Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 43124-h.htm or 43124-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43124/43124-h/43124-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43124/43124-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/flamingswordinse00stobrich THE FLAMING SWORD [Illustration: "THE LADY OF THE BLACK HORSE" (Mrs. St. Clair Stobart) During the Serbian Retreat, October-December, 1915 _From a painting by George Rankin_] THE FLAMING SWORD IN SERBIA AND ELSEWHERE by MRS. ST. CLAIR STOBART _"And He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the Tree of Life."_ (_Genesis_ iii. 24.) Hodder and Stoughton London New York Toronto MCMXVI I dedicate this book to H.R.H. ALEXANDER CROWN PRINCE OF SERBIA in admiration of the courage with which he and the nation which he represents have, in spite of all temptations, upheld the Ideal of Spiritual Freedom, and in fervent hope that this Ideal will soon be realised in that Greater Serbia which will arise from the sepulchre of the Past. PREFACE I have written this book in the first person, because it would be an affectation to write in the neuter person about these things which I have felt and seen. But if the book has interest, this should lie, not only in the personal experiences, but in the effect which these have had upon the beliefs of a modern woman who is probably representative of other women of her century. I believe that humankind is at the parting of the ways. One way leads to evolution--along spiritual lines--the other to devolution--along lines of materialism; and the sign-post to devolution is militarism. For militarism is a movement of retrogression, which will bring civilisation to a standstill--in a _cul-de-sac_. And I believe that militarism can only be destroyed with the help of Woman. In countries where Woman has least sway, militarism is most dominant. Militarism is maleness run riot.