The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-01
'DR. EDMONDS TALKS |ON AZ TER EFFECTS
 |OF TIE WORLD WAR
Pastor of Independent Pres- byterian Warns Against Hardening Process
 of War

1 Dr. H. M. Edmonds of the 1ndependen i Presbyterian church, spoke yesterday al the morning service at the temple upor the outstanding dangers of the world war and the after effects when the strug- gle is over, saying in part:
 ''Jesus spoke of heaven as not some | thing to be attained after death, but as a quality of mind and life in the here and now. The kingdom of heaven is within you. were his startling words little understood then. He was constant ly telling his disciples that internal life was now beginning, and the change that we call death made it clearer but not essentially different.
 Life for us is full of pitfalls, it is an uphill pull all the way, so it Is also for us as nations, the same narrows, the sane perils confront us
 As we look at the war from this distance, we can easily imagine war as panoplied splendor; we see our boys made new men, straight and strong, where the weakling boy once was. We speak of the tremendous advance made in flying. at least a leap of 5O years We rejoice at the marvellous co-operation Of the allied nations we are profoundly thrilled at the higher sacrifice made- and
 ts Is not difficult for us to see amid the darkness q star and follow a great adventure.
 The great soldier is to be gotten, when he answers a call he discovers him self and also a new kinship with na- tions. striking hands as never before. And, yet, with all of this, the dangers are perfectly patent; hardly apparent, still he refuses to seek sheltered spot
 England has lost million men; France as many; Belgium and Serbia are wasted and almost depopuated by this war; but soon will come a new state Of affairs Germany will be on the de- fcnsiye, pursued by all of the allied na- tions, whose code of international honor she has disregarded. In this pursuit of hated foe there will be the danger of the hardening process coming from the constant handling of the instruments of war. almost fatal to all the finer in- stincts of life. The texture of heart and hand are apt to be hardened and rough ened.
 "Whel ever you women in the can teen service can use your influence to soften and sweeten life for the boy who is going to the hideous. brutalizing war fare, have 9 memory of home and sweet ness that he can hold to. When he stands in blood over there it will help him to lseer decent and human.
 w hen the bands are playing and the flags are waving, be in prayer; be of an humble spirit; don't let us be tempted to say We are the people. We can feed the world.
 By the grace of God we are what we are, religious nation, founded not upon conquest of territory, but upon religion. While we are doing big world work for the war period and giving ourselves un- stintingly, let's not forget what we are to cur own boys and girls. They need to be Eedged about by all the love and care that we can give them, that their lives may have the kingdom of heaven in them''
 The Lyric audience enjoyed a rare and very unusual treat last night when, be- sides an excellent musical programme, Dr. Edmonds read a short story in lieu of the usual sermon.
 His rendition made the character live before ones eyes, and the sweet philoso- phy of life, the awakened conscience and patriotism that found voice in the re- generated life Of the narrator of the lit tie book, called "A Thin Volume" was in itself a sermon with both humor and pathos, but running always through it the high principle it so charmingly told.
 Owen Gilespy's solo at the close marked the end of delightful evening.