The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-03-16
RELIGIOUS SIDE
OF GREAT WORLD
WAR EXPLAINED
German God is the God of
the Old Testament, Stern
and Uncompromising."


men of the German Empire. We did
not realize that these universities and
these professors were part of the
state, established by the state, receiv-
ing their appointments from the state,
and Therefore not members of free
educational institutions as we know
them in America.
Not only were they made servants
of this conspiracy. but as time went
on we found that the German clergy,
as well, lent themselves to this mon
strous doctrine that might makes
right, that the cannon and the sword
are the only argument as between
nations, and that whatever is for the
material benefit of the nation itself,
it is her duty to seize and hold if
she can.
I quote here statement bearing
upon this question. made by a long
time resident of Germany, one who
had in the past loved Germany well.
This testimony is contained in a re-
cent issue of the Atlantic Monthly,
and it quotes from a leading German
divine:
1.-THE German God-the God of the
Old Testament; God that dealt in
realities; the God of the warrior, ia
voring Zebadiah, the Son of Ishmael,
Joshua, and Judas Maccabaeus."
Think of such language coming from
the pulpit of a great nation in the
twentieth century. When I reflect up
on this, 1 also reflect that these min
listers of Germany receive their ap-
rointment, too, from the state, and I
thank God that in my land, church
and state are absolutely divorced
I quote from the same authority
the oath of fidelity, which all who
seek to enter the German ministry
must take:
81 will be submissive, faithful, and
obedient to His Royal Majesty-and
his lawful successors in the govern
ment-as my most gracious King and
Sovereign; promote his welfare ac-
cording to my ability; prevent injury
and detrtment to him; and particular
ly endeavor carefully to cultivate in
the minds c the people under my
care sense of reverence and fidelity
toward the King, love for the father
land, obed .ence to the laws, and all
those virtues which in a Christian de-
note good citizen; and I will not
suffer any man to teach or act in
contrary spirit. In particular, I vow
that I will not support any society or
assoc citation, either at home or abroad,
which might endanger the public se-
curity, and will inform His Majesty
of any proposals made, either in my
diocese or elsewhere, which might
prove injurious to the state. I will
preach the Word as His Gracious
Majesty dictates" That is the 'oath
which the ministers of religion of this
Imperial State must take if they
would preach the Word of God.
No wonder that for half a century
in pursuance of this conspiracy by
the military autocracy to become the
master of the world, the church from
day to day has couped the name of
Deity with the name of the German
Kaiser, until today the Kaiser himself
speaks of Deity as though He were
upon the same level as himself.
The German God is not the God of
the Old Testament. The God of Josh
ia was a God that believed in law,
believed in keeping the Command
ments, and Joshua spent his last years
in trying to bring his people back to
the law as it had been written.
Some one has said that this Ger
man God was the God of the pagans
He was not, because even the pagan
gods had qualities of mercy, of JUS
itice, of gentleness. The German God
is that old savage god called Wooden,
who it was supposed, was dethroned
in the German forests 1000 years al go
Across the brow of that German
God should be written in letters of
flaming light, made in Germany"
because he has no existence any
where else.
And SO say that while it is war
of democracy, a war for liberty. a war
for righteousness, war for mercy
1t is more than all this. 1t is a
war between the hosts of Heaven and
the evil powers that have always
first dawning of time.
In the old wars, the defeated pa
triot, the defeated lover of liberty,
the defeated Christian could seek
some land somewhere else-maybe
our own beloved land, where liberty
of conscience reigned supreme, and
where he could find an exile from
tyranny and oppression. But if this
war goes against US there will be no
nook or Granny in all the world big
enough for the defeated lover of JUS
tice and gentleness and right.
Do you realize that Germany, the
home of the divinest music which has
ever entranced the ear, has not writ
ten any beautiful music of late years?
Do you realize that when hate en-
| tiers the human heart and dominates
the human life there are no notes
in all the gamut with which to weave
divine harmony? Do you realize that
years ago beautiful, exalted, and in
| spring poetry came in volumes from
| the German pen? But of late years
the only German poem of which I
know that has gained fame is a poem
called 1.-THE Hymn of Hate" And the
| German Emperor decorated its au-
| thorl
| If there ever was a war in which
the clergy should be united and
should be vigilant, it is this war in
which we are engaged. Every boy
who is wearing the American uni
form. whether he be II camp in our
own country or in the trenches on the
other side, or on the high seas is
your comrade, my friends, because he
is helping you to win an everlasting
victory for the forces of righteous
ness, which are involved more than
aught else in this war. They are your
comrades. They are the comrades of
all who believe that there is a God
above who holds this old planet in
the hollow of His he nd, and who has
said righteousness exalteth a ma
ton, but sin is a reproach to any
people"