Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-04
STATEMENT BYMEMBERS
Of SOCIETY Of FRIENDS

There are certain fundamental prin-
ciples of right and humanity which
every man must feel called upon to defend,
even To the extent of forciblc resistance
if long continued intolcrable conditions
caused by morally defunct people are to
be ended before the world is eDslaved.
For more than two ccnturies the society
of Friends has stood steadiastly and
consistently for peace to the unit oi
toleration. II rs in mattets ot individual
conflict, however. rather than in national
wrongs that these principles have proved
effective. Many distinguished Friends
in the past have realized that in cases OF
great collective oppression mere submission
only renders the objects OF the oppressor
more easily attained.
1t is well for us to profit by the expert
ence and judgment of those of proved
attainments and acknowledged usefulness
in the community rather than by the
views of those who have not these qualities.
Thus we NAV we'll consider the expert
ence and Judgment of William Penn.
James Logan. John Dickinson, Nathanel
Greene, Israel Nhelen, Thomas Miifiin,
Jacob Brown, John Bright, John u.
Whittier and a number of Friends living
TODAY of similar distinction and experience
in the facts of life.
Our foundation principle and the excuse
for our separate corporate existence rs a
belief in the Divine Imminence or
direct communion with God. The object
of our society therefore Is to awaken
everyone TO a CONSCIOUSNESS oi that OF
God within him which will speak to
his condition. Any particular testimony
as TO outward affairs must then be the
statement merely of a particular person or
ls,e..- 4
group within the society, unless approved
by it.
We believe that the majority of Friends
are as earnestly opposed as anyone to the
enthrallment of the world by military
caste, to the human slavery and slaughter
imposed upon Belgium, Poland, Armenia
and other countries, TO the wholesale
destruction of innocent, non-combatant
women and children, to unparalleled
atrocities and to the spread Of organized
barbarism. We think that decent
respect for the opinions of mankind makes
it incumbent upon the Society of Friends
to make such a statement. The principal
thing which George Fox did was 10 break
away bravely from the bondage Of tradl-
tional dogma~and point from the slavery
of the formal Church Discipline 10 the
Authority Within Elias Hicks followed
this principle in proclaiming that no book
or dogma should be adhered 10 unless
it met the Witness for Truth IN the
individual heart
We do not agree with those who would
utter sentimental plstitudcS wmlc mad
dog is running amuck biting women and
children, with those who would stand
idly by quoting some isolated passage
of Scripture while an insane man murdered
him, ravished his wife, bayoneted his
babies or cricifed his fnends, with any
person who would discuss with some well
and contcnted stranger the merits oi
various Are extinguishers while hls w1te
and children are calling TO him from the
flames of his burning house
We believesthat wrong Is relative and
has degrees, that there are greater things
than human liie and worse things than
war. There is a difference between peace
as an end and peace as means TO an end
We do not want peace with dlshonor or
a temporary peace with evil We will
not eulIivocate with honor or compromise
with wickedness. We must not only seek
to save ourselves from war but posterIty
as well and VIC must not mistake pictures
or names of things for the things them
selves. It takes two TO make peace but
only one to make war.
Believing that it is not enough at this
time to be neutral and that the views OF
the Society Of Friends have not been ade-
Cuatelv represented by the official state
nents OF Its executives nor by the utter
ances OF many OF its public speakers we
feel 70 follow the course OF our brethren
in England who both now and in their
past history have realized that there are
unusual and extraordinary circumstances
Of infrcouent occurrence which cannot be
riridIv or fullv met BY any man-made
Church Discipline We therefore deem
It consistent with our Quaker faith TO
act according 10 the dictates Of our own
consciences and proclaim a unity with
the teachings OF Jesus Christ and the
messages OF the President oil our country.
As 10 the former We believe the Master
10 have been a religious teacher N normal
times whose words were addressed 10
individuals living in those times We
cannot think that He would have remain
ed neutral against organized savagery.
In the political affairs OF nation We are to
render unto Caesar the things that are
Caesars Jesus made known His
attitude bv the questions His hearers
asked Him We cannot think that if the
long history of Germany's intrigue and
| barbarian was related TO linn and the
question asked-''Is II lawful for US to
rise and resist the aggression Of this
mighty power by force Of arms or covet
bondage for ourselves and our children"
that He would have answered Let the
giant have bis way, resist him not
! Rather. we believe would He have said
They that take the sword shall perish
with the sword and in such a cause who
soever will save his life shall lose it, but
whosover shall lose his life, the same shall