wr tswfytgTFnp "
' TV
li
The Commoner
16
JrfJiJ,
:16, NO. 7
' ' ywg)i!W'!lWWy,y!WT' '
IV
I
will by no means cloar tho guilty, and that Ho
TlslU tlio iniquity of tho fathers upon tho child
ren, and upon tho children's children unto tho
third and to tho fourth generation, wo need not
bo cast down or plunged into despair, but should
rather rojolco that wo aro living In a moral uni
vorso, controlled by ono who lo altogether
righteous, and knowing this wo shall gird our
selves and work with rekindled zeal to bring all
mon to ropontanco. Tho war calls us, trumpot
tonguod, to mako enlarged sacrifices for tho
advancement of tho kingdom of righteousness
and peaco and joy.
Tho greatest conception lodged In tho human
mind In tho, nineteenth century .was tho inex
jorableness of law. Mon in othor centuries had
caught glimpses of tho great fact, but in tho
nineteenth century it took possession of the pop
ular mind. Tho greatest gift presented to us by
modorn scionco is tho idea of a univorso under
tho reign of law. Law, says service,
is universal. Thero Is no lawless realm in
tho whole physical univorso. Law is operative
at tho oqUator and at tho poles on tho top of
tho. highest mountain and at tho bottom of the
doopest sea. Tho same laws which hold our
littlo planot in their grip aro also in' force upon
tho sun and moon and upon the farthest of. tho
stars. All tho adonis of matter, so far as tho
scientist has gotten his eyes upon thorn, aro
soon to bo dancing in obodionco to tho music of
a law that is universal and also without change.
ThiB unchangoableness of law is as wonderful as
its universality. No law has over yet been al-r
tored. Not ono has for an Instant boon suspend
ed. From ovorlasting to everlasting all laws
romain tho samo. But this is not all. Law is
universal, law is unchangeable, and law Is inex
orable. It has no pity. It inakos no exceptions.
It recognizes no distinctions. Gravitation, fire,
water, oloctricity, poison, all work in tho samo
way in all places, and with them thero is no re
spect of persons. Every man of scionco has this
for IUb creed Law 1b universal, unchangeable,
and inoxorablo.
BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRUPTED BY
FALSE STANDARDS
But is tho spiritual univorso governed accord
ing to law? Aro persons as well as atoms In tho
grip of laws which thoy can not escape? Aro
souls bound by unbroakablo bonds to a throno?
Wo aro all roady to say yes within tho circle of
Individual lifo. Jesus has announced principles
which wo accept as binding upon lis in the
, homo, in society, and in tho church. Ho has
sotrup standards whioh wo acknowledge in tho
domain of our domestic and social life. Ho has
revealed ideals Which wo confess to bo beau
tiful, and up to which wo strive with varying
dogroos of earnestness to bring our lives. But
can wo carry tho ethics of Jesus Into business? A
multitudo answer no! "Business is business,"
says tho hard-headed morchant, "and tho min
ister of Jesus Christ has no warrant for inter
fering with my methods of cqnducting my af
fairs. Tho Goldon Rule is for Sunday Schools,
but not for tho counting house and store!" It
is because tho ministers of Christ have listened
too often to this protest of godless business men
that the world of business has been cursed- by
a Bories of scandals which s- dl to heaven. Can
Jho morality of Jesus bo carried into politics'
Certainly not. Tho notion that you can obey
tho Ton Commandments in political lifo is an
irridescont droani. Lot tho minister of Christ
ke0p out of politics. Tho New Testament is for
tho sick room and not for tho rooms In which
mon aro moulding civic policids and programs."
It Is bocauso too many ministers have turned
their back on tho great world of political thought
and discussion that politics has In bo Zy
of ffe worid and aisgracGd us in tb-o eyes
Can tho principles of Jesus bo carried into
tho arena of international lifo? Can diplomats
and statesmen wisely act on tho ideas which
the Man of Galileo proclaimed : Are the virtues
which Ho recommended vices in tho realm of
diplomacy? Aro the graces which Ho praised
to be condemned when seen in primo ministers
and rulers? Jesus spoke often of patience and
humility and forbearance and tho willingness to
forgive. Is this salutary teaching for Parlia
ments and kings or is it intended for use solely
in the home? Tho Now Testament emphases
the tremendous importance of gentleness and
long-suffering, and meekness. Are such traUs
of thoawSrlS?COmm0ndabl0 ln the chcellories
Ono .-need only to glance at the history of
European diplomacy to discover that BuTone
.has noW been Christian in the realm of poUt!
leal ideal and action. She has remained throng
r
all tho centuries miserably pagan. Her funda
mental prlnclplo has been always gelf-lnterest
She has never recognized -tho principle of lovo.
Many of tho most influential political teachers
and leaders, such as Machiavelli, Frederick tho
Groat, Napoleon I, and Disraeli, have been pa
gans to tho core Tho primo ministers and dip
lomats have been baptized into tho namo of
Jesus, but they have said in tho realm of po
litical action' "wo will not have this man to
rulo over us!" Jesus was frank and open, but
European diplomacy has been secret and un
derhanded. Jesus despised tho love of dominion,
but dominion has been tho primo ambition of
European diplomats. Jesus counselled patience,
but tho leaders of Europe have believed that a
nation should strike first and hard. Jesus be
lioved in gentleness, but tho lords of European
statecraft have believed in diplomatic pressure,
meaning by that a pressure of guns.. Most of
tho rulers and statesmen of Europe have par
taken regularly of tho sacrament of the Lord's
Supper, but thoy have crucified Jesus Christ in
. thoir action. Thoy have said what tho crowd
said on the day of tho crucifixion: "Not -this
man, but Barabbas!"
It was out of this unchristian conception o?
national lifo that thero came the pernicious pol
icy of armed peace. It was a pagan world which
coined the adage; "In timo of peace prepare for
war," and Christian Europe would never have
adopted It had she been Christian in her polit
ical thought. For forty years Europe used up
a largo part of Jier income on guns and battle
ships. Nations hpld their wealth as stewards of
God. Ho does not entrust them with wealth
that It may be squandered on instruments de
vised for tho slaughter of beings created in His
image. For this sin of wasting gold Europe
now stands before tho judgment throne. For
forty years a large part of tho mental energy
of tho great nations of Europe went into the
construction of gigantic war machines. The
military and naval establishments grew larger
and larger. They were a vampir.o sucking the
blood of tho people. All the nations of Europe
have for years been nervous and excitable and
sick, because of this constant and weakening
drain on tho fountains of vitality. Millions of
men have been obliged to throw away tho best
years of their life in military and naval drill.
For this squandering of time, Europe now is
judged. In order to keep up armies and navies,
it was necessary for the governments of Europe
to rob their people. Thero has been a soldier
on every peasant's back. In some countries all
movements for social betterment were held up.
Schools were closed. Children were deprived of
an education that soldiers might be fed. The
body was Btarved and so was the mind. Thou
sands of Europeans have been fleeing from Eu
?PiJn, ordeito escape the crushing burden.
Multitudes of them have come to our own shores
A. constant stream has been flowing for a quar
ter of a century into our republic from south
eastern Europe. Who. could stand at Ellis Is
land and look into the faces of these strangers
and not be touched with pity and indignation.
S e.nt' e?es v"n the light of hope almost
extinguished, faces marked by deep lines which
poverty and suffering engrave, in many instances
the very skulls trampled out of shape by- the
boots of tho war lords of Europe!
MINISTERS OF CHURCH STAND CONDEMNED
But the war lords aro not the only sinners
SLmini8iers 0f,the Ghristian church muit aJso
stand condemned. What did they say about
this wicked squandering of tho people's money'
What protest did they offer to this shameless
Snif inT?AnB 0PPression of the helpless and the
poor? What thunderbolt of condemnation and
warning did they hurl at rulers and statesmen?
For the most part they were silent In Kl
the priests were dumb docs In t?iS
and Austria the Roman 6athol!c priests were
speechless In Germany the LutheS ,2
was gagged. In England tho Anglican" SSfflJ
gave forth a tono feeble and uncertain PSien
tho nonconformist leaders, with numerous not
able exceptions, failed to get their evo on ?t
heinous and damning sin. 7 n thIs
Tho educators were also culprits. Thnv i
many things, but they did not knni ?L
thing which it was most necVsaaw tw f ? ne
should know They boasted o TheV-hlr"
learning, but their learning did not carrv t
high enough to see what is tho m f S y them
God They were JvanVed'' tbS ers buTfhpv
failed to advance to where jPiin S2' P they
preached the Sermon or f Moun Thev116
aware of tho fact that Copernicus ?Lri 3?y Wee
earth out of the central pX sublm , en e
Pv but they did not reaVafGod'haf &? ,
Jesus of Nazareth and not Mara at the cent
and ha decreed that all nations must bow S
him. The leaders of Europepolitical, ecclGRi
astical, and educational were blind, and alai"
tho nations are all in a ditch. If men can not
gee that tho systematic and continuous snuan
dering of human energy and thought on ner
fecting the methods of slaughter, is a sin against
Almighty God, then they are certain, soon or
late, to bo overwhelmed by tho destruction thev
deserve. The amazing thing is not that Eurono
is being drenched with blood, but that the affile
tlon was so long postponed. Because of the
protracted delay men becamo increasingly reck
less until they boasted of armament as a badgo
of honor, and measured the glory of nations by
their equipment for destruction.
For years the cry of the oppressed has gone
to heaven "O Lord, how long!" and men have
been tempted to say in their hearts: There is no
God! But at last He has laid bare His arm.
"Though tho mills of &od grind slowly, yet they
grind exceeding small;
Though with patience He stands waiting, with
, .exactness grinds Ho all."
JUDGMENTS OF GOD FALL. AS LIGHTNING
Take down your Bible .and read what it says
on the subject of retribution. Every sentence
shines with a deeper meaning when read in the
glare of this European conflagration. How sud
denly the war came! It had often been predict
ed, but nobody realized it was at the door. A
hundred thousand Americans, fearing nothing,
were on a pleasure tour through Europe when
in an instant the sky blackened and the light
nings began to flash. Europeans, were as amazed
as 'were the Americans. Rulers and prime min
isters were off on their summer holiday, and in
the twinkling of an eye the yolcano belched fire.
The judgments of God are long delayed, but
when they fall they fall a? tho lightning does.
So it was in the days of Noah, and so it was in
the century in which Jerusalem was destroyed,
and so it was in tho eighteenth century when
France toojk firo and the old regime was con
sumed, and so it was in the year 1914 when the
greatest of all wars began.
The Bible tells us that tb,ere is such a thing
as a "Too Late." We had read "about It, but it
was only a story which we dimly understood.
In August of 1914 we saw the meaning as we
had never seen it before of the parable of the
virgins who were foolish. What earnest efforts
were made In July to ward off the horrifying
catastrophe. One can not read the diplomatic
correspondence of those feverish, distracted days
without concluding that in all the countries
honest hearts sincerely desired to keep the feet
of Europe in the -paths of peace. Sir Edward
Grey of Europe suggested a tribunal. But it
was too late. Peace tribunals must be con
structed before men's hearts become wild with
fear. In Russia and Germany and England and
France there was an effort to secure just a little
time for reflection and conference, but no time
was given. It was too late. The boat, long
risking the rapids, was caught by a current
which could not be stemmed. Will you ever
forget how helpless you felt in that awful hour
When you realized that Europe was rushing to
her doom? You turned to the right and the left
in search of some one strong to deliver, but you
found none. You went forward and then back
ward, but there was none to save. You looked
heavenward, but even God's face seemed to be
averted. The patience of the Almighty can be
exhausted and there comes a time when He
leaves men and nations to drink the cup of His
Wrath.
The awfulness of the punishment can not bo
put into words, for it passes beyond the com
prehension of the' mind. The tragedy of the
war is so vast we can not take it in. The hor
ror of it is so immeasurable that it leaves us
stunned. We only know that Europe is being
beaten with many stripes, that she has been cast
into the darkness where there is weeping and
gnashing of teeth. We know-that the nations
nave been cast into Gehenna and the smoke of
their torment goes up before our eyes day and
night. It is indeed an awful thing to fall into
the hands of the living God, unless you are in
harmony with His will. It is true, as the apostle
says, that whatsoever we sow, that also we are
certain to reap. Nations can not escape the con
sequences of their sins. There is a judgment
throne before which they must stand. Paul
was not mistaken when he said that however
nations might have lived in tho past, God now
calls all men to repentance, for He will judge
the nations by that man whom Ho has ordained,
the man who rode into Jerugalenvon the back
Continued on Page 30.) ..
