The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-10-19
No Permanent Peace.
wv. H. Bridge)

This is not sermon. It is a mes
sage, statement inviting considera-
ton of the folks inside and outside
the churches. We are hearing much
Of the prospects Of a rrranent
peace. Some people believe It can
be obtained; some of these same
people carry the fertile germs of war
well preserved in their secret motive
boxes. Permanent peace is IN in
finitely remote contingency. AS far
as we know, there is only one system
of life which aims so to adjust human
relationships as to eliminate the fric-
ton we call war; That system Of life
is Christianity. 1t is the only con-
ception of life which is completely
supernatural and comprehends the
whole race, and the whole personality
of the individual 1t substitutes CO.
operation, from the smallest to the
largest organism, for competition.
So long as nations and groups, large
or small, compete for power, and pro-
duce for profit, rather than use, there
must be war. No treaties, no victories
of group over group can prevent it.
Christianity alone, revolutionizing
the motives of men and giving life
new significance, can guarantee per-
manent peace. The ultimate chris
tianity may be a very different type
from that of the churches today But
it's broad outlines are discernible even
now. While yet we continue to live
selfish, grabbing lives, governed by
selfish or group-selfish motives, seek
ing wealth mainly, careless, for the
most part, of beauty, goodness and
truth, careless of a Divine will, blind
to Divine purpose, while we so live,
it is humbling to talk of permanent
peace. We do not want permanent
peace that is less heroic, less exalting
than war. The only desirable perma-
nent peace is that which will come
when the nations of the world shall
be called the Kingdom Of God
Invincible Strategy.
(Rey. Wayne S. Snoddy.)
Our recent and present victories
along the western front have justified
the appointment of Ferdinand Foch
as the generalissimo of the allied |
armies. Indisputably he has won the
title of the greatest strategist of the
age. But a greater than Foch is here.
Overcome evil with good" says St.
Paul. This is the invincible strategy
by which God Himself, both in nature I
and in his government seeks to van
quish evil.
The way of nations is to oppose
force by force, but the way of God is
to substitute for the mailed fist, the
pierced hand. Instead Of reprisals and
retributions He would conquer wrong
by knowledge, long suffering, sym
pathy and forgiveness. We express
ourselves with the initiation Of Ger
man professors and the ruthless talk
Of undergraduates. He who breaches
vengeance breaches the religion Of the
adversary and glorifies Satan by as
cribing to him the name of God. By
such course we can never reach the
goal for which we strive Evil is not
overcome by denunciation. What the
world awaits is personal, positive,
goodness. This is the
Irvine way. Sensible people do not de-
sire to be any wiser than God. When
His creation became marred and ours
I'd by sin, He set himself to redress
he wrong by the loving gift Of His
,nly-begotten Son to make atonement.
We must be masters of evil, not it's
laves. That mastery can be won
My when we bride our natural pas
ions and restrain our malignant !,
words and actions Good is the prin- {
iple by which evil is to be overcome.
t is, in fact the only means by which
can be subjected by sin against
in, passion against passion, foe t
gainst foe, butt by truth against {
rror, love against natural, blessing /
gainst cursing, holiness against I'M J
righteousness. Be not overcome by 6
vii, but overcome evil with good.'' b
his is the story of Calvary. This q
} the secret of the worlds redemp- t
ion.
Christian Church News Notes. .
Again we are to pass another Sun :
ay without enjoying the helpful
ervices at the church together. Sun