The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-05-30
DUTY OF THE CHURCH
In This Hour of National Media Message
From the Federal Council Of Churches
OF Christ in America.

| A message lTOIi the reueia
Council of the Churches of Chris
in America, in special session asserl
bled at Washington, ID. c., May
and g. 1917.
Our Spirit and Purpose.
LIST. After long patience, an,
with a solemn sense of responsible
ty, the government of the Unitet
states has been forced to recogniz,
that state of war exists betwee.
this country and Germany, and th'
President has called upon all the
people for their loyal support am
their whole-hearted allegiance. Al
American citizens, members o.
Christian Churches gathered in Fed
eral Council, We are here to pledgt
both support and allegiance in un
stinted measure.
We are Christians as well as cit.
liens. Upon us therefore rests a
double responsibility. We owe it tc
our country to maintain intact and
to transmit unimpaired to our de-
scendants our heritage of freedom
and democracy. Above and beyond
this, we must be loyal to our our di-
vine Lord, who gave His life that
the world might be redeemed, and
whose loving purpose embraces ev-
cry man and every nation.
AS citizens of peace-loving ma
ton. We abhor war. We have long
striven to secure the judicial settle
ment of all international disputes.
But since, in spite of every effort,
war has come, We are grateful that
the ends to which We are committed
are such as We can approve. To
vindicate the principles of righteous
ness and the inviola Utility of faith as
between nation and nation; 70 safe
guard the right of all the peoples,
great and small alike. to live their
life in freedom and peace; to resist
and overcome the forces thai would
prevent lIt VI INV iAhNlbh@ III
a commonwealth of free peoples cen
scious of unity in the pursuit oi..
ideal ends-these are aims for
which every one of us may lay down
our all. even life itself.
We enter the war without taste
or passion, not for private Or ~
#onal gain. with no hatre nor tit
terness against those with whom We
contend. .-,.,.
No man can forsee the Issue of
the struggle. 1t will call for all tho
strength and heroism of which the
nation is capable. What now is the
mission OF the church in this hour Of
crisis and danger? 1t is to bring all
that is done or planned in the ma
tons name to the test of the mind
of Christ.
That mind upon one point We do
not all interpret alike. With sincere
some of us believe that
1t is forbidden the disciple of Christ
to engage in war under any circum-
stances. Most of us believe that the
love Of all men which Christ enjoins,
demands that we defend with all the
power given us the sacred rights of
humanity. But We are all at one in
loyalty to our country. and in stead
last and whole-hearted devotion m
her service. tgr- .,.,
AS members of the church of
Christ, the hour lays upon US spe-
cial duties:
To purge our own hearts clean of
arrogance and selfishness;
To steady and inspire the nation;
To keep ever before the eyes o.
ourselves and Of our allies the ends
for which We fight; .a.,.m.
To hold our own nation true to
its Rrafessed aims of justice, liberty
and brotherhood;
To testify to our fellow-Christians
in every land, most of all to those
from whom for the time We are es-
tranged, our consciousness of unbro-
ken unity in Christ; =
To unite in the fellowship of SER
vice multitudes who love their enc
mics and are ready to join with
them in rebuilding the waste places
as soon as peace shall come:
To be diligent in works of relief
and mercy, not forgetting those min
istries to the spirit to which, as
Christians, we are especially COM
To keep alive the spirit Of prayer,
that in these times OF strain and sor-
row men may be sustained by the
of the presence and
power of God;
To hearten those who go to the
front, and to comfort their loved
ones at home;
To care for the welfare of our
young men in the army and navy.
lat they may be fortified in charac-
III there is q surplus of eggs this