The continued existence of War is, in the face of all faith and feeling, a shame to the world! So long as nations are slaves to the barbarous idea that Blood and Carnage alone can keep them in their places as authoritative forces for the higher progress and welfare of Humanity, so long will Civilisation be more or less a farce. No one denies the self-sacrifice, the endurance, the patience, and the courage which makes men military heroes--the pity of it all is that such splendid qualities of character should be wasted on the mere consummation of slaughter and conquest. What good to the world has ever come out of Napoleon’s many massacres? Looking down upon the sarcophagus containing that Imperial Murderer’s ashes in the gorgeous tomb consecrated to his memory in Paris, one wonders sadly why he was ever permitted to live. We may with the great poet Byron say:-- “To think that God’s fair earth hath been The footstool of a thing so mean!” If War is still to confirm us and other nations as Savages, we must behave accordingly. We must train our men and youths to kill, and to use the newest and surest weapons for killing. When we are offered Dreadnoughts, we accept them with salvos of rejoicing and thanksgiving. Yet without War these Dreadnoughts will, in ten years’ time from the date of their completion, be useless, and the millions they cost will be sunk into waste material. Must we have continuous War, then?--just for the sake of employing Dreadnoughts--and proving to our own satisfaction that we can slaughter as many innocent thousands as other Savages if we like? Why should any cause arise for the visitation of such a scourge upon us or any nation! If we have foes who show a threatening front we are naturally bound to be on the defensive--and we should be prepared to guard our kingdom and coast from Savages more savage than ourselves. But when we can get rid of our Savagery we shall lay down our arms. We shall realise that Civilisation means Unity; Unity in all high purpose and progress towards the betterment of mankind. “Sheathed be the sword for ever--let the drum Be schoolboy’s pastime--let your battles cease! And be the cannon’s voice for ever dumb Except to celebrate the joys of Peace! Are ye not brothers?--God, whom we revere, Is he not Father of all climes and lands? Form an Alliance holy and sincere And join your hands!” Surely it is not too much to hope for this--to pray for this!--if our Faith means anything more than mere lip-service and false show! FOR BELGIUM! THE PRAYER OF THE ALLIES (_Written for “King Albert’s Book”_) “What shall we do for our Sister in the day when she shall be spoken of? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver.” _Song of Solomon._