Christianity, Politics, and War
By Editor
Some strange ideas of Christianity prevail even among its professed adherents. One is illustrated by the novel spectacle of the European "Christian powers" feeling obliged to maintain a Mohammedan government as a buffer between themselves to keep from devouring one another. But this is only one of the anomalies of the absurd theory that Christianity and politics are legitimate partners. This theory comprises the fallacious and dangerous doctrine that might makes right—that a majority, or any superior power, may properly enforce the conscience of weaker parties. This is especially illustrated in the contention that the observance and support of religious tenets may be regulated by civil law, and thus become a matter of police surveillance and magisterial control. This involves that other delusion that Christianity is a principle that may be exemplified in formal ceremony, regardless of a change of heart. Russia and Japan continue to prepare for war. Reports from the East are very uncertain at the present time, as the Japanese censorship continues; and little is known of what the Russians are doing in China and Korea. Russia's answer to Japan's last note was designed to be final; but Japan shows no disposition to accept it. There has been a report that Japan would still seek to negotiate with Russia concerning their points of difference, while other reports strongly deny this, and indicate that war is the next and inevitable step. Japan has purchased another warship and is negotiating for others. It has been stated several times that England would not see Japan crushed, which would mean that England would take Japan's part in case the war went against her. Germany has announced her intention of neutrality, and the American admiral in the Orient has been ordered to remain in a Philippine port, so as not to give encouragement to either party. Within the week China has signed the treaty with the United States and Japan for the opening of two Manchurian ports to trade. This is looked upon as an important factor in the controversy. It is reported that Russia has warned China that in case the Chinese Government favored Japan, Russian troops would move down and occupy Pekin. Russia is gathering her fleet at Port Arthur, and some of her European vessels are said to be following the new Japanese cruisers now on their way to the Orient, to attack them in case war is declared. A report from St. Petersburg states that the czar has decided, after much hesitation, to leave the issue of war or peace entirely in the hands of Admiral Alexieff, who now has entire charge of Russian affairs in the East. If the latter report be true, it is a strong indication of the seriousness of the situation. The Pacific Coast has been visited by another terrible marine disaster. On the morning of January 9, the passenger steamer Clallam, plying between Seattle and Victoria, B. C., was disabled by heavy seas, and drifted at the mercy of the waves for several hours. When it was seen that the boat must go down, the women and children were put into the life boats with only enough men to man them; but the three boats were soon swallowed by the waves, and their occupants were drowned. The reports state that none of the women and children who had taken passage on the boat were saved. Some of the men were lost with them. Of the men who remained with the ship, some were lost and others were picked up by a tug. In all, fifty-four persons were drowned. Russia's confiscation of Armenian schools in her borders would indicate that Armenia would not be any better off religiously under Russian domination than she is under the Turk. It is also true that altho Russia is nominally "Christian," really Christian missionary work finds no better encouragement in the czar's domain than under the flag of the sultan. Neither would the driving of the Turk from Europe mean anything to the advantage of the Christianity of Christ. The power of Christianity does not lie in human government; it is itself the power of God. It never made greater progress than under Rome's greatest tyrants. There are signs of an early outbreak of trouble in the Balkans. Turkey has ordered an army corps to be in readiness for active service, and troops are leaving Monastir for Uskub. Another massacre of Christians is feared in that part of the country. Bulgaria has sent a note to Turkey urging the carrying out of the promised reforms. Colombia is said to be gathering troops on her frontier preparatory to an invasion of Panama and a collision with the American marines now in that territory. General Reyes, Colombia's special commissioner to this country, will return to Colombia in a few days, and it is believed that some action will be taken by his country soon after his departure. An exhibition of rapid shorthand work was given at the National Shorthand Teachers' Convention, which met at Cincinnati, on December 29, in which the official stenographer of the House of Representatives wrote on a blackboard from dictation at the rate of 233 words per minute, and read it back in less than fifty seconds without an error. A German ethnologist, who has been studying the tribes of Southern Mexico, has discovered a tribe of light-haired and fair-skinned natives whose traditions indicate that they were descendants of the ancient Teutons. The race is quite distinct from any other of the Indians of Mexico, and is noted for physical strength. German inventors have patented a device for photographing the internal organs of the body, showing their size and shape, and the exact dimensions of any foreign substance the organ may contain. Experiments are being made with radium for the treatment of cancer. One case is reported from New York in which a very malignant cancer was cured after six weeks' treatment. The British cruiser Wallaroo, while 230 miles south of New South Wales, exploded one of her boilers on January 7, killing forty-three of the members of her crew. Seventeen persons were killed and thirty-seven injured in a railway collision at Willard, Kansas, on January 6.