A Lull in the World

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 27, 1865

A Lull in the World.

ThE following paragraph from a St. Louis paper, is only remarkable, compared with others of a like nature, on account of the universal sweep of its statement. The writer goes beyond anything that anybody else has yet attempted to make men believe. The war here having closed, he cannot see any anywhere else in the world. And not only does he see no war, but he can see no cause for any future war, either in this country or any other. "The wars of the world" he says, "are over for the present." Decidedly cool and complacent, but not quite so evidently true. Under the heading of "A Lull in the World," he speaks thus:

"It is a singular coincidence that simultaneous with the closing of our civil war, the whole world is at peace. War worthy of being dignified as such does not exist in all the wide world. In Central and South America, there are or have been lately certain petty squabbles; there is occasionally a skirmish in Mexico, and it may be that a few hundred New Zealanders are occasionally fighting as many English red coats, but this is about all. The Great Powers of Europe are not only at peace, but there is no cause of quarrel apparent among them. Austria and Italy may not love each other; and the Pope may be the bone of contention; but the signs of a difficulty are fewer, and the prospects for pacifying difficulties better now than ever. As regards the relations of America to Europe, they are likely to remain perfectly peaceful.

"When our war commenced, the great Chinese rebellion, which had been in progress half a score of years, still ran its bloody course. After the commencement of our war, there was the war of Russia against Poland; there was the war of Austria and Prussia, two first-class powers, against weak little Denmark; there was France against Mexico; the miserable war of Spain against San Domingo, and several affairs even less than the last named. Now there are but a few glimmering embers left of all these war fires. Indeed, it may be said that the wars of the world are over for the present, and that peace broods over the globe. Let that peace be preserved. Let us beat our implements of war into plow-shares and pruning hooks, that the earth may be made to blossom as the rose and teem once more with plenty."