Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-12-19
"Oeoce on Go1M"
BY the Right Reverend Henry Hobson
Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of
Southern Ohio and National Chairman of
The Fight for Freedom Committee


Southern Ohio and National Chairman Of
The Fight for Freedom Committee
To many who read and hear the Christmas story this
year peace on Earth" will be words without meaning
There is peace earth.
There was peace when these words were first sung
by the Angels the night that the Child of Bethlehem
was born. The crowds which damned the inn, and
filled each house in the village until only stable man.
ger offered refuge for born babe, were evidence
OF the oppressive tyranny which robbed a people of
their peace. decree from the dictator had gone out
There has been no peace earth since that first
Christmas for always through years that same hand
Of oppression has rested heavily upon countless mill
lions of men made by God to be Free
The Angels proclaimed not fact but hope-a hope
TO be realized on earth only all everywhere are
able to live not slaves but children of God For
Chriss is not just for the United States or for
people of white skins, for those with education in
their minds, food in their stOmachs, money their
pockets 1t IS for all men earth, and he who would
find for himself must be striving insure for
Others Those who seek to live in peace ISOLATION
ism, while others in turmoil of body and SOUL will
never share in realizing the hope of peace earth.
God doesn't answer the prayer "Peace for me-"
Peace is that state in which man, matter what his
race or nation color, freely live with equal
opportunity to his talents and abilities child
God When this right is denied to anywhere there
can be no peace earth.
AS Christians today to face the fact that
the forces of oppression robbing of his right
to peace. The people of England have peace
long shelters must be their refuge from
bombs, and while their coasts threatened by in
vasiOn. The people of France can have no peace as
long the Hitler appointed appeasers force hated
collaboration with the cOnquerOrs who have made them
slaves The peoples of Holland and Belgum-violated,
impOverished-can have no peace while they suffer
der the tyrants heel The people of POand-the tragic
country of broken homes and divided families deprived
of leaders by Saughter-can have peace while
systematic ravShng destroys life and land The pe0-
pie of NOrway-betrayed by men who children they
had nurtured-can have peace while they SILVER
through bitter cold nights robbed of their blankets and
hungry for want of food stripped from their land The
millions of Guaranteeing, starving, hstory;s
preme sufererS-can have peace while bombs fall
like rain to wreck their bodies and blast their homes
The people of Greecewhere courage faered and
vision was never dimmed by appeasement-wiH never
know peace while forced labor makes slaves of their
bodies and while the invader defleS the beauties of
their land The people of Germany-the older people
dsraugh and in terror the poisoned from
infanthOOd by falSehOOd-can have peace while
the concentration camp closes its brutal jaws
free spirit, and Hitlersm prostitutes truth and justice
to make right appear wrong and wrong appear right.
People ask me how give allegiance to the Prince
of Peace and at the time urge that country
take up against the aggreSSorS OF our day. MY
is that there be peace earth in Hit
Ter dominated world, and that face moment in
history when the of force is the only effective means
of hating the Orsush of those evil which, be-
they despse true peace are seeking to enslave
mankind under a brutal system for centuries to
There times, and this Christmas 1941 is one
such Time when desire for is determined not
by refusal take sides in a conflict which is raging
but by our willingness to sacrifice and suffer we
fight against the who seeks to de-
strOy all peace. By action not evasion we have our
chance share in the fuflIment of that hope which
the Angels held before all mankind-Peace on Earth.