Evening star., 1921-12-11
BY THOMAS r. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President of the United
States.

SsAS@S w Wv S-ssS
Slates,
URING the world war and
before the United States
had entered it. the great
est of French philoso-
pliers remarked to me, when ] was
deploring its awful devastation,
that the conflict was worth all that
1t was costing France. Upon my
expression OF amazement at such
a view, he explained that the war
had made a real democracy of
France, in that the humblest peas
ant at last knew that the govern
ment was his government. and.
moreover. that the war had revivi-
fed God in the French mind.
Following the close of the great
tragedy, thought I noted on the
part Of Americans a renewed tend
ency to delve into the mystic and
unknown. Many seemed to be
pinning their faith to the ouija
board and listening to table rap
pings. This. however was not uni
versal. Greater than this tendency
by far was revival in the study
of the Scriptures. The vast ma
jority of Americans withhold their
lish writer that there is nothing
now helpful in the old Bible. Upon
the contrary, most of us believe
that. like the effort which estab-
lished the league of nations. the
conference at Washington finds it's
genesis in the principles enunci-
ated in the four gospels.
Even the newspapers of this
country. omniscient as they ordi-
narily are. sometimes fail to fur
nish desired information. Those
journals which I could reach after
the opening of the conference
made only slight reference to the
prayer with which the session be-
gan. l found the stirring address
of the President, the world-start-
ling and soul-gratifying program
OF the American commissioners as
presented by Mr.: Secretary
whether the proceedings were pre-.
ceived a private message In re.
sponse to one sent to Washington
was I assured.
And ! make bold to assert for
those of US who are not yet so
scientific as to feel competent to
hold a post-mortem on God, nor so
utterly egotistic as to believe that
mankind is sufficient unto itself.
that nothing promises a greater
hope for the successful termina-
tion of the conference than the
public recognition of the belief of
the American people in an over
ruling Providence. When the wis
dom and strength Of man fail,
there Is a source of supply opened
through the medium of prayer.
The President and the American
commissioners have the grateful
thanks of those Of us who SO be-
lieve.
The view OF Napoleon that the
Eord was on the side of the heav-
lest battalions is not sustained by
the facts of history. He was not
on the side Of the heavy battalions
at Thermopylae. And. humanity
speaking, He was with Charles
Martel. He was with Joan of Arc.
He was with Washington when
his foot-sore soldiery incarnadined
the SHOWS at Valley Forge. He
was with Joffre on the Marne.
Stonewall Jackson was a devout
Presbyterian, which fact spells
faith in prayer. He was found fire.
Quently at his devotions during the
civil war. Some one said to him:
'The way you pray. the south
must surely win.'' To which he
answered.: Remember there are
Christian men praying on the
other side. and ! know not how
many of them" William of Ger
many undoubtedly prayed, but his
whole life and conduct disclosed
that his praying was more OF a
consultation with a junior partner
and less Of . presentation OF a
cause for decision to inerrant
justice.
Though men have had their
faith in God, their prayers in war
time have been national and sell
fish in their character. The faith
of mankind has been lessened be-
cause each nation has demanded
an answer consistent with its own
desires. While now and then the
.safnt-like souls of time have had
the sublime confidence to think
Gods thoughts after Him. and to
repeat in sincerity the Nazarene's
cry, Thy will be DONE" aggrega-
tione of men in nations hitherto
have thought Gods thoughts be-