See _William Shakespeare_, Part Third, Book III; M. B. Anderson’s Translation. Published by A. C. McClurg and Company, Chicago; and _An Oration on Voltaire_, delivered in Paris, May 30, 1878. It is worthy of remark that the orator was repeatedly applauded while delivering the oration, and at the close the entire audience rose and wildly cheered. In the declamation, as here arranged in two parts (to be given together, if desired), the excerpt from the oration begins, “Whoever says today.” Footnote 283: Slightly abbreviated excerpt from an Oration at the Soldiers and Sailors’ Reunion, Indianapolis, September 21, 1876. Reprinted from _Prose-Poems and Selections from Writings and Sayings of Robert G. Ingersoll_. Published by C. P. Farrell, New York. Footnote 284: Very slightly abbreviated excerpt from a Decoration Day Oration, delivered at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, May 30, 1888. Reprinted from Vol. IX., p. 453, Dresden Edition of _Ingersoll’s Complete Works_. Published by C. P. Farrell, New York. CHAPTER NINE. The Cross, the Cannon, and the Cash-Register. “Never land long lease of empire won whose sons sat silent while base deeds were done.”—James Russell Lowell. Speak! Speak!—you leaders of the toil-stained multitude whom the Great Christ of Peace so boldly defended. Speak! Rebuke the brutes who betray Christ’s humble followers! Speak! There is no excuse for silence—on your part. Speak defiantly—and _clearly_. You have for nearly two thousand years held the brain of vast portions of the human race in your hands. Have you taught peace—_effectively_? Look—see that gaping war-stab in the breast of the working class. THE CASH COST OF MILITARISM IN THE WORLD FOR FORTY-EIGHT HOURS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE A 150–PAGE BOOK AGAINST WAR FOR EVERY PERSON ON EARTH WHO CAN READ.[285] THREE SERMONS PER YEAR AGAINST WAR IN EVERY ONE OF 160,000 CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES COULD BE PAID FOR, AT THE RATE OF $50 PER SERMON, WITH LESS THAN THE COST OF TWO FIRST-CLASS BATTLESHIPS. “Nothing can be clearer than that the leaders of Christianity immediately succeeding Christ, from whom authentic expressions of doctrines have come down to us, were well assured that their Master had forbidden the Christians the killing of men in war or enlisting in the legions. One of the chief differences which separated Roman non-Christians and Christians was the refusal of the latter to enlist in the legions and be thus bound to kill their fellows as directed.”[286] [Illustration: IN MY NAME! AFTER NINETEEN HUNDRED YEARS!] Eagerly we search the world for relief from the hell’s horror of war. There! There is the Church—the Church with her vast influence!—and she breathes, “Peace, good will to all men.” The Church? Will the Church save us from war? We shall see.