Editorial November 30, 1918 Issue

The World Peace Conference

William D. McCrackan

The long night of military savagery seems to be closed, and the day of diplomatic adjustment to be dawning. The victory of the Allies in the world war naturally leads to the conference table of the victors. That table should be a round table at which sit knights whose purpose is as pure as was the quest of the Holy Grail. Since the victory of the Allies is a rebuke to autocratic personal control, the conference should prove a triumph for Principle. It must guarantee an international morality which shall approach in a measure the personal morality enforced by law upon individuals in civilized nations. Moreover it should be remembered, as Mrs. Eddy states in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 444), that "immortals, or God's children in divine Science, are one harmonious family; but mortals, or the 'children of men' in material sense, are discordant and ofttimes false brethren."

Unfortunately all the safeguards erected in modern times to protect noncombatants from illtreatment were ruthlessly swept away by the Germans in the world war just closed, so that protective measures will have to be reenacted once more under new safeguards. Therefore, for their own good, the German people as a nation cannot be admitted to the conference table on equal terms with the liberty loving peoples who have fought to protect human rights. Those individuals in Germany who have risen above racial egotism and blind, selfish philosophy, who have not been carried away by the insane brutality of autocracy, can name themselves among the children of Israel and secure the blessings which flow from scientific Christianity. Christian Science opens the way to them, as to all men, for a veritable peace, God's peace, since God is the only real peacemaker. But a nation which has submitted to hypnotic control during at least a whole generation is temporarily unfitted to enter a League of Nations as a political unit. Mesmerism, or hypnotism, to which Mesmer first called attention in Germany in 1775, must be seen for what it is, and scientific repentance must follow before those who rely on mesmerism can be trusted to fulfill their national obligations. Hypnotism is the culprit to be removed before the family of nations can find lasting peace. The autocracy of a kaiser must not be replaced by the autocracy of a commune, for arrogance and perverted culture are no nearer the truth when they hide under the mask of a so-called people's government. People who have been instructed to live for themselves naturally want to own the world; for selfishness knows no bounds. Until the German nation repudiates the hypnotic theory that it can grow through force of arms at the expense of other nations, it cannot take its place at the conference table as a coequal, else war would break out again. A nation hypnotized has lost self-control and cannot enjoy self-government. A criminal at the bar hypnotized by the belief that he can advance himself by murder and theft is not consulted about the disposal of his person, but the law exacts reparation from him, and if he has any quality of good in him his repentance will bring a willingness to make reparation. The material payments required for barbaric acts cannot satisfy the moral law. The song of hate will have to give place to the song of love in the hearts of the German people. An orderly, repentant government, willing to practice the golden rule, can alone take its place in a League of Nations.

If the peace conference called by the victors is lifted above the sordid plane of fear and placed under the protection of God, it can bring a holy experience to all mankind. The real peace conference should be communion with God. If the one Mind is in control there can be no conflict of human opinions, no confusion, for God will be the omniscient and omnipotent arbiter. Let it be understood that only righteous ideas can be entertained at this table and that only those can confer there whose purpose is right and whose spiritual insight is so keen that they can avoid the pitfalls prepared by the mental manipulation of selfish interests. The exchange of right ideas always enriches, for right ideas multiply themselves.

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"Armor on"
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