The Cost of a Battle-Ship

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 14, 1910

The Cost of a Battle-Ship

BUT few realize the enormous amount of money consumed yearly in providing the sinews of war, even in times of peace. The cost of one battle-ship alone is enormous, and would, if devoted to useful improvements or to education, accomplish a vast amount of good. The Presbyterian Banner makes this interesting comparison of the cost of the “Florida,” recently launched, and what the money would do in the State of that name if devoted to wise purposes:—

The “Florida” cost $6,000,000 to build, besides the great expense of maintaining it during the few years before it will go to the scrap-heap. It gives one a sense of the expense and loss of such a ship when we consider what this sum of money would do for Florida. It would build a system of good roads through the State, which would add greatly to its comfort-and-wealth-producing power. It would drain many of its swamps, and enlarge its productive area. It would drain and equip a high school in every county, and found and endow as many colleges as the State needs. It would furnish the State with as many hospitals and libraries as it could use. Florida takes pride in this enormous floating steel fortress, that can belch forth enough shot to destroy a thousand men; but it would be immensely better off if it had the six millions sunk in this engine of death invested in the means of life.

Basis of Church Unity

REFERRING to the wide discussion which is being given to the question of church unity by many of the religious journals, the Lutheran Witness of June 9 very pertinently remarks:—

Unity in doctrine is the basis which Scripture has laid down for us, and until men can attain to such unity, they will not and should not unite. To go at the matter as if the Christian church were nothing but a trust, looking only to a more economical administering of its affairs from the money point of view, is useless and worse than useless. We must get our arguments from Scripture.

There is but one true basis of unity recognized in the Scriptures of truth, and that is the unity which there is in the Lord Jesus Christ. He prays his Father that his followers “may all be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.” The prophet aptly inquires: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Can the professed disciples of Christ be one with the Master, and one with each other, unless they are agreed? To agree with him, they must hold the same truth that he held, and follow the same principles that he followed. Says the apostle John, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” This, as the Witness justly remarks, is the only true basis of union for the followers of the Master. When we seek for any other, we seek it upon a wrong basis, and are following the methods of the world instead of the plan of the Head of the church.