Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-06
ONLY UNDER THE TRUCE
OF GOD" CAN ENDURING
PEACE BE ESTABLISHED

the application Of those abstract princi-
plies is quite another thinS.
In the abstract the breaking of treaties
is wrong. and nobody will dispute the
statement But il is conceivable that
the authorities of a nation should regard
treaties. under some circumstances. as
mere scraps OF paper What then?
The war In Europe today eNemplihes
the wide difference of opinion existing
among the beIligerent nations concerning
what is right and what is wrong. The
German Kaiser claims for himself and
the central powers a cause so clearly
and Enthusiastically right that God Him
self is enlisted on their side. on the 9TH
er hand, the Entente Powers declare that
tSsy are engaged in war the object
o. --'hich is TO crush the most Ubiquitous
ann lions and purposes. Ii is probable
that most OF the world agrees with the
Allies. and disagrees with the Kaiser's
views: but certainly considerable part
of the world agrees with him, and dis
agrees with the contentious of the Al
lies.
Just before the outbreak of the war
now raging in Europe, a German militia
~ leader. of high rank, published book
in which he insisted on the right to
make war" and 'the duty to make war"
In the course of his argument he assert
'The duty of self-assertion," the right
of conquest" and the destructiveness
and immortality of peace aspirations.
In the progress of the war many OF the
principles and policies which he advocat-
ed have been avowedly and perslstently
accepted and pursued by Germany and
her allies. Can such. ethics be accepted
universally?
Our war-torn world must face the
rest
universal righteousness, and that no
moral system but that of Christianity
can ever find universal acceptance In
the earth. And by the moral system
of Christianity must be understood its
moral principles interpreted in their
plafneSt and most obvious sense. A sys-
tenn of morality which is made by dis
torting and perverting Christian prlncl-
pIes is no more Christian than the
ethics of Confucius The sort of eth
les taught BY TreitSchke and NletzSche,
accented and asserted by General Bern
hardi: and acted upon by Germany and
her allies can not be allowed by man
kind. Such ethical teaching is pagan
not Christian
Men must have a real Christian world
before they can have a real peaceI ul
world Under the truce of GOD onlE
will the nations learn war no more Inc
Scriptures warn US Sd1luSl hCCAAAS ~
Iusfve cries of Peace, Peace! When
there is no peace" and man will do well
TO attend to this solemn warning.
Commerce can not bring peace TO man
kind, nor can leagues of peace. only inc
Prince of Peace can bring 1t. Any other
source of peace than He will fail. Any
other method of healing the hurt OF the
world will be Intellectual and VIII incur
the divine condemnation uttered by the
faA nos have hR1lGu
also the hurt of the daughter OF my
people slightly. saying, Peace. peace
When there is no peace" Jeremiah vi:
40.
Mankind feels that war is unendura-
BILE. but il will have to be endured un-
less the nations are ready to obey Coo
laws. There can be no area Of peace on
earth which is wider than the area OF
righteousness Temporary truces, Of
greater or less duration, may come TO
mass: but lasting peace can not be had
in the absence of universal righteous
ness.
ayails TO make the nations begin to see
this truth. he will have done an immeas-
urable service to mankind. OtherWlse'
his address will take it's place among
the heavenly dreams which an upright
eous world amiably admires but refuses
to regard as practicable
Perhaps the Presidents words, coupled
with his diplomatic effort. of winch the
public knows little or nothing yet may
hasten somewhat the end of the dreadful
va in Furope. and if such shall be the
case he will deserve the gratitude OF
mankind. But let US not suppose that
universal peace can be secured except
under the leadership and reign OF the
Prince of Peace. 1t is not within the
power of presidents, or potentates' or
politicians. to make, or maintain a last
ing and worldwide peace