This article was first published in the January 1933 issue of the CHRISTIAN MONITOR

On June 28, 1914, the archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria was shot by a Bosnian Serb. This tiny spark ignited the powder magazine throughout Europe and plunged the world into the greatest war known to mankind. For four years this terrible conflict raged. Deadly gases, bombs, machine guns, high powered artillery, aeroplanes, submarines, tanks, and other appliances were used to speed up the slaughter of the human race. Ten million soldiers, the finest of that generation, were sent to their graves.

Thousands of innocent men, women and children might be living today, had it not been for that terrible war. Homes were broken up, crime waves, depression, and huge debts have been the result. Those who have paid most for this war have not profited by this experience and I dare say it has not made the world safe for democracy. It has in fact helped to keep alive a spirit of hatred and even increase that spirit among the nations of Europe. Allow me to express this thought in the words of Milton, "For what can war but endless war still breed?" And yet cannot peace be, as well as war?

Let us look at the peace movement and see what has been accomplished. We find that in organized Christianity the peace movement had its origin. In 1815 Noah Worcester, a Presbyterian minister organized the Massachusetts Peace Society and since that time there has been a gradual development, until at present every state has its peace organizations. Then in 1899 political action was taken. The first Hague Conference was held in that year. A second was held a few years later. After the World War the League of Nations and the World Court were established. The Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact, which definitely outlawed war was signed by the great powers in 1928. The Locarno Pact among the nations of Europe was another important step in the peace movement. These measures have averted numerous wars and I admire the men who have established these steps but yet I believe that these measures are not sufficient to insure a permanent peace. Japan has recently totally disregarded the League of Nations' proposal for peace in the Far East.

If war is to be abolished the people must know the truth about it. In the past, war has been glorified. The youth was taught that nothing was more glorious than to be a soldier. The text books placed emphasis on nationalism: fight for your country, right or wrong. The school was dominated by this spirit, and youth was instilled with that idea. I am thankful that recently we have been turning away from this unrighteous attitude and are now turning our efforts to glorifying peace.

Furthermore, I contend that a spiritual awakening on the part of Christianity is necessary to release civilization from the shackles of war. The teachings of the Prince of Peace must be spread and carried out. The world today challenges the Church to live up to the principles for which she stands. The world challenges and says to us, "You are under the most sacred obligations to forgive your enemies, you are under a law which forbids you to kill your fellow men. Is it asking too much that you people live up to your principles and prove the sincerity of your faith?" The challenge is hurled. Have we accepted? During the last war at least a portion of the Christian Churches stood firm on their beliefs, despite the fact that they were severely persecuted. However, if this peace movement is to stand there must be a more general movement toward that end.

The Christian churches must be an example and carry out the principles which the Prince of Peace has left for us to follow. The churches of every nation must teach their people that war is crime, the utter denial of the principles for which they stand. Murder is murder even when ordered by the state, and God's law is as binding on nations as on individuals, and the energy that nations have hither to given to the preparation of war must now be directed into the channel of peace.

In the last war only a small percentage of the members of the Christian Church took this stand, and yet they left a marked influence. This small fraction of the youth of the world challenged the power of the state when it was mightiest, and the philosophy of war when it was most persuasive. These men stood as men who served principles, not as men who despised the state, but as men who refused to make it their god. The fact that the government was forced to deal with these men at all, that it dared not kill them, and could not force them to kill is a significant thing. The objectives in theWorld War were few and yet they left a remarkable influence.

The foundation has been laid, but the foundation in itself will be of little value unless we build upon it a mansion of peace which is strong enough to weather the storms of threatening wars. The fight for peace has not been won, and yet I believe that through a stronger effort of all nations in the fields of education and true Christianity, we can at least draw closer to our goal. Cannot peace be, as well as war? It can be if the Gospel of Christ, the Prince of Peace has its way in the hearts of men.

NB: During the 1932 Goshen College school year Professor John Umble asked his students to write essays for possible publication in church papers. My essay "The Fight for Peace" was published in the CHRISTIAN MONITOR. The fight for peace goes on! May God's unrationed, reconciling grace continue to ignite and keep burning peace and justice flames across the world.
Atlee Beechy--1/2000

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