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oe enn ts wna a th AA A A RO NONE ART SAAR ROAR to the rights of all others. It stands’for peace, honesty, fair- It has become a strong, influential and leading factor in world _ alfairs. It is destined to be even greater. Our people are suffi- ciently wise to improve their manifold opportunities. If we are industrious, economical, absolutely: fair in our treatment of each other, strictly loyal to our Government, we, the people, enjoyment of all those benefits which this privileged land ords. But so long as humanity is more or less governed by motives not in accord with the spirit of Christianity, our country may be. involved by those who believe they are more powerful, whatever the ostensible reasons advanced may be —envy, cupidity, fancied wrong, or other unworthy impulse may direct. seize and appropriate. Even though a man be not inclined by deed “PEACE AT ANY PRICE” are not possessed of anything worth having and are oblivious to the interests of others, including their own dependents. The Lord almighty, merciful and all wise, does not absolutely protect those who unreasonably fail to contribute to their own safety, but he does help those who to the limit of their understanding and ability help themselves, and this, my friends, is what I call fundamental theology. On looking back through the history of English speaking people, it will be found in every instance that the most sacred principles of free government have been acquired, protected and perpetuated through the embodied armed strength of the people concerned. From Magna Charta to the present day there is little in our institutions worth having or worth per- petuating that has not been achieved for us by armed men. ' Trade, wealth, literature and refinement cannot defend a state. Pacific habits do not insure peace nor immunity from national insult and national aggression. Every nation that would pre- serve its tranquility,. its rights, its independence and its self- respect must keep alive. its martial ardor and be at all: times prepared to defend itself. ; The United States is a preeminently ‘Christian and con- servative nation. It is far less militaristic than most nations, it is not especially open to the charge of imperialism, yet one would fancy that Americans were the most brutally blood- thirsty people in the world, to judge by the frantic efforts that are being made to disarm them both physically and mor- ally. The public opinion of the United States is being sub- - merged by a deluge of organizations whose activities to pre- vent war would be understandable were they distributed in some degree among the armed nations of Europe and Asia. The effect of all of this unabashed and unsound propaganda is not so much to convert America to a holy horror of war as may expect to be prosperous and to remain secure in the. Every nation that has what is valuable is obligated to be: prepared to defend against brutal attack or unjust effort to - ness, and friendship in its intercourse with foreign nations. ; to guard his own interests, common decency requires him _ ‘to furnish reasonable oversight and care to others who are ' weak and helpless. As a rule, they who preach by word or sd PROCS PERS RS EET rr VSS eiet 2