The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-06
The Idolatry of Selfishness
By MRS. G. H. MATHIS

| Much of human history is war history,
 and resolves itself into history of the selfish ambition of one nation against
 another. Ambition, by that sin fell the
 angels, how can man, the Image of his
 Maker, hope to win by it?"
 l Selfishness is form of insanity, In
 which conscience dies. Woe to the world 1 when crime ceases to be hideous, and ] when weakness is assumed to the un- pardonable sin, as Bernhardi, teaches the German people. Autocracy is sell fishness with absolute power over it's
 subjects. Anything and everything is
 likely to occur, for avarice and selfish
 ness combine to destroy mercy and jus ] tice. Germany is the personification of that spirit now, but she does not 1 hold an entire monopoly. She has de- 1 lberately turned his back on what she
 knows is right, and is frantically try I ing to convince and conquer the world that she may dominate it for self. "Di- 1 vide and conquor' is the system by ! which she moves.
 After people become fully convinced l of German intrigue and villainy they I spirit Is appealed to-, and distrust and dissatisfaction are engendered before clear vision is possible. Our supreme duty is the education of the masses along patriotic lines. and the secur- ! ing of stringent laws for detaining sus- picious people Only in countries where l the joy and light of an open Bible IS withheld f the people, or base perverson diously taught can sell flshness co he masses. War is most destructive force known, ana war brings such sui ferlng upon the people that self-preser- vation causes the masses to abhor war; therefore, human government is safer when the masses have voice in the government than it can be In the hands Of single rulers.
 | Democracy is any form of govern ment, whether with or without King, 1 in which the vote of the people is the real determining factor.
 | If the people are made to clearly un- derstand what the issues are they can be depended upon for sufficient reason and loyalty to maintain self-preserva- I ton whether by war or peace. l Democracy is the right and liberty of the people to judge through their chosen l representatives and to repudiate 1m- proper action. The people really con ] trol A strong centralized government 1 can prosecute war With less delay ana ] friction than a more liberal govern ment, because the people obey without question or reason; they are trained to blind obedience, hence they become an minimizing. docile irresponsible machine | to serve the selfish purposes of wicked rulers.
 l Power Is dangerous thing in the hands of a few. It always carries with l 1t the temptation to abuse it. although many have-held power as a sacred trust and have used it for the good of the world.
 l Civilization has progressed with liberty and the Bible. The faith of many has l been shaken by the barbarism and l cruelty of this present war. Germany had become an idolatrous heather na- 1 ton. covered over with the veneer of ef- l ficiency and education long before this war happened.
 | She had made a God of her govern ment. her fatherland and herself. She worshipped that God with all the nrdor and devotion of Mohammedan. Con- stant teaching and drilling have so inflated the German mind that nothing but crushing defeat and continued contempt and scorn can unseat that god of efficiency.
 We are overthrowing idoatry in Ger many of as barharous a character as any that ever debased man or enslavcd the world.
 The total depravity of man and his ab-
 solute inability to save himself from him.