THE KING’S BUSINESS One of the most/significant and suggestive utterances
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“Notwithstanding, in the book of Philippians is that contained in the Christ Is Preached.” eighteenth verse of the first chapter, “Notwithstand ing, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” We have been hearing recently of some things in connection with various evangelistic troupes touring the country that have made lis sad at heart, and we have given a good deal of thought to the question whether something effective could not be done in the way of protest against the methods of some who seem to be mere adven turers. But a few days ago the verse quoted above came to us with great force, and in the midst of our sadness over the trailing of evangelistic work in the dust of commercialism and self-exploitation by some, there came the joy of the thought that in spite of all this “Christ is proclaimed,” unworthily pro claimed it may be true, as in the case of those at Rome to whom Paul refers, but nevertheless He is proclaimed, and in many cases where there are many features-of the work that sadden the heart of a thoughtful Christian, it is beyond a question that there are many genuine conversions. will be taken that will require military training on the part of all our boys and young men. We talk about the curse of militarism in Germany, and the great ness of that curse we have never seen over-stated, and yet we are now pro posing to introduce the same system into our own land. Two years, two of the very best years, have been sacrificed from the life of practically every young man in Germany by this military system that it is proposed to adopt in our own land. Those who advocate it say they are doing it to keep us out of war, but this is the very thing that has plunged^Germany and the other nations into war. There is no prospect of a great war for America for some years to come. Whoever wins, the nations of Europe will be exhausted by the present war and unable to fight anyone for years to come. What is. the use then of military training for our youth now. Furthermore, military methods are constantly changing. If we had trained our young men for military life five years ago that training would have been of little practical value in a war conducted as wars are conducted today. If we should train them along the methods that would fit them for war as conducted today, it would not fit them for war as war will be conducted five years hence. The military training that has been given at West Point has been largely a farce. It would be of little value in war as it is conducted today, but such military training as would be given in ordinary training camps would be far more a farce than that given at West Point. Our great need today is not so much well trained privates as competent officers. We do not so much need universal training as satisfac tory training of the men who would be in command if a war should come. We read a great deal about the fiasco of the militia on the frontier, but what about the Columbus fiasco ? This was not militia, but our regular army officers and soldiers. xOf ¿ourse, the attempt has been made to whitewash the whole busi ness, but there are many who are tempted to smile when they read the com- A great many Amejicans, especially a great many of our legislators, have been swept away with the military frenzy that seems to have taken possession of the whoje earth. There is great danger that some action America’s Peril.
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