If Another War Comes What WiLL YOU Do?

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 25, Issue 10, 1 October 1935, Page 7

If Another War Comes What WiLL YOU Do?

By the Very Rev. "Dick" Sheppard. "It is extraordinary," writes one of •our leading statesmen, "how rarely m history have victors been capable of turning m a flash to all those absolutely different processes of action, to that utterly different mood which alone can secure by generosity what they have gained by force/ Fine and true as that sounas, there is nothing much to it. It is neither extraordinary nor surprising that men should be unable to walk straight -out of war into peace. It is only j natural. MOVING WORDS. When millions who have been per-

mitted and encouraged to hate then proceed with every devilish device at their disposal to work out that hatred on their fellows of another breed, we can hardly expect them to emerge from their hell as young angels of love and light. If men prepare for war there is bound to be ah unholy row. Hear at Armisticetide what one whom none can accuse of being a sentimentalist has to say about the horrors of the world war. These are the moving words, of Mr. Winston Churchill: — "Every effort was made to starve whole nations into submission without regard to age or sex. Cities and monuments were smashed by artillery, from the air were cast down indiscriminately. Poisoned gas m many forms stifled or scarred the soldiers. Liquid fire was projected upon their bodies. Men feli from the air m flames or were smothered, often slowly, m the dark recesses of the sea. ... "When all was over, torture and cannibalism were the only two expedients that the civilised, scientific, Christian States had been able to deny themselves, and these were of doubtful utility." I should wish those words writ m letters of red m every school and every language throughout the civilised world. And yet the happenings of 1914---1918 were a mere bagatelle to what would happen next time; but on this subject I would say nothing, for I detest the method — too often employed — that tries to make peace by putting the fear, not of God, but of man, into the hearts of timid people. It is only very brave men that can make and keep peace; passionate, strong, healthy, laughing warriors — the sort that came into our mind yesterday m the Silence; the sort that hated killing, but went to kill and came back, sometimes, to wish they, top, were dead. You may answer: "Stop all these platitudes. Who wants war?" No one, thank God; yet listen. WHY? It has been declared that among thecountless million citizens of all the enlightened nations of the world there could not be found many hundreds to

declare m favour of modern war as a reasonable means of settling disputes between the nations. Yet the same responsible millions, ever since the disaster that converted them to this view, have., been consistently overtaxing themselves m preparation for a more outrageously modern war still. That is where we are fifteen years after we cried aloud to God, and to those who gave all they had to give to end war, "It" is finished; never again, this we swear." "' If the Unknown Warrier died m vain, his the glory, for ever ours the shame. If he trusted that we would complete his work, and now we only serenade him with a post-humous eruption of gratitude once a year, how greatly pathetic is . he, how blasphemous our "G.H.Q. Community" orders each November 11Politicians, m their • moments of insight, tell us that peace will only come when the hearts of men are changed. After that they have nothing to say. Christians' though most. of them be, it would not be good form, to add anything more. ...... It is simply "not done.". Has anybody else anything to suggest? Forgive my- impertinence — I have. - ,-• „. • Let Christ be called m, at great cost, to expel the clouds of fear and suspicion that still haunt .the liumaai heart and make it impossible for us' "to turn m a flash to : all those absolutely different processes of action, to that utterly different mood" by which the peace of God may be won. And, lastly, let those, who long for the will of God to prevail go pacifist out and out, through and through, since Jesus and Jehovah cannot walk m step. To conclude (speaking only for myself), I maintain, with' my whole soul, that the Church .of - Christ is not worthy to represent i|s Lord to-day unless it declares, without any equivocation or delay, that no leader or ranker under its banner may kill his fellow, his brother. Why? One answer will suffice: . „ Christ would not permit; it. H. R. L. SHEPPARD.