P

VIII

REVIOUSLY I referred to the new gospel

or rather the enlarged, the more extended gospel in which the Christian should interest himself and which he should preach until it becomes the habit of men's minds to talk in terms of moral methods of the settlement of international disputes, that these might supplant the methods of war between nations as they have already eliminated war between individuals. Now I wish to impress upon the Christian the duty of devoting his time to the study of those international institutions which are being carefully considered by many in Great Britain, France and America at this time, and are being proposed as substitutes for war, and especially should he acquaint himself with the proposals everywhere being discussed looking toward some form of federation of the nations, which shall make for peace, security, justice and mutual coöperation. There is a very widespread feeling in both America and Europe that there has got to be a new world order after this war. Nobody, except a few war-lords, want this thing to occur again. The futility of war as a means to settle anything is coming over the world, as well as its wickedness and its cost in pain, sorrow, life and money. There is a growing feeling

that there is no need of it. There is a growing feeling that there must be some better way. Never before was this feeling so general, and never was there a more sympathetic hearing in Europe for suggestions of machinery that may serve this better way. There is not a little possibility that the institution of some form of new international organization may take up a considerable part of the discussion in the final peace conference. It is very significant that the French Government, in issuing its statement recently as to terms of peace, ended it by saying that the guarantee of peace furnished by a League of Nations might be a part of the terms of peace. These new instruments of peace should be so carefully studied now, so thoroughly worked out and completed, and known to the people, that they will be ready to be offered to the peace conference the moment the war ceases, with the tremendous approval of the whole Christian world behind them.

The one direction in which the minds of most thoughtful men seem to be turning, the one hope they see of establishing and maintaining peace, is through a League of Nations, the members of which shall pledge themselves to submit all justiciable disputes to a World Court, all questions that cannot be carried into a Court to a Council of Conciliation, and shall combine to prevent any nation which suddenly develops criminal tendencies from disturbing the peace of the world.

It has been very interesting to note what great strides this idea has made since the opening of the war. It is not a new idea. It was dreamed of by-some in the past centuries. It was revived, but in such definite form that it was practically new, by Andrew Carnegie in his great Rectoral Address at St. Andrews, entitled, "A League of Peace." Its present great impetus so far as this country is concerned grew out of the meeting of a little group of men for a monthly dinner at the Century Club, New York City. As a result of these dinner meetings a Conference was called at Independence Hall, and the League to Enforce Peace was formed, with Mr. Taft as President. It stands for the principles enunciated above and goes somewhat further, for it plans to use economic pressure or the joint armies and navies of the nations in the League against any nations willfully breaking the peace. Some have remained outside the League to Enforce Peace because of this last article in its platform. But that does not hinder every Christian from giving it careful study, and if he cannot adopt this plank in the platform, at least let him preach the great idea of a League of Nations pledged to use a World Court for settlement of disputes now put to the arbitrament of war. The question of sanction will have to be decided by the League itself when it shall be formed.

It is also interesting to note that at the same

time when the Americans were studying the general idea and were trying to formulate it, a group of men in England were independently studying the same plan-such men as Lord Bryce, G. Lowes Dickinson, John A. Hobson, and H. N. Brailsford. These men issued a pamphlet which, when compared with the results of the work of the American Committee, showed remarkable similarity. During the last year such men as Asquith, Lord Balfour, and Earl Grey, have urged the idea upon Europe. Indeed Mr. Asquith has recently said:

"The idea of public right means or it ought to mean, perhaps, by a slow and gradual process, the substitution for force, for the clash of competing ambitions, for groupings and alliances and a precarious equipoise the substitution for all of these of a real European partnership based on the recognition of equal rights, and established and enforced by the common will. A year ago that would have sounded like a Utopian idea. It is probably one that may not or will not be realized either to-day or to-morrow, but if and when this war is decided in favor of the allies it will at once come within the range and before long within the grasp of European statesmanship."

In England a League of Nations Society has been started and is drawing to itself many of the leading minds of the nation. At a recent mass meeting held in London over a thousand men en

dorsed Lord Bryce's proposal of a League of Peace in which the nations should unite after this war. In France some of the best men are giving it their attention. Never before were so many men in all the world thinking of some such federation of the world as now. Six books have already been written upon it,* and The World Alliance for Promoting International Friendship through the Churches is asking the Churches to study the proposal. Here is a wonderful opportunity for any Christian to prepare himself to help the world on toward the peaceful world of Jesus, the happy Kingdom of God. Twelve nations are now in a League for making war, the United States being one of them. Might they not, after the war ends, remain in a League for making peace, inviting Germany and Austria to join? Christians, think earnestly upon these things.

*Towards International Government, by John A. Hobson, published by The Macmillan Co., N. Y.; Enforced Peace, Report of the Proceedings of the League to Enforce Peace, published by the League; A League to Enforce Peace, by Robert W. Goldsmith, published by The Macmillan Co., N. Y.; Towards an Enduring Peace, compiled by Randolph S. Bourne, published by Am. Ass'n for Internat'l Conciliation, N. Y.; A League of Nations, by Henry Noel Brailsford, published by Headley Bros., London; The American League to Enforce Peace, by C. R. Ashbee, published by George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., London.