New-York tribune., 1918-01-14
In God We Trust
Reflections of an Irreligious Man on
Divine Intentions

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: An illustration of the queer traits and
contradictions in mon brought out by the
war occurred ut an assembly in Waterbury
the other night. Most Of the company wore
rect behavior, but one WAS an irreligious man.
meek and lugubrious spirit had charac-
terized the discussion Of the war, the con-
sensus Of opinion being that the conduct Of
the Huns in running amuck was exceedingly
reprehensble and that something ought to be
done about 1t. 1t was limited that if the
Hohcnzollern family could be prevailed upon
to go away on visit for awhile to see cousin
Nick Romanoff or somebody the rest Of the
savages might quiet down and be all right
and the world would resume business as of
yorc.
"You get my goat" began the rrcligous
man, rising and scowling at the assemblage
when he asked by the chairman whether
he had any remarks to make II guess God
Almighty will have something to say about
the settlement of this war. DO you imagine
for minute that the most cold-blooded and
hellsh crime in the history of mankind is
going to be settled like any ordinary, re-
spectacle war? Not if there is n God in
heaven and the lcaven of honor down here
on the earth, it isn't
"Oh, you're surprised at this from me,
are you?" the irrcligious man inter- jected in
recognition Of the evident astonishmcnt Of
his hearers. "But such things have hap
pened before. You will recall that it was
the so-called infidcl Benjamin Franklin who,
when the Constitutional Convention was IN a
turmoil, proposed that the sessions be opened
with prayer, and addressing George Wash
{ho obo;r sT
sir, long time, and the longer I live the
more convincing proofs I Of this truth:
that God governs in the affairs of men,
"Now, for myself" continued the irrelig-
ious man, ~ haven't been inside of church,
except for funerals and weddings, for Lord
knows how long, but | feel all my religion
and faith coming back with a rush. They've
been asleep for long time, but | tell you,
fellow citizens, they're waking up refreshed
and militant. OF course, we have got to
fight, and we are going to fight till hell
freezes over, in the expressive language of
respected ambassador, if necessary; but
do you doubt that the monstrous crimes
which have reused the righteous wrath of
all decent men will fail to rouse the wrath
Of God? And what these blasphemers dare
to say in the madness of their vanity and
hypocrisy, let declare with reverence and
unfaltering faith. Why here it is," the ire
lgious man exclaimed, drawing handful of
coin from his pocket; "even our copper
pennies and our silver pieces we say Jn God
We Trust
Now, if we may properly engravc these
solemn words on our money, surely for the
righteous and holy cause we fight may
engrave them on our bayonets, machine
guns, our howitzers and great cannon, and
warships and airplanes. Yes, fellow
citizens," the irreligous man continued to
the increasing surprise of his hearers, "Ben
Franklin was right, and George Washington
was right and Abraham Lincoln was right
about this matter; and our boys somewhere
in France need, and we at home need, and we
shall all need more and more as the fatcful
days go by all the strength and inspiration
and consolation that our faith and religion
can give"
And then the irreligous closed his
remarks with an alluson to the much pub
lished intention of this and that nation tow
ard Germany, and their purpose of not dis
turbing her territory power. "Don't be
TOO coclisurc of that" he said, "for God may
have an entirely different intention. He may
decide that the most horrible of crimes shall
have the most horrible Of punishment
Why, He may turn loose their latent suicidal
mania some day and set them to ending their
bloody and lasphcmous orgy by slaughtering
themselves" JOHN BARR.
Waterbury, Conn, Jan. 6, 1913.