Evening journal., 1918-11-16

Several have said 90 me lately, an
fifty years we will understand the
meaning OF this worldwide war" We
do not need TO wait nifty years. nor one
year, 90 see the Divine Providence In
the war and 10 understand its deeper
meaning.
The key TO its historical interprets-
tion is in grasplng underlying principle
that the world Is but a larger indlvid-
ual, the grand man." who advances TO
state OF perpetual peace through
wars, Just as the individual finally at
tains spiritual peace through teInpta-
ilOns and victory over the enemies of
the souls peace. In accord with tho
underlying spiritual law. all great wars
have continued until one Of the COM
batants was defeated. And way back In
the beginning OF this war, when people
were asking, "\Vhy, II there be a God,
does lie not stop this war" we assert
ed I'm The Evening journal, November
is, 1914, The Lord cannot stop the war,
with benefit 10 humankind, before the
love Of dominion is uproOted so that II
will not grow again. As In the indl-
vldual Ito find peace) the evil must be
seen, fought and removed by the man
himself, so with nations"
Also when our President expressed
the hope OF peace without victory" we
stated in The Evening journal OF April
is. 1917, "There is no such thing as
peace without victoryl Whoever found
peace before he gained a victory over
his appetitesl Whoever found peace
before he conquered lust cOncupis-
cence, evllydesirel Temptation Is Dl-
vinely permitted that a man may see
the evil that Is in him, confess Il, put
it away and gain the victory over H..
So It Is with the world, and like are the
Divine purposes in permitting the
world war"
From this same principle, evils have
TO be exposed TO be removed from ma
tions as from individuals, we said In
The Evening Journal, December 27, 1914,
that Victory is always on the side OF
Justice" and in The Evening Journal,
May A.. 1915. after the sinking Of the
Luslianis, are these words, I'VE are
sure that the Lord permits this war TO
20 on In It's terrible recklessness and
barbarity 10 teach the world how wicked
and destructive is the spirit Of war.
and so lead the nations 20 desire and
eventually 10 secure universal and
permanent peace"
Right here. let me emphasize this
point.
Why have we not done away with
war before now? Because nations have
wanted a little more power. little
more territory, a little more OF what
belong TO Others before they stopped
wars; just as the individual wants TO
sin just a little more before he stops
for good. Consequently we have not
established permanent peace because
we have not all wanted It. And, conse-
quently, many have not believed perma-
nent peace possible from the funda-
mental fact that they have not wanted
it. When the nations really want
permanent peace. they will believe in
It, because we naturally believe in what
we want. So. as we have said long ago,
the war must 20 on until the wicked
ness and absolute wOrthlessness Of war
so appear that the nations Of the earth
desire universal and permanent peace.
Surely we need not wait fifty years 10
understand the meaning Of this war. Re
cent happenings confirm what we said
in a contribution TO The Evening Jour
nal. April Is. 1917, under the title,
"HlstOrlcal and Spiritual Interpretation
Of the War" Therein It is declared at