Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-06-01
WHY THIS WAR?
An Address bu REV u. FRANKLIN SMILEY d. d. of West
PRESBYTERIAN Church on Sunday Evenrg, May &c, 1918

extracts from that wonderful message
in order that / may emphasize 10 you
the truth that / have just declared?
My friends" that is the way he usu-
ally talks. No bombastic my dear fel-
low countrymen," like the two-cent /
politician, who wants your vote the /
next day, but my friends" Isn't that !
on the level with democracy? Isn't |
that the spirit OF brotherhood? How |
can you be my brother; how ean ! be |
yours, unless between US there has
been established a bond OF friendship |
MY friends" he says. "the great day |
Of duty has come. The duty that faces
us all now is 20 serve one another"
Do you get IL? That is what God gave
10 Israel away back yonder at Sinai.
A man unintentionally committed muir
der, and God put a great fence about
that man, really had the community
establish walled cities. For what? To
protect a murderer? No; but in the
spirit OF brotherhood TO give that man
a chance 20 be heard
When they were about TO fasten Je-
sus Christ to His cross by an unfair
trial, a grand old Jew who stood up in
the Sanhedrim and said. Does our law
condemn any man without hearing
him?" God wrote that ages ago on
Sinai, and Woodrow Wilson one week
ago last night, was reiterating the truth
that God gave to the Hebrews under
Sinai's shadow. The duty" he says.
that faces us all now is TO serve one
another No man can afford-can az
I ford-to make a fortune out Of this
war" Oh, that we might shout 10 In
the market places; that we might cry
/ Il out in the great centers Of commerce;
that we might sing 1t and shout Il
among the groups OF the princes OF
/ industry today, that no man can afford
! 20 make a fortune out OF this war
/ Why Because / cannot afford TO rob
I brother, no matter whom else ! may
be tempted 10 rob. No man can afford
/ 10 make a fortune out OF this war.
There are men among u.s. he says.
who have forgotten that. II they ever
knew t. Some Of you are old enough
and I am old enough TO remember men
who made millions out Of the civil war.
and how they were regarded by their
/ fellow citizens. They went down amid
/ ignominy and disgrace and shame to
/ their graves.
THAT was a war to save one coun-
try. This is a war" he says. TO save
] the world. You cannot give anything
| 10 the United States. Il will not ao-
cept Il. There is a law OF Congress
/ against accepting any service without
pay. The only thing that the govern
ment will accept is a loan and duties
| performed; but Il is a great deal better
l 10 give than TO lend" Why2 Because
you don't treat your brother as you
| treat a stranger in the market place.
/ God spake % that under 9inai's brow
| TO the Hebrew people; and this great
son OF a great father. both servants, Of
the great God. is just reiterating that
truth.
Down IN your heart you cannot take
very much satisfaction. In the last
analysis, in lending money to the gov
eminent Of the United states. because
the Interest which you draw will burn
your pockets. Il is a commercial
! transaction. Some men have even
dared to cavil at the rate OF interest
not knowing the incidental commentary
that constitutes upon their attitude.
So he goes on in the same spirit o.
brotherhood. and with this / close: Blu
when you give something, something
Of your heart. something OF your soul
{ something Of yourself goes with tn
gift. particularly when il Is given II
such a form that It never can com
back. You know there is the old cyn
ical definition Of gratitude as a livell
expectation 10 favors 20 come We'll,
, he says, there Is no expectation o.
favors 10 come in this kind Of giving
These gifts are bestowed in order tina
/ the world may he a filter place e
live in; that men may be succored-
that Is brotherhnOd)-th homes may
be restored: that suffering may be re-
lieved: that the face OF the earth may
have the blight Of destruction taken
away from it, and that wherever force
goes there shall so mercy and helpful
ness"
Sinai and Americai God, away back
in the ages, speaking 10 his first chosen
. nation: Gods representative. in the
. greatest metropolis OF this land, speak
, ing to the Christians OF today. in the
. interest OF the brotherhood Of man, thai
i. the fatherhood OF God may be better
understood by man; for you viii never
appreciate the fatherhood OF God until
/ YOU have come in touch by His spiri
! with the brotherhood OF man.
I believe this war. in the great pur-
J pose and plan OF God, costing sacrifice
upon sacrifice, as It Is, viii never enc
: until God once and for all, let US hope
, and pray, has established beyond IN
, falntest possibility Of ever going back
! this great truth, which l believe vii
be the ushering in Of the consumma
! ton Of the Kingdom Of God among men