By J.H. Garrison
WAR IS one of the relics of barbarism. It marks a crude and imperfect stage of civilization. The prophets of God from of old have foretold the time when wars shall cease. The Psalmist exclaims:
"Come, behold the works of Jehovah,
What desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
He burneth the chariots in the fire."
Isaiah, the prophet, telling of what shall come to pass in the latter days, when the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established, says: "And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
It is declared of Jesus that he came into the world to "destroy the works of the devil." General Sherman defined war as "hell," and there can be no question that the word describes its origin as well as its character. It is, therefore, to be classed among "the works of the devil," which Christ was manifested to destroy. It is certain that he will destroy 'and is now destroying war as one of the great scourges of mankind.
How is Christ the way to universal peace? First, by his great correlative doctrines of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. If God is our Father, then all men are brothers. If "the sky is the roof of but one family," there is no legitimate place for war beneath that roof. Surely brothers can find a better way than war for settling their misunderstandings.
Christ also teaches that we are to "love our enemies and do good to those who despitefully use us." How can we conduct war in harmony with that teaching And then there is Christ's "Golden Rule," teaching us that "whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." This rule absolutely excludes war.
Again, Christ's ratification of an older law requires us not only to love God, but also to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the fulfillment of all law. Can we make war on those whom we love as we do ourselves?
Not only is war utterly inconsistent with Christ's teaching, but it is no less incompatible with his example. Surely if ever man had justification for resenting human insults and injury, by violence, Jesus had; but "being reviled, he reviled not again." Having it in his power to summon "twelve legions of angels" to his defense, he submitted himself into the hands of his enemies, and with his dying breath prayed for those who crucified him.
Finally, the effect of Christ's gospel is so to regenerate man's nature as to remove the feeling of enmity, and replace place it with the spirit of kindness. Men who are enemies out of Christ, on coming into his kingdom become friends. This gospel of "peace on earth and good will among men" is being preached from the pulpits of all the churches, and, according to his command, is being carried to all nations. Wherever it goes it brings forth the fruits of peace and righteousness. It is weaving invisible bonds of friendship and of mutual interest, which antagonize war.
It is only a question of time, then, when the religion of Christ will be the dominant religion of every nation. This will cement and strengthen the ties of brotherhood between peoples of different nationalities, races and tongues, until war shall become impossible. It requires no prophet to foresee the time when the Prince of Peace shall have conquered all his enemies, and shall have ushered in the period, foretold by Tennyson:
"When the war-drums throb no longer,
and the battle-flags are furled,
In the parliament of man,
the federation of the world."
