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ADDRESS ON "LEAGUE OFI .NATIONS."…

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ADDRESS ON "LEAGUE OF I NATIONS." During the meetings of the Welsh National liisteddfod at Corwen in August, the Vicar of Llanyblodwel happened to meet the member for Montgomeryshire. In the course of a con- versation the subject of the League of Nations* was touched upon, and the Rev. J. Allen Jones, wishing to give all possible support to such a scheme of practical Christianity, and at the same time to do something to L..eak down the barriers between one section and another of the Christian Church, invited II aj. iDavid Davies to give an address on the subject of the League of Nations at Llanyblodwel Pariah Church. On being assured that there > was nothing contrary to the rules of the | Church, Major David Davies, who is a mem- ber of the Calvinistic Methodist Connexion, readily assented, and the outcome of this ar- rangement was that on Sunday night I'ajor David Davies occupied the reading desk at ) Llanyhlodwel Parish Church, and addressed a very large congregation on the principles of the League of Nations. Wearing a surplice, Major Davies entered heartliy into the dwotiopal and musical part of the service, which was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. J. Allen Jones. The choir sang the anthem, In the sweet by and bye," and an offertory was taken on behalf of the League of Nations. MAJOR DAVIES'S ADDRES. I Major Davies said that at the very begin- ning of the war our first impulse was to de- fend our country, but we realised later on that there was another impulse, perhaps stronger and greater, and that was that we all heartily desired to make this war the end of all wars- that these sufferings, these sacrifices and these trials should not have to be borne by our chil- dren and children's children. When our gallant men fell in action they had in their minds the words in the 2nd Epistle of St. Peter, Nevertheless we according to His promise Itaok for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." He could not help thinking they must help, to achieve the great results and objects for which our fellow countrymen so cheerfully llaid down their lives. I A CRIME AGAINST CIVILIZATION. I Aggressive war must be regarded as a crime j against civilization, against mankind, and i against Christia.nity. In some quarters, peo- ple were regarding this interval of peace as fen interlude and a time of preporation for the next war. Did that, he asked, square with our professions of Christianity? Had e learned no lessons from this terrible time which we had witnessed for five years? ■ • e must see to it that out of this great catastrophe there should come in the future a blessing. {Shocked by all they had seen and experienced during the war, the nations of the world would )t last come and try and put into practice the principles of Christianity in their relationships brie with another. Avoiding force, there should be a mutual settlement of all quarrels and disputes between the nations of the world just as disputes arising between individuals were. settled in civilised countries, and for this purpose and to prevent Wàran international Court of Arbitration was proposed to be set tip. If the League of Nations was to be a success, it "Was not enough to be merely a league of government; it must be a league tof peoples imbued with .the principles of Christianity. 11 SECRET DIPLOMACY TO GO. I The time had gone by, said Major Davies, for secret diplomacy. Engagements made and arrangements entered into with other countries on our behalf must be made known to the public. There was always a feeling before the war that war was considered to be a glorious adventure; we did not regard war as a great crime. It was true that if a certain individual was killed, we regarded it as I murder. It was a crime. Had it ever struck them that the violent death of millions upon millions of people must be a far greater crime than the murder of one person? On this ques- tion, we should have to alter our whole histor- ical outlook and also get into our minds what Was the right conception of force. Probably force would have to be used in the world as force had to' be used in each individual coun- try to see that the law was actually carried £ >ut—but the question was whether force was to make the law or to bg the servant of the law. In countries where courts were estab- lished force was the servant of the law. Sure- ly the same method should be adopted in inter- national affairs in order to ensure that the principles of the League of Nations were car- ried out, and where these arbitration courts were put into practice, there would be force as representing the servant of the law to see that the decision of the court was carried into teffect. j INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE. J Major Davies said that supporters of the league hoped that there would be available jome sort of international police force to see that the law of the League was carried into eifeet. Britain had to. set an example to other nations of the world in this matter of the use of force. He had come there to try and howthat the Christian Church had a great mission-that it was the duty of the church to see that justice, simple justice, was meted out in international affairs just as in our in- dividual affairs—that weak states—states and people who might be weak—would have the same measure of justice meted out to them as countries and peoples who might be strong. That native races and backward races who were lagging behind in civilization—that to them should be held out the helping hand of those more fortunate countries where the state of civilization was more advanced and pro- gressive. Surely the Church with its world- wide activities--because the Church was re- presented in all parts of the worlcl-surely the Church had a glorious opportunity at the present moment, when the conscience of man- kind could be stirred and appealed to--if in javery country people who called themselves Christians would unite in a great crusade to ] praø their fellow-countrymen of the abso- ute &eed of the success of the League of Rations, s'r- iy there would be no question at Jill that succeed. MEA.NIA vi OF PATRIOTISM. Perhaps someone would say that the League bt Nation? was not compatible with the high- est patriotism. What, after, all, was the high- est patriotism? By patriotism, he meant love of our own country. Surely, it was that our country should be the forerunner and that our country should set an example in all that per- tained to the highest welfare of the human race. It was not for selfish motives nor for selfish interests that we should work to make our country the best country in the world, bl-t because we believed in making our country the best country in the world so that we couldi be of the greatest service to all the other countries. That, after all, was the highest form of patriotism. We wanted to be great, we wanted to be noble not because we had any selfish interests to serve but because we wanted to be in a position to be of the greatest service to other peoples and races of the world and to break down the barriers of race, of prej udice and distrust. THREE PRACTICAL WAYS. In conclusion, Major Davies said he might I suggest three practical ways to help in this crusade. First, to use whatever political in- fluence they had to ensure success to the League. Secondly, by becoming a member of a voluntary organization which was estab- lished for the purpose of supporting the prin- ciples of the League of Nations. Thirdly, by educating our children in the principles and doctrines of the League, so that our children might grow up to regard war in its proper per- spective, so that they would not regard it as a great victory of one country over another— but a great victory for noble ideals.

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