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LopezSource: Advocate of Peace (1847-1884), New Series, Vol. 2, No. 17 (MAY 15, 1870), p. 238Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27904696 .

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23a THE ADYOO?iTE OF PEACE. May, 1S70.

coal smoke, we were soon across the Ohio and Philadelphia line and could get a breath of pure air. After one night's test at the house of O. W. Hartshorn, Pres. Mt. Union College, near Alliance, Ohio, we took the train via Cleve land for Oberlin, Ohio. Oherlin College was built in the woods, but there is now a beautiful town of five thousand inhabitants around it, who have always been distinguished for their hatred of slavery and caste. The colored people have been admitted into the college where many have creditably graduated, and now you can see intelligent colored faces in every congregation. Dr. Tinney, of national reputation, so long President of the College is now in his seventy-eighth year, but is still vigorous and active. We had the privilege of hearing him preach in his large church that is arranged to seat 1,800 people. Dr. Finney is quite deeply interested in the subject of peace and freely offered his large church for a peace meeting. A good attendance was had. And the editor of the Oberlin paper made a lengthy and favorable comment upon the lecture ; After supplying the students and ministers with peace volumes, and furnish ing an article for the " Standard of the Cross," we took up our journey homewards, speaking two or three times more on the way. Rejoiced to reach home and friends after a ten weeks* trip, we stopped merely long enough to mend nets ; and then started to another part of the field. More at another time. W. . H.

New Vienna, Ohio, April 12th, 1870.

CHRISTIANITY "AGAINST WAB. We are glad to see in the Christian Neighbor pub

lished at Columbia, S. C, sentiments like the following, from a member of the Holston Conference of the AL E. Church, South.

Forks of Pigeon, N. C.y March 30, 70. Me. Editor : At the late session of the Holston Confer

ence, the writer drew up a proposition on the subject of war, which he thought of submitting to the consideration of the Conference, In this proposition, it was claimed that war is not warranted by the sacred Scriptures, and hence anti Christian ; and therefore proposed to request the next Gen eral Conference of the M. E. Church, South, to take some action in the premises setting our Church right on this very important question. I called the attention of s?veral prom inent members of the Conference to this subject, the most of whom agreed with me in the main as to the position, but doubted the propriety of bringing the subject before the Annual Conference. A highly esteemed clerical member suggested the propriety of discussing the subject in the pub lic press, and to this suggestion I thought of yielding, be lieving that such discussion would not be prejudicial to the principles of Christianity. This was sought to be made in one of our Church papers, but it was judged inopportune by the worthy arid venerable editor. But the subject is one of vital importance, and ought not to be ignored by the great or the small. If it is right to engage in war whenever gov ernment says so, we cannot too soon be convinced of that

duty ; but if it is wrong thus to do, Christendom deserves to be convinced of this wrong, that we may in the future re frain from it. It may be said that this is not the "time to discuss this subject ; but I will add that now is always the time to begin to remove false impressions, and to set our selves right by forsaking that which is manifestly wrong. We are taught by Scripture that Christ's kingdom is a

kingdom of peace, and we believe that all those who pro fessedly belong to that kingdom should partake of the spirit of Christ. And we should not only pray,

" Thy kingdom

come," but we should use our efforts to bring about that kingdom. We lately heard from a high standpoint, that

" he who would pray, ' Thy kingdom come/ and put forth

no effort to bring about that kingdom, deserved to be looked upon with contempt." This seems to be pretty strong lan guage, but we xlo not gainsay its correctness ; and if we

happen to be thinking about war, we can scarce repress an

involuntary amen.

Must we wait for our children to do this ? Can we not lend a helping hand ? If no more, can we not prepare some of the material, David-like, by the help of which this mag nificent structure is to be erected ? so that our children, who are not men of blood as we are, may complete the work. Let us put forth an effort. Let us at least talk of the means by which wars are to be made to cease. May not our dearly learned lessons serve to convince the coming generation that to " do to others as we would have them to do to us," is the surest road to safety and happiness.

You may infer, then, Mr. Editor, that I believe in the doctrine that all wars are wrong, both offensive and defen sive, and that, being wrong, it is not right for Christians to take any part in them ; and if it is wrong for Christians thus to do, it is equally wrong for any other citizen or sub ject to do so ; for the one is no less morally and religiously bound to support civil government than the other. This conviction is forced upon me by the plain teachings of Christ and his Apostles, and is strengthened by the utter folly and wickedness of both parties engaged in the late dis tressing civil war. I once honestly believed that entire submission to the powers that be was a Christian duty, al though that power commanded me to take the lives of inno cent fellow-beings? But is it possible that Christianity teaches such ? Does it not rather teach us to do no mur der, to resist not evil, to pray for our enemies, and to do good to them that despitefully use us? Can we, by engag ing in the destruction of our national enemies (and Christ

makes no distinction between our enemies) be doing good unto them f If we even did wish to heap coals of fire on 1 their heads, would not the most effectual means of accom

plishing this be by doing them the greatest possible amount ofgood?

But I did not wish to write a long article. Will not others of our connection speak out before the assembling of our next General Conference ? Cannot our Church be induced to take some action on this vital question ? There are many peace men in the Chtirch, and the number is in creasing. Will not the clergy and laity, at their first meet ing together in general councillor the good of Methodism and for the glory of Christ, put forth an effort to strengthen the anti-belligerent kingdom of Christ, and thus truly pro mote peace on earth and good will among men.

W. J. Wilson.

Lopez. This tyrant and scourge of Paraguay has re cently met with his deserved fate?having been killed by the Brazilians, and the little remnant of his army taken prisoners or scattered. Thus ends the war between Brazil and Paraguay, but not until both countries, and especially the latter, have suffered beyond expression. It will take Paraguay a hundred years to recover from the effects of the mad ambition of its dictator. When will men bo wise and good enough to refuse to be the instruments of such scour ges of the human race as Alexander, Napoleon, and Lopez.

Cost op Our Monitors.?The number of sea-going mon itors belonging to the U. S. navy is eleven, costing $14,184,000 ; harbor and river monitors nine, costing $8,870,000 ; harbor and river monitors of tjie same class as the Passaic eight, and

light draft monitors twenty, costing $11,631,000. The number of river iron-clads West are three, costing $686,000, giving the total cost in round numbers at $35,371,000.

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