Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-30
RIGHT |MPOTENT WITHOUT
MIGHT, SAYS MACLACHLAN
No BLESSINGS Of Civilization That
Has Not. Been Won by
the Sword.
WAR IN DEFENSE or OPPRESSED
Joffre's Victory at Marine Lifted
Blacklist Cloud, Perhaps, That
Ever Lowered Over Essential Lib
critics Of the World.

when Might Makes Right was the
subject OF the sermon delivered last
night by Rev II. y. G. Macla chlan. D.
D.. pastor of the Seventh Street Chris
tian Church. on the text, Mercy and
truth are met together, righteousness
and peace have kissed each other
We are in this war because we have
come to see what is. indeed. the lesson
Of all history that right is powerlcss
without might" said DR. Maclachlan
There is not a single ono of the major
blessings of our civilization that has
not been won by the sword. Could
Europe have been saved from Oriental
domination without Thermopylae
Salamis and Marathon? Could Chris
tendon have maintained itself against
the Saracen menace without Tours?
Could France have lighted the torch
Of liberty In Europe without the Rev
olution" Could America have been
nation without the Continental Army?
Let US not he deceived. There comes
a time when rs between right and
wrong. the powers of darkness and
the powers OF light there can be no
arbitrament for honest men but that
OF the sword. There is a might that
makes right. 1t is the might that is
lighting for the right. whose strength
is as the strength of ten because it's
heart is rurc.' That might is ours in
union with our brave allies. God is
love. wcsay; but He is also justice. He
Is merciful. but lie is also true. lie
is the Prince OF Peace: but He is also
the great captain in war
ETERNAL TRUTHS OF
DEMOCRACY THREATENED
II know of no word in Holy Writ
that describes more accurately than
our text the attitude Of our country in
entering, reluctantly. dispassionately
yet with the elaboration OF one who
feels that she is choosing the good as
against tho evil. tho great world-con-
flict which is at once destroying and
re-creatinE the world before our eyes.
We are merciful people, as the mil
lions who before the war flocked each
year to our shores as to beacon o.
hope abundantly prove; hut we will
not pursue the phantom OF an abstract
mercy when the eternal truths OF free
dom and democracy are threatened
with destruction.
We are peacc-loving people. per-
hans too prone at times to idolize tho
softer domestic virtues: but we will
not let our sword rust in it's scabbard
when the liberties OF the world are
at stake. For mercy's sake we will
be hard as steel: for peaces sake we
will fiGht TO the last ditch.
DIR. Maclachlan pointed out that in
addition to this being war to arm
right with prevailing might il was
also war for the liberties OF the
world. war of sclf-defense and "A war
III defense of the weak and oppressed
The people OF the central empires
have no rights save such as the great
Junker and the lesser Junkers choose
70 allow them. When I read of
the CALLING restrictions on liberty, the
insolence OF the governing class. the
serf-ltke obedience of the governed and
the other symptoms Of tyranny in those
countries. ! feel that | would rather
dig bitches as free man in America
than be multimillionaire In Ger
many