Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-06
The WAR AFTER THE WAR
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS

Whether or not the Kaiser is the
beast and the "anti-Christ." of the
Book of the Revelation, as many in
Senious commentators affirm, it is
beyond controversy that the part he
plays has more than once been clear
ly dealt with by the inspired writ
ers. Opportunely. We have to-day a
study OF the conduct of an ancient
Hebrew King in an incident that
parallels the rape of Belgium and the
lust for another's territory. Crafty
King Ahab wanted part of the lands
OF a proprietor named Naboth. He
could not get ii by fair means, so
his wife Jezebel had the man foully
slain. Ahab secured the vineyard of
Naboth that his soul coveted-but he
also heard, as the reckless ruler of
Germany is also to hear. a word of
doom spoken in the Thus saith the
Lord"
Both Ahab and the Kaiser missed
the big point. They thought that be-
cause they had secured their first OBJ
jective all was we'll with them. APP
parently their success" had DEM
onstrated the workability of the Ger
man philosophy that might makes
right; and that kings and states are
above the common law. Ahab did not
try to cloak his deeds under pious
professions, nor proclaim himself the
specially favored of the Almighty. In
fact. he knew that he was a crook.
and so he cringed at the approach of
the prophet of God.
The Kaiser's Great Need
We should be doing less than jus
tice, both to this Old Testament story
and to its modern parallel If we did
not emphasize the place of the
aNl, frNf To- al IDA 10
treasure of a fearless prophet, Elijah.
He was not popular, either as
court preacher or as man for
the masses. His words were too un-
comfortably straight flung for that.
Whatever the Lord spoke to him, he
repeated to the people and to the
king, whether his message was well
received or not. He had a tumultu-
Gus time of it. as every other prophet
who freely declares the whole coun-
sci of God is bound to have. Any
body who wants a serene and easy
life would better not put on the man
tie of a prophet of God. But the
centuries have vindicated Elijah;
and the high grade work he did on
earth is being continued in heaven;
for he and Moses were the messen-
gers sent, as sympathetic spirits, to
comfort Jesus on the Mount of Trans
figuration.
One OF the misfortunes of the
Kaiser is that he seems to have no
prophets at large in Germany. The
country used to be famous for its
liberal" theologians; and their
teachings have contaminated the en-
tire religious world. Apparently,
their philosophy does not make the
Elijah-type of minister They have
i 81,
Haeckel," or Thus saith Harnack"
and Thus saith Nietzche." but when
it comes TO saith Thus saith the
Lord they are as dumb as oysters.
Germany'S preachers seem to have
become courtiers. They swarm in
the ranks of the apologists for the
Kaiser's course. but we know of none
who. in the face of clear and admit
ted crimes against the laws of God
and man. has cried, prophet wise,
Thus saith the Lord"
While we are busy defeating Ger
many and bringing to pass the only
possible peace that will have the
favor OF God. which is the breaking
completely and forever of the unholy !
machinery of Prussianism and mill
tarism, let us be at pains to under !
stand the power that we crush, and
= n
many will perish from lack of spirit
ual vision and sense of righteousness
The old word of Scripture is being
vindicated: Where there Is no vi
sion the people perish" She thought
the sword a substitute for a soul.
Repudiating the clear teachings of
Jesus, she developed a super" phi
losophy which is now being put to
the test. If Germany had possessed
brave and alert prophets of God. she
would never have come to her pres
ent pass. Basic and structural weak
ness follows in any society which
loses its spiritual interpreters and
leaders. Germany failed in her spirit
before ever she met serious defeat on
the battlefield. Contrariwise, the
American army has been such a Won
derful accession to the Allies because
of the spirit of the men. and of the
nation behind them. God grant that
in the tremendous testing times lust
ahead of us our men of God will not
fail to be true prophets. The day of
pious perfunctoriness and platitudes
and professionalism is past.
What the Soldiers Talk About
This entire war is the best of COM
meptaries upon the present lesson.
EVIL is TO be conquered; righteous
ness must reign. There you have
the proposition. No other great war
has. in its final analysis had so clear
an issue between good and evil. On
the one hand. a mighty power, with
a monstrous mania of egotism, has
set its ruthless ambitions above all
considerations of integrity and honor
and justice and brotherliness Is|
wants its own way regardless of
Gods will or human law. Opposed
to 1t is combination of Christian
powers. accepting President Wilson's
entirely Scriptual definition of aims,
which have solemnly resolved to de-
fend the right to the uttermost They
have declared that justice is more
important than life itself. Their
young men have gone forth, in the
knightliest and most chivalrous fash
ion, TO offer their lives in the de-
Tense of what they solemnlv believe /
to be the very principles of eternal
righteousness. These men fight for
a cause which they believe to be one