
of the people. Democracy Is IA balance
between two etxremes-between SUI.
preme selfishness of the individual
and the divine right of kings. If this
Is civilization, may the divine right of
Kings win anr send 1t to'hell.
DR.. Stoetzer closed with his prayer:
May we be delivered from his awful
horror by false Interpretation. May
we be strong, but strong in the might
OF God"