THE STILL SMALL VOICE 
level mountains or blot out landscapes, usually 
make but slight impression upon the fields and hills. 
In the ordinary course of nature, the great benef- 
icent changes come slowly and silently. The noisy 
changes, for the most part, mean violence and dis- 
ruption. The roar of storms and tornadoes, the ex- 
plosions of volcanoes, the crash of the thunder, are 
the result of a sudden break in the equipoise of the 
elements; from a condition of comparative repose 
and silence they become fearfully swift and audible. 
The still small voice is the voice of life and growth 
and perpetuity. In the stillness of a bright summer 
day what work is being accomplished! what proc- 
esses are being consummated! When the tornado 
comes, how quickly much of it may be brought to 
naught! In the history of a nation it is the same. 
The terrible war that is now devastating Europe is 
the tornado that comes in the peace and fruitful re- 
pose of a summer’s day. As living nature in time re- 
covers from the destructive effects of the mad war- 
ring of the inorganic elements, so the nations will 
eventually recover from the blight and waste of this 
war. But the gains and the benefits can never offset 
the losses and the agony. The discipline and agony 
of war only fit a people for more war. If war isto be 
the business of mankind, then the more of it we have 
the better; if there is no true growth or expansion 
for a people, save through blood and fire, then let 
the blood and fire come to all of us, the more the 
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