Speculations Concerning It—Praying for Success in Battle—Mark Twain's Satire on Such Prayers
SPECULATION is rife on every hand regarding the war prospects. Every move by the Germans and the Austrians on one side, and of the allies on the other, is watched with the keenest interest. Newspaper opinion is freely delivered, to become the burden of animated discussion. Some even go so far as to predict the prospective outcome of the whole affair, among the most prominent of which is the Independent, of New York.
In an editorial of its August 24 number, that journal undertakes to tell what would result were Germany to capture Paris. In that case, it sees Servia and Montenegro annexed to Austria, Poland becoming a part of Germany, etc. But if, on the other hand, the allies should succeed in winning against Germany, then Alsace and Lorraine would be returned to France, the German colonies in Africa would be taken over by France and England, and so on.
The writer then draws an illustrative conclusion after this fashion: Inasmuch as the defeat of France in 1870 transformed that country into a republic, so with Germany's defeat that country would follow the same course, and draw all the minor nations after her to form a galaxy of republics, wherein all the civilized world will be governed by the people, in a long drawn out peace, to grow into the kingdom of heaven.
This is a masterpiece of beautiful theory which many would fain cherish. But the trend of human frailties, in the avenues of jealousy and selfish ambition, would forbid all this unless the rank and file of all these nations would first yield their hearts to the control of Christlike gentleness, by which alone any person or nation may be made great. Besides all this, the prophetic Word points out that the closing days of this world's history will be marked by emphasized evil, which will make the times perilous. After enumerating the eighteen prominent vicious characteristics of these days, such as blaspheming, fierceness, truce-breaking, being traitors, etc., the apostle adds that the people possessing these will have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.
It would be folly to deny that we of the present generation have fallen upon just such times as these. In fact, it is just these characteristics — truce-breaking, fierceness, and the like — which have fostered the spirit in Europe that brought on the present bloody conflict. It is well known that the emperor of Germany is a professed Christian, and a preacher of righteousness as well. And yet he calls others who are also members of the professed church of Christ, to do battle, and kill their fellow men who are also professing Christians, in order to sustain national distinction.
He, as other great war generals have done, prays to God for success in battle — that is, in killing the enemies of his government. But such a prayer really means, in the face of the daily news, what was implied in a supposed war prayer said to have been written by Mark Twain not long before his death, a portion of which was as follows:
"O Lord, help us to tear the soldiers of the foe to bloody shreds with our shells. Help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead. Help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire. Help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief. Blast their hopes, blight their lives, water their way with their tears."
Mark Twain refrained from publishing this prayer, because he was told by his friends that it would be sacrilege. But is it sacrilege to mention such things when they are implied in any prayer for war victory? Would it not be well for all to remember these awful things when the war spirit is rife?
Not long ago the Los Angeles Tribune printed some lines, a few of which are here reproduced as a proper sentiment to cherish in view of the direful conditions now prevailing in Europe:
"All Europe trembles 'neath the tread of marching feet.
The clank of sword and spur, and din of martial music, fills the air.
A sad and fearful murmur rises from the troubled earth,
And heaven seems black to hearts in dire despair.
What means this awful, grim display of serried ranks in untold numbers
marshaling now?
Is God preparing for that day when sinful man before His throne must bow?
O God, Thy righteous wrath delay!
For this we pray.
"Almost two thousand years have passed
Since Christ, the lowly Nazarene,
Walked here upon the earth,
He taught, with wisdom unsurpassed,
The laws that give diviner birth
To all that human hearts aspire,
Of love, and truth, and pure desire.
How illy we have learned of Thee,
Thou pierced one of Calvary!"
J. O. C.
Photo by Paul Thompson BRITISH ARMY RED CROSS LADIES ON THE FIELD OF ACTION
