Christian Greatness Versus Military Power
The world's idea of greatness is great armies and navies. The world's ideal hero is the great general or the great admiral. But greatness achieved by such means is the result of destruction of human life. Nations that become great through such instrumentality must attain greatness at the expense of others. Can such a nation be a Christian nation? -It can be so only in name. Christian greatness is not attained in that way. The Founder of Christianity said of His career on earth, "The Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Yet of Him, before His birth, an angel said, "He shall be great." But even from the standpoint of temporal prosperity, the common people of the great military and naval powers are not the most prosperous. There may be more millionaires and more aristocracy, but in far greater proportion there are also more of the dependent classes. In Europe the greatest average material prosperity, as also the most general tranquility, is to be found in such states as Switzerland, Denmark, and Holland. They have no great armies or navies, mere non-producing consumers of the products of the people's labor, and for this reason they have fewer difficulties with their neighbors. To the professed followers of Christ, He says, "Put up thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Where are great Babylon, and Medo-Persia, and Grecia, and the iron empire of Rome—once proud nations with unlimited sway in the earth? and where are their all-conquering armies?—Perished forever.