Editorial January 16, 1909 Issue

"I HONOR MY FATHER"

John B. Willis

Not infrequently in times past heroic struggles for freedom have been attended by the sacrifice of thousands of lives and the loss of untold millions of property. Nations have willingly hazarded such a possibility and bravely borne the consequent grief and burden of debt because they knew of no other way to secure the coveted prize. The destruction and death have not been the less dreadful, but the longed-for freedom, though "bought with a price," has seemed to compensate them for their sufferings. When, however, a catastrophe like that which has recently visited one of the most historically interesting and picturesquely beautiful regions of "Sunny Italy" is utterly barren of any emancipating or educational significance, and no hint is given of a way of escape from the possible repetition of its meaningless horrors, so that there is absolutely nothing to mitigate the dreadfulness of the experience, then its incongruity with any right and just order makes irresistible appeal to thought; it is manifestly altogether out of keeping with the government of a beneficent intelligence.

Dreadful, however, as this catastrophe may be, we can but realize that it is quite insignificant when compared with the loss to the Christian world were it to be separated from that faith in the wisdom, justice, integrity, and love of God which has ever been its most priceless possession. This greater loss cannot come for the many, though it may be hazarded to-day for some as the result, strange to say, of an entirely unwarranted adherence to that medieval and materialistic concept of God and His law which Christian Science has shown to be no less unscriptural than unphilosophical.

A prominent Christian weekly lies before us, which enlarges upon the urgency of the call for help for the Italian sufferers, and which then adds,—

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