The Lust of War

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 26, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 30.

“The Lust of War.”—Prof. Goldwin Smith, LL. D., in an article in a recent Independent, combats the idea that a national character suffers by prolonged peace, and deplores the war spirit which incites even among women the fierce passions of revenge. He truly says: “To a nation war in a bad cause is moral poison. The idea that the violent passions which the war calls into play will kill the meaner passions, such as the lust of gain, it must be said once more is utterly baseless. War is the very harvest-time of the stockjobber and the appointed season of ‘embalmed beef.’”

Farther on he remarks: “There seems to have suddenly come over us a sort of satiety of civilization. Not only is there a revival of the lust of war, but barbarous practises, such as dueling, now recognized in every European country except England, and barbarous sports, such as prize-fighting, are coming again into vogue. It seems that bull-fighting, hitherto deemed the disgrace of Spain, is about to be imported into France [and America also]. When I was young prize-fighting was deemed disreputable; now prize-fights are reported at length in first-class journals, and women are beginning to attend the ring. In the press, and not in its lowest organs, we read avowals of respect for brute force and contempt of moral restraint, which in the last generation would scarcely have proceeded from the most cynical of writers or public men. The Declaration of Independence, to whatever criticism it may be liable, is at all events a charter of humanity; a charter of inhumanity appears now to be taking its place.”

And this “lust of war,” this contempt of moral restraint, in this generation are the fulfilment of what God has over and over predicted in His Word as the state of things to precede His second advent. The cause is rejection of the Word and Law of God.