in which you face it ation with dignity.

and Serbia faced the situShe said to Austria: "If

any officers of mine have been guilty, and are proved to be guilty, I will dismiss them." Austria said: "That is not good enough for me.” It was not guilt she was after, but capacity.

RUSSIA'S TURN

Then came Russia's turn. Russia has a special regard for Serbia; she has a special interest in Serbia. Russians have shed their blood for Serbian independence many a time, for Serbia is a member of Russia's family, and she cannot see Serbia maltreated.

Austria knew that, Germany knew it, and she turned round to Russia, and said: "I insist that you shall stand by with your arms folded whilst Austria is strangling your little brother to death."

What answer did the Russian Slav give? He gave the only answer that becomes man. He turned to Austria, and said: "You lay hands on that little fellow, and I will tear your ramshackle Empire limb from limb." And he will do it!

THE LITTLE NATIONS

That is the story of two little nations. The world owes much to little nations and to little men! This theory of bigness, this theory that

you must have a big Empire, and a big nation, and a big man - well, long legs have their advantage in a retreat.

Frederick the First chose his warriors for their height, and that tradition has become a policy in Germany. Germany applies that ideal to nations, and will only allow six-foot-two nations to stand in the ranks.

But ah! the world owes much to the little five-foot-five nations. The greatest art in the world was the work of little nations; the most enduring literature of the world came from little nations; the greatest literature of England came when she was a nation of the size of Belgium fighting a great Empire. The heroic deeds that thrill humanity through generations were the deeds of little nations fighting for their freedom. Yes, and the salvation of mankind came through a little nation. God has chosen little nations as the vessels by which He carries His choicest wines to the lips of humanity, to rejoice their hearts, to exalt their vision, to stimulate and strengthen their faith; and if we had stood by when two little nations were being crushed and broken by the brutal hands of barbarism, our shame would have rung down the everlasting ages.

"THE TEST OF OUR FAITH"

But Germany insists that this is an attack by a lower civilization upon a higher one. As a matter of fact, the attack was begun by the civilization which calls itself the higher one.

I am no apologist for Russia: she has perpetrated deeds of which I have no doubt her best sons are ashamed. What Empire has not? But Germany is the last Empire to point the finger of reproach at Russia.

Russia has made sacrifices for freedom — great sacrifices. Do you remember the cry of Bulgaria when she was torn by the most insensate tyranny that Europe has ever seen? Who listened to that cry? The only answer of the higher civilization was that the liberty of the Bulgarian peasants was not worth the life of a single Pomeranian soldier. But the rude barbarians of the North sent their sons by the thousand to die for Bulgarian freedom.

What about England? Go to Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France in all those lands I could point out places where the sons of Britain have died for the freedom of those peoples.

France has made sacrifices for the freedom of other lands than her own. Can you name a single country in the world for the freedom of

which modern Prussia has ever sacrificed a single life? By the test of our faith, the highest standard of civilization is the readiness to sacrifice for others.

GERMAN "CIVILIZATION"

I will not say a single word in disparagement of the German people. They are a great people, and have great qualities of head and hand and heart. I believe in spite of recent events, that there is as great a store of kindliness in the German peasant as in any peasant in the world; but he has been drilled into a false idea of civilization. It is efficient, it is capable; but it is a hard civilization; it is a selfish civilization; it is a material civilization.

They cannot comprehend the action of Britain at the present moment; they say so. They say, "France we can understand; she is out for vengeance; she is out for territory - Alsace and Lorraine." They say they can understand Russia; she is fighting for mastery she wants Galicia. They can understand you fighting for vengeance- they can understand you fighting for mastery — they can understand you fighting for greed of territory; but they cannot understand a great Empire pledging its resources, pledging its might, pledging the lives of its chil

dren, pledging its very existence, to protect a little nation that seeks to defend herself.

God made man in His own image, high of purpose, in the region of the spirit; German civilization would re-create him in the image of a Diesel machine - precise, accurate, powerful, but with no room for soul to operate.

PHILOSOPHY OF BLOOD AND IRON

Have you read the Kaiser's speeches? If you have not a copy I advise you to buy one; they will soon be out of print, and you will not have many more of the same sort. They are full of the glitter and bluster of German militarism "mailed fist," and "shining armor." Poor old mailed fist! Its knuckles are getting a little bruised. Poor shining armor! The shine is being knocked out of it.

There is the same swagger and boastfulness running through the whole of the speeches. The extract which was given in the British Weekly this week is a very remarkable product as an illustration of the spirit we have to fight. It is the Kaiser's speech to his soldiers on the way to the front:

"Remember that the German people are the chosen of God. On me, the German Emperor, the Spirit of God has descended. I am His