THE KING’S BUSINESS 583 man in high position, who used much of his time in preaching the gospel and in personal work. But the other two boys went on unwounded for many months—about a year. The oldest boy had been summoned to the palace and had received from the King his D. S. O. and though only 28 years'of age had been made lieutenant-colonel in the British Army and commander of his battalion. His younger brother had been made his adjutant. In the letter received May 11th the information is conveyed to us that two 'telegrams had just come from the war office, containing information that they were both killed on the same day, April 18th. How great the sorrow must be in that home who can picture, though all the members of the family are sustained by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and by the hope of the soon coming of our Lord. Such is war. Men talk of the glory of war. The glory of war is nothing to the horror of it. This instance is one out of many thousands, and how great the guilt that lies at the door of those who for reasons of aggrandizement or conquest, or any other selfish purpoes, are responsible for this awful war that is now desolating the earth. Who can doubt that they will have to pay the penalty of their awful guilt, for God says, “Vengeance is mine, I zvill repay saith the Lord.” And God certainly will repay, and in that day woe to those who are responsible for the horrors of this present time. flags and in violence of expression and action against lonely individuals who say, dr are imagined to say, something in favor of the Germans. We know personally of one case in which a very faithful preacher of the Gospel in the South, speaking in another city than his own and expressing his disapproval of war (not this present war, but war. in general) was arrested and thrown into prison without trial on the ground that he was guilty of disloyalty to the President. Of course as soon as the U. S. Government heard of it, orders were telegraphed for his release. Many of those who display the U. S. flag most ostentatiously are thoes who will be the last to make any real sacrifice for the defense of the country. And on the other hand, many of,those who have made the greatest sacrifices for the country in times past, do not see the need now of flaunting their patriotism by wearing a flag in their buttonhole, or carrying it on their automobile, or draping it over their doors or windows. The New York Evening Post of March 24th had a suggestive editorial addressed to “The American Citizen, man or woman, who has his country’s welfare at heart.” We give extracts of it herewith: “The attitude of any people in the presence of what is believed to be impending war is of profound interest. What qualities they then display; how they think and feel; the outlet they give to their emotional impulses; in what ways they brace themselves for the coming shock—all this is matter for close study. Imagine a sort of embodied Spirit of America looking down upon our citizens now. Would it be satisfied with the stuff of their patriotic manifestations? Would it find the general bearing of Americans magnanimous? Would it see a nation conscious of strength moving forward with a tread of measured firmness towards its great testing? We fear not. “If a virtue of any kind has to be flogged into being, it becomes in the act dubious. Artificial patriotism is as suspicious as any other sort of stimulated excitement. If a man Since America decided to enter the war there has been a remarkable deluge of “Patriotism” sweeping over the land. Much of the patriotism, however, is of a very cheap variety. It consists largely in displaying Penny. Patriotism.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker