The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-25
Lack Of Reverence
 For Life Attacked
Rev. Dr.. John C. Walker Says World Is Doomed So
 Long as Strong Exploit the Weak

"Of the lack of reverence for personality we see the most amaz- ing evidence in the contemporary world" stated Rev. Dr. John c. Walker, Second Congregatinal Church pastor, yesterday morning in his sermon, Three Christian Axioms."
 Dr. Walker said in part:
 Is 1t not the test of nation of civilization? Is not the lack of reverence for life and personality the condemnation of a business, a social system, an economic order, 0 national government, or world civl- li2ation? This reverence for life and personality has been the mark of human progress, the lack of such reverence sure sign that men were heading back to barbarian.
 Of the lack of reverence for per- sonality we see the most amazing evidence in the contemporary world. It has been taken for granted for long time past that the Nazl took little account of human life. They have never made any secret of then contempt for those who thought in terms of the sacredneSs of human life, the shame of condenning in- nocent men and women to death. We never expected the Nazis to have any pity on their enemies or any particular concern for the lives of women and children. But 1t seems to me that you have reached the absolute climax of "the dreadful logic of the NaA mind" when you read the comment on the lives lost in the recent bombing of industrial cities in Germany. Dr. Alfred Ros- enberg who is the cultural leader" of the Hitler regime Iand the man who has been commissioned to give the young people of Germany their social and political philosophy issued statement with regard to the ad- vantages which the Third Reich may extract from the bombings. If The Christian Century is reliably informed he commented on the bonbings to say that most of the bombs fell in "areas inhabited oy people who are usually poor and who are not likely to improve their lot and so are no great asset to the community" He is further en- couraged to note that continuous bombings "are bound to unhinge mentally those whose nervous sys. tems are not as strong as they should be-" He suggests that this will permit the weeding out of the unfit who can be sent to institu- tions and their offspring can be sterili1ed. In other words the NaSis can use bombing raids to good ad- vantage. They can weed out the kind of people unfit to survive the long and deadly wars, blasting air raids and summary blood purges.
 God be praised that in the midst of this ghaStly war we have some. thing to offer by way of contrast. A matter of two or three weeks ago our President commended the heroic conduct of a Lieutenant Connan- der 0. McAlmont WaSsell, former medical missionary, who won dis- tinction in the battle of the Java Sea. It Is reported that the gentle man in question was somewhat as- toniShed when informed of the cita- ton. He said, T dn't know why the President should single me out for honor. I simply did Q doctors duty The only thing that the President said about me that I deserved was that am the pastor of flock. The shepard always stays with his sheep" Now, Navy officer or mis- sionary doctor, that man had a philosophy of life. It was his bus iness to save life and he took the sacredness of life, his services to his fellows, as Q matter of coure.
 So in this world we have those who say that nothing matters except the State, if 1t prospers, succeeds, triumphs, a few thousand of e few million lives are of no account. Christianity says, every life counts, and no nation and no civilizaton can long survive that does not hold high the sacred value of even the least of It's citizens.
 I say to you that this world is doomed to disaster in so far and w~ A M-~nSN nHVHFCR