Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-06-18
nee is swelling the hearts of human

we may live. We are giving IN
agony that those who come after US
may receive the lesson CT Sacrifice
and the power of Love.
We have searched and tried our
ways" and are turning again to the
Lord
How many times in twenty CEN
turtles has it seemed to the world
advancing, civilized, thinking human
beings) that the Supreme Sacrifice
was in vain: that Christ might as
well have exercised the power that
was in Him-if He could save others
why not Himself?-to come down
from the cross to lead a great wave
of temporal power? Germany seems
TO have made a philosophy of that, if
we agree with Mr.. Dahl.
Complacency, Mr.. Dahl pointed out,
characterized the American attitude
up to April, 1917, when America
joined the Allies in democracy. The
awakening is the present phase. The
third, soon to come. will mean the
triumph of the right.
COMPETENCY" said Mr.. Dahl,
has been our national vice. 1t was
complacency which led to our being
unprcpared. which led & we'll known
man to exclaim that a million men
would spring to arms over night 1t
is the vice of democracy. 1t was re-
sponsible for the sickly, sentimental
ditty. I didn't Raise My Boy to BE
Soldier If the western front is the
frontier of freedom today, it was the
frontier of freedom in 1914. but we
were too complacent to realize it,
Further along Mr.. Dahl said: Il am
unable to find language strong
enough to characterize that attitude
Of mind which thanks God FOR our in
ability to be a decisive factor at
llIHe wien we 6dlihhI lcliNH anu
British have their backs to the wall
hammcring at the doors of civiliza-
ton.
The type of mind which is proud
of our appropriateness is the type of
self-deluded person who never faces
the realities OF life. He is RESPONSE
fo, !,
or than face his mistakes like man
he takes refuge in maWkish senti-
mentality and in an assumption of
superior virtue. He is the same per-
son who was telling us that pre-
paredness would bring war and I'M
preparedness peace. AS a prophet he
is failure. The rest of us will fight
for a principle while a pacifist will
not"
But we will prove" added Mr..
Dahl. that God still lives and that
He has not forgotten how to punish.
We must prove it by first recognizing
and admitting our mistakes. Democ-
racy is inherently more inefficient
than autocracy We must face the
facts. Our problem is to mould our
people of different races into one ma
ton with unity of deals and
worship of efficiency. We must
travel through the valley of COM
placency to the heights of efficiency.
This Is war of attrition-of man
power and morale. We must organ
ize our people to be the most eff
ficient nation on the face of the
globe"
There, again. is the evidence of the
lesson Of Calvary on the business
man Of today. We are reaching the
triumph with fearful slowness and
suffering that we have earned, but
we are buoyed up by the memory of
the cry that has echoed and re-
echoed in all the years: He is risen.
He is risen. Lives He now no more
to die"
Today our nations best young men,
physically and mentally, are coming
forward by hundreds Of thousands to
offer themselves for reasons entirely
outside Of themselves, and for the
sake of others. At home we are at
last awakening to the need of sacri-
fee OF our ruts of life, our burroughs
OF Indulgence. We shall understand
better as the casualty lists come in.
Tor every drop of blood shed on the
battlefield is a call to sanctification
at nome Out of this harvest of woe
Is being thrashed and winnowed the
grain of fulfilled purposes OF the
supreme Authority.