The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-27
CLERGY COOPERATE TO
BEAT UNSPtAkADlt HUN
DR. Maclachlan, In Stirring Appeal
Calls on His People to Face Facts
and Prepare.
By LIBERTY BONDS
ONE WAY TO HELP
Many Ways for People 10 Help, but
Seriot snc$s of War Must he Appre-
ciatcd-Big Mass Meeting Next
sunday.

Virginia clergyJnen have responded
admirably to the appeal Of the coun-
ell Of defense to cooperate in its Ct
FORTS to make the people of the state
rcaize the fun significance of the war
and The part tlat the United States
should ana must take in it.. The view
that the church should not whole
! hcaTtedly support the war measures
! OF the government has found fertile
soil IN some sections A number of
leading ministers are doing splendid
service in showing the fallacy Of this
contention.
/ One Of the most oLtspoken is Rev
| II. p. G MaClachlan, pastor of the
! seventh Street Christian church h,
| Richmond, Va. In stirring appeal
to his people, DR.. Maclachlan SAYS.
1T behooves every Christian citi-
zen to face the real facts, Of this war
| For one thing we should understand
| what we are fighting for-not for ter
! rltory, expansion, nor for economic
gain. but for the rights and liberties
of the world, the security of Ameri-
I can citizens on the high seas and il
may be. our preservation as
people, Too many people seem to
think that this is a war Of internal
tlonal politics. which they must favor
since their government has decreed
IT, but in which they feel they have
little personal interest. There never
was greater mistake, 1t is a war
for human rights. for the things which
every right-thinkng man and woman
should hold dearer than their own
az
the honor Of our men. the virtue Of
our women, the peace and prosper
ity Of unborn generations
Not Rich Mans War
II have heard 1t said that this is
a rich mans war IT is not so There
is no rich or poor, high or low in it
I fancy under a German hegemony
life would be little more intoiera sic
for the poor than for the rich. And /
have not yet learned that the poor
man cares less than the rich for the
rights and liberties of mankind or
is any more unready to strike blow
in defense of outraged honor and in
nocence 7
I'm the second place we should
know the real danger We are facing,
/ constantly hear people saying: II
am tired of hearing about war /
I hate to take up a newspaper, for they
have nothing in them but war, war,
f war. mat Is me cStTlcn WHN--Io
hide its head In the sand and imagine
because il does not see the hunter,
that the hunter is not there. Ny
! friends, the hunter is there. Talk
to the men who know and they will
tell you that since the battle OF Arras
the allied causes have never been in
greater danger 1t may not he pleas
ant to hear war-talk or listen to war
sermons but ii is better to he
awakened by the newspapers and thei
pulpit than by the thunder of Germar |
guns.
/ Preach end Economizc.
Another thing that the church can !
do is TO preach and practice economy. !
1t seems certain now that there is
going TO be food shortage before the
next harvest comes. The allied ma
tons are looking to America not only
10 finance. but to feed them, and the
wanton destruction OF millions OF tons
/ of foodstuffs by the submarines simply
means that that much must he re
leased here and In Canada II our al
lies are not to be starved out Even |
| with governmental control Of the food |
situation. which we hope congress
| viii decree very soon there is little |
hope that prices will not continue 10
soar. and common prudence demands |
that We learn to practice voluntary |
economy before we are held In the |
grip OF compulsory one.
| 80 Il do not mean that we should get |
hysteriCaI on the subject Hysteria I
only clouds the judgment and leads (
to rash and foolish action Nothing /
Will be gained by forcing the small /
merchant out Of business BY reducing !
his purchases below reason While !
our motto ought not to he business |
AS Usual" it might he, Business as !
much as usual as the present stua-
ton will permit" One thing at least
Is clear VIC should cut our luxuries |
to the hone. | cannot suggest what |
you should give up
Buy Liberty Bonds
"A third thing Is Subscribe to the |
liberty loan. In doing so YOU will be |
doing as holy an act as IL Won were |
contributing directly to some retigi- |
Gus or benevolent cause The de- !
nomination of the bonds Is being |
placed so low that there are very few |
OF us that cannot have some part in |
It, If we cannot invest our lives In |
tho war as our Young men are so |
gloriously doing. We can invest our |
money For once. If never before let
us make an investment not for the |
monetary returns II will bring as. but !
for the honor and liberty of the whole |
| human race.
| "A fourth is this; Join the Red !
Cross. n there ever was an organ !
ization that ought 10 appeal to Chris |
tiar people II Is this which takes |
care Of the physical we'll being Of the |
soldiers In camp and on the firms !
! line. The wonders Of It's service IN |
Europe are beyond Tho telling II ia |
the one institution That cares for the |
wounded and dying our ahlest I
! IL, ef1{s ,ta1