THE CURSE OF CIVILIZATION. 337 



tion! All these nations, armed to the teeth, and watch- 

 ing stealthily for some occasion to use their vast arma- 

 ments for their own aggrandizement and for the injury 

 of their neighbors, are Christian nations. Their govern- 

 ments, one and all, loudly proclaim their Christianity by 

 word and deed but the deeds are usually some form of 

 disability or persecution of those among their subjects 

 who are not orthodox. Of really Christian deeds there 

 are none no real charity, no forgiveness of injuries, no 

 help to oppressed nationalities, no effort to secure peace 

 or good will among men. And all this in spite of the 

 undoubted growth of the true Christian spirit during 

 the last half -century. This spirit has even ameliorated 

 the inevitable horrors of war; by some regard for non- 

 combatants, by greatly increased care of the wounded 

 even among enemies, and by a recognition of some few 

 rights, even of savage races. 



Never, perhaps, have the degrading influences of the 

 war-spirit been more prominent than in the last few 

 years, when all the great Christian powers stood grimly 

 by, while a civilized and Christian people were subjected 

 to the most cruel persecution, rapine, and massacre by 

 the direct orders, or with the consent and approval, of 

 the semi-barbarous Sultan of Turkey. Any two of them 

 had power enough to compel the despot to cease his per- 

 secution. Some certainly would have compelled him, 

 but they were afraid of the rest, and so stood still. The 

 excuse was even a worse condemnation than the mere 

 failure to act. Again and again did they cry out, " Iso- 

 lated action against Turkey would bring on a European 

 war." War between whom? War for what? There 

 is only one answer " For plunder and conquest." It 



