PEACE TALK, AND THE WAR TALK TOO.
By T.
THE press despatches of February 18 contained the following item:— “Rev. J. Minot Savage, of the Church of the Messiah, Boston, Mass., responding to a toast at the banquet of the pulp and paper manufacturers last night, said: ‘As one thinks of the sad disaster that has befallen the Maine in the harbor of Havana, he can but wonder at the patience of the people of the United States. We have been thrilled and stirred by the massacre of the Armenians, but one here at our door has been worse, yet we have had patience. I do not advocate war, and I would like to see the day when all affairs could be settled by arbitration, but the limit of patience and humanity may come. Let us be ready to stand up for that freedom and manhood upon which the country rests. We ought to have dignity and power with every country. We should have a navy. If we can not build one rapidly enough, let us find where they have one for sale. Let us buy one and then dare to assert our will.’ Dr. Savage’s words caused intense enthusiasm, the guests rising to their feet and cheering.” There are many men to-day who attend “peace congresses” and make eloquent speeches in favor of “arbitration” as the only means by which civilized nations should settle their disputes. And no one who is civilized can object to the proposition. It is certainly the ideal and humane thing to arbitrate rather than fight. Men should ever seek to avoid the horrors and disasters of war. But while these peace sentiments are freely talked, they are not in reality the spirit of the age. For when something is done the natural tendency of which is to set the feelings of one nation against another, the question is not, How many men do we have that are good at arbitrating? but, How many good fighters have we? and what is the condition of our guns and powder? Of course none of these men “advocate war,” but still they think that we ought to “be ready to stand up for that freedom and manhood upon which the country rests.” And “we should have a navy,” and if it can not be built fast enough, then “buy one” already made. From the standpoint of patriotism to any country whatever, such language does not seem out of place. The only incongruity is between the sayings of these men who tell us one day that war is to be no more, and exhort us the next to buy a navy if we can not build one fast enough. Hence no amount of talking should blind our eyes to the fact that war and not peace is the spirit of this age. And all should know that the Scriptures give the anger of all the nations of earth as one of the great signs of the soon-coming end of time. Then do not allow the excitement of our time to keep you from taking your bearings so as to know where you are.