"By Pride Comes Nothing But Strife!"

Who called this demon up?
(Archibald Brown, "Peace Versus War!" July 17th, 1870)

[Editor's note: Brown was referring to the upcoming 
French-German War, July 19, 1870 - May 10, 1871]

"By pride comes nothing but strife!" 
Proverbs 13:10

It is humiliating to our race, to find 
that after well-near nineteen centuries 
of Christian time have passed, the clumsy 
method of war yet remains the last 
resource of arbitration for the nations. 

Humiliating did I say? Yes, and something 
infinitely more: War is a crime only worthy 
of its father, Hell! 

Strip war of its outward pageantry and 
pomp, tear from it the gaudy cloak called 
national honor; look at it in its naked reality--
and was ever so loathsome and horrid 
a specter seen outside of Hell? 

This is the monster that has so unexpectedly 
stalked upon the scene, carrying dismay 
and panic and grief into the hearts and 
homes of myriads. 

Who called this demon up? 
What compensation is there for the curse? 
These questions are soon answered. 
This war is only the food demanded 
by accursed pride in order to glut its 
insatiable appetite. Men are to become 
mere food for the cannon, to maintain 
what is libelously called national glory. 
It looks like bitter sarcasm to contrast 
the paltry causes of war--
with the dreadful results of war.

Some petty point of etiquette neglected--
some ridiculously little slight which, 
in ordinary everyday life would be 
counted unworthy of any notice, 
becomes (when offered to a nation) 
sufficient motive to lead it to the battlefield! 

To wash away some tiny stain supposed 
to be found upon the robe of honor--
a stain not worthy of the shedding of a tear--
behold, a very ocean of blood is spilt! 

To avenge an insult, to maintain the old
 bugbear of the "the balance of power," or 
to glorify the ambition of a man . . .
  countries are desolated,
  trade is paralyzed,
  blood is spilt in unknown measure,
  agonies are endured by those who are as 
     innocent of the quarrel as new-born babes,
  and all the miseries contained in that one 
    word War are let loose upon the continent!

It is horrible and sickening beyond all 
description, to think that even this week 
there will be heard the roar of the cannon 
and the sharp crack of the rifle, carrying 
death to a thousand hearts! 

Who can bear to contemplate without a sigh--
the wives that will be made widows, and 
the multitudes of children that will shortly 
become orphans?

   ~  ~  ~  ~

You may want to read the whole of Archibald Brown's insightful sermon, 
"Peace Versus War!"