973.7L63 Rudeen, E. F. 
 B7R83U 
 
 Lincoln and world peace, 
 
LINCOLN ROOM 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
/v\.^<h&S 
 
 /Vl V6 6 S 
 
 LINCOLN 
 
 AND 
 
 WORLD 
 PEACE 
 
 LINCOLN 
 
 GOVERNMENT 
 
 LEAGUE 
 
 Box I4I 
 
 West Los Angeles 
 
 All Nations 
 M Under one Flag'''' 
 
 Our nation in her intercourse with other 
 nations, may she be actuated by that Christian 
 principle "The turning of the other cheek," 
 recognizing in it a doctrine of long suffering, 
 eager if possible, to settle disputes by arbitra- 
 tion, at the same time be adequately prepared 
 for mortal combat, because practical success in 
 diplomacy rests at the bottom upon ability to 
 back up argument with force. 
 
 E. F. Rudeen, President, L. G. L. 
 
 PRICE TWENTY- FIVE CENTS 
 
West Los Angeles, California 
 December 30, 1933 
 
 Bishop Adna W . Leonard, 
 1724 Copper Building, 
 Pittsburg, Pa. 
 
 Dear Bishop Leonard: 
 
 Recently at the Ep worth League meeting of the West 
 Los Angeles Methodist Episcopal Church, a guest speaker 
 representing the "War Resisters League" sought endorsers 
 to the following pledge: 
 
 "War is a crime against humanity. I therefore am deter- 
 mined not to support any \ind of war, international or civil, 
 and to strive for the removal of all the causes of war." 
 
 The writer was privileged to spea\ to a group of the 
 Leaguers on the subject of "Lincoln and World Peace" at 
 a meeting preceding the Epworth League meeting in ques- 
 tion. Fortunately, as it appears to me, none of the Leaguers 
 signed the pledge. 
 
 "Lincoln and World Peace" was first delivered at a 
 Sesquicentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independ- 
 ence in 1926, later at a Lincoln's birthday program over 
 Radio Station KFI, and on other occasions. 
 
 As World President of the Epworth League during the 
 World War, considering your heroic stand for the govern- 
 ment at the time of this crisis, I would appreciate your 
 comment on the speech delivered to the League membcis. 
 The speech follows: 
 
LINCOLN AND THE WORLD PEACE 
 
 Worthy Epworthians: 
 
 May we think together for a few minutes in terms of 
 Lincoln and World Peace? Listen patiently, and if any ex- 
 tra time is accorded me after these remarks I will be pleased 
 to endeavor to answer any questions relative to the state- 
 ments made. 
 
 Hear the other side, my friend, 
 Hear the other side. 
 Though its naught you may defend, 
 Though its naught you may commend, 
 Though its naught you comprehend, 
 Hear the other side. 
 In connection with the dedication of the new City Hall 
 in Los Angeles, there was staged a gigantic street parade 
 in which the most popular participants were awarded 
 prizes. The first went to the Army and Navy Academy of 
 San Diego. 
 
 An inspiring sight — those cadets in uniform similar to 
 those of West Point! The company Captains with swords; 
 and the rank and file with muskets; their perfect tread and 
 brilliant manoeuvers developing physique, heart and mind, 
 as they will take their places on the stage of life, as doctors, 
 lawyers, preachers, etc. Yes, and as able soldiers if need 
 requires. 
 
 As the parade was passing, it came to my mind that one 
 of my former Sunday School pupils of the Intermediate 
 Department at the First Methodist Church in Los Angeles 
 was a cadet in that Academy. So, after the parade broke 
 up, I inquired about Phineas Bresee. They said "do you 
 mean Captain Bresee?" And, sure enough, there he was — 
 about 1 8 years of age, tall, handsome, with a military bear- 
 ing. I complimented him on their monoeuvers. Then we 
 talked of Sunday School days. I reminded him of the ex- 
 ploits of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron who wielded 
 
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his sword in defense of the principles of right; and I ad- 
 monished the youth to be prepared always to unsheath his 
 his sword in defense of Old Glory. 
 
 In contrast I could hear, in my imagination, the cynical 
 pacifist condemning the situation in strains like this — "how 
 inconsistent is that young man, the grandson of the late 
 Dr. Bresee, founder of the Nazarene Church, there all 
 togged out in military array, inciting war and bloodshed, 
 while we, the true followers of the lowly Nazarene are 
 praying for world peace!" 
 
 The question of World Peace is a very vital question, but 
 who has the proper solution for attaining that desired end? 
 It can only be found in this slogan — "A Christian United 
 Nation!" which is bound to materialize eventually — but 
 why not now? 
 
 Some years ago there was held an International Peace 
 Convention in Washington, D. C. The convention was held 
 in the House of Congress, in a room which, up to that 
 time, had been devoted exclusively to the representatives 
 of the United States for their discussions of common af- 
 fairs, but at this convention referred to, representatives of 
 Nations met in that room, to discuss their common affairs. 
 Let us hope that they continue thus to meet and that they 
 will eventually vote in favor of joining the United States 
 government, subject to its Federal Constitution. 
 
 On July 4, 1926, many nations celebrated the 150th an- 
 niversary of the United States (her Sesquicentennial) in 
 commemoration of that glorious event in Philadelphia 
 when, on July 4, 1776, a group of noble Americans took 
 their lives in their hands when they signed the Declaration 
 of Independence which gave birth to a Union of Nations, 
 "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that 
 all men are created equal as to life, liberty and the pursuit 
 of happiness." From that God-inspired act has developed 
 this, the grandest nation on earth; and the end is not yet, 
 for that same Declaration of Independence in connection 
 
 UJ 
 
with our Federal Constitution, which recognizes Jesus as 
 Lord in these words, "Done in the name of our Lord, 1787" 
 — I say these two internationally known documents are 
 shaping the destiny of other nations. 
 
 While hostile nations are flying at each others' throats, we 
 hear many peace proposals for doing away with war and 
 having world peace. Some of these plans are wise while 
 some are otherwise. Henry Ford had his Peace Ship; 
 Woodrow Wilson his League of Notions; Warren Harding 
 his Disarmament Conference and World Court; and lastly, 
 we have the Lincolnian United Nations Plan, and I might 
 say here that this plan has been placed on file in the office 
 of the Secretary of State at Washington, D. C. 
 
 I asked an I. W. W. what he thought of the Lincolnian 
 LTnited Nations Plan. He asked me to explain, which I 
 did in these few words — it is a plan in which the nations 
 join the United States Government, subject to its federal 
 constitution; an international government "of the people, 
 by the people, and for the people," thus realizing the hope 
 of Abraham Lincoln. "Where all the nations of the earth 
 will assemble together under one flag, worshipping a com- 
 mon God and they will celebrate the resurrection of hu- 
 man freedom." Then I asked this wobbly what he thought 
 of the plan. He answered, "Absolute knowledge I have 
 none, but my wife's sister's washwoman's son, heard a 
 policeman on his beat, tell a laborer on the street, that he 
 got a letter just last week, written in the finest Greek, from 
 a Chinese cooley in Timbucktu, who said the negroes of 
 Cuba knew, of a colored man in a Texas town, who got it 
 straight from a circus clown, that a gang of South Ameri- 
 can Jews, who knew of a swell society rake, whose mother- 
 in-law would undertake, to prove by a Bolshevik prophecy, 
 that a Lincolnian United Nations could never be." 
 
 Well, that was almost hearsay, but friends, leaving all 
 jest aside, sane people throughout the world are hoping for 
 the time when the nations will unite in abolishing war and 
 
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establishing world peace. However, that glad day will never 
 come until the nations first adopt a common code of laws 
 to govern, as did the thirteen original American nations, 
 (or colonies, as they were called). They adopted a federal 
 constitution which gave to each nation the right to frame 
 and execute its own laws as long as it did not conflict with 
 the federal constitution. Other nations, or territories as they 
 were called, have been admitted into this Union until now 
 we have forty-eight nations united in one union. 
 
 The United States Constitution was put to the severest 
 test during Abraham Lincoln's administration when it prov- 
 ed its fairness and strength by preserving the union through- 
 out a mighty rebellion, which was started and supported 
 by these two intricate theories: the supremacy of States' 
 Rights, and the supremacy of the white race, proving in 
 the end the supremacy of the federal constitution and equal 
 rights for all men regardless of nationality or color. 
 
 England's greatest statesman, that "grand old man," the 
 late William E. Gladstone said, "The United States Federal 
 Constitution is the most wonderful civil document ever 
 sruck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man." 
 That being true, then England, Liberia, China or any 
 other nation would profit by being admitted into this union, 
 thus,among other advantages, establishing a common de- 
 fense in case of war, because a nation is only secure in so 
 far as its citizens pledge their loyal support, including its 
 war policies. The speaker, a volunteer veteran of the World 
 War, during that conflict founded among the servicemen 
 the Lincoln Knights, who pledge their loyal support to the 
 government, even to the wielding of the metal sword, as 
 did Abraham Lincoln, our foremost Christian patriot who 
 loved peace and hated war more than did any other person. 
 However, he was chief dictator in one of the most bloody 
 conflicts this world has ever witnessed. But Lincoln did 
 not strike until the enemy first struck at he government, 
 then he only obeyed the command of his Master who said, 
 
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"All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." 
 The ranting sentimentalist is too prone to emphasize the 
 mercies of Jesus, refusing to accept the fact that our Saviour 
 was once a military captain and led an army of soldiers with 
 metal swords clanking at their sides. It was on the right 
 of His betrayal, the traitor having disappeared into the 
 darkness to carry out his dastardly plot. Jesus sensing the 
 approaching danger, impressed upon His disciples their 
 need for preparedness, and commanded that they provide 
 themselves with swords even though they had to sell their 
 garments in order to purchase the death dealing weapons. 
 As Judas was mobilizing his murderous mob, Jesus, as a 
 military captain, led His little army of soldiers, with metal 
 swords clanking at their sides to the scene of the battle. 
 Why Jesus did not permit his soldiers to fight in His de- 
 fense was, because He had taken upon Himself the sins 
 of the world and must needs die as a substitutionary crimi- 
 nal. 
 
 The vicious mureder-bent mob can be held in check 
 only by recourses to the sword. Had not Jesus acted upon 
 this principle that night, the murderous rabble would have 
 hustled the eleven disciples with their Captain through that 
 mock trail and they all would have perished, with the Chris- 
 tian religion on Golgothas Hill. 
 
 According to Romans, 13:1-7, civil government is of 
 divine origin and as Christians, we required to be in sub- 
 jection thereto. However, the first Amendment to our Fed- 
 eral Constitution states in part, that "Congress shall make 
 no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, 
 or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to 
 petition the government for a redress of grievances." Thus, 
 guaranteeing to the citizen, liberal scope in opposing minor 
 governmental issues such as slavery or prohibition. There 
 is a grave danger in a nation being under-armed as there 
 is in being over-armed; and we have a right to express our 
 "iews as to reasonable defense. No citizen, however, has a 
 
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right, even in times of peace to declare that he will not 
 bear arms when war is declared. That statement is the crux 
 of this discourse, and may I repeat it — No citizen has a 
 right even in time of peace to declare that he will not bear 
 arms when war is declared. It is this disloyal sentiment that 
 is opposing military training in our Public High Schools 
 and Universities. In case of a possible doubtful war, what 
 should a Christian's attitude be? That question was judi- 
 ciously answered by Abraham Lincoln, while Congressman 
 during the Mexican War of 1847. 
 
 Texas had just ceded to the United States, but its south- 
 ern boundary had not definitely been established. Away 
 to the south was the Rio Grande, on both sides of which 
 the inhabitants had continued to pay tribute to Mexico. 
 Some hundred miles to the north was the Nueces river, 
 on both sides of which the inhabitants were paying tribute 
 to the United States. In between these two rivers was a 
 vast uninhabited desert. The Democratic Administration 
 then in power, eager to acquire additional territory from 
 the weak republic to the south, contended that the Rio 
 Grande was our southern boundary, and a fort was estab- 
 lished on its northern banks. 
 
 The Mexican Government sent an army of soldiers across 
 the river and there was battle and bloodshed. Whereupon 
 the Democratic President Polk declared war and pushed 
 the battle down into the heart of Mexico. 
 
 Lincoln introduced into Congress the "Spot Resolution," 
 contending that the "spot" where the first blood was shed 
 was disputed territory, and that the war was unnecessarily 
 and unconstitutionally begun by President Polk. He strenu- 
 ously opposed war, until Congress finally voted to support 
 the President; it was then that Lincoln yielded and made 
 this judicial declaration: 
 
 "It is sufficient for a citizen and particularly a soldier to 
 know that his country is at war with a foreign nation, and 
 to do all in his power to bring it to a speedy and honorable 
 
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termination by the most vigorous and energetic operations, 
 without inquiring about its justice or anything else con- 
 nected with it." 
 
 Later, while President, Lincoln called for 75,000 volun- 
 teers, for men who were willing if need required, to give 
 their lives as national defenders, there lived under the 
 protection of Old Glory, a certain young preacher and his 
 wife. She was as red-blooded an American as he was able- 
 bodied. After weighing the matter carefully, she gave her 
 husband her consent to enlist, to which he replied. "I 
 stand for peace and don't believe in war, and no wife who 
 really loves her husband would subject him to the sufferings 
 of war which might result in death or what is far worse, 
 to be maimed for life." She answered him as only a good 
 Christian woman could, "I would rather see my husband 
 die upon the field of battle in defense of the principles of 
 right than ever to look upon him as a coward and a slacker. 
 But not all preachers were slackers, for among those who 
 sang "Father Abraham, we are coming, 400,000 strong" 
 were many ministers of the Gospel. 
 
 The Quakers, in refusing to follow the battle flag, brought 
 grief to the heart of the merciful Commander in Chief. 
 But, fortunately for our national security, the Quaker popu- 
 lation was very small, and the gap they caused in the ranks 
 of the army was scarcely noticeable. But now that thou- 
 sands upon thousands of Rusellites, Campbellites, Com- 
 munists and similar individuals are clamoring for military 
 exemption, the situation has become so grave as to war- 
 rant Uncle Sam refusing that special privilege to one and 
 all conscientious slackers. 
 
 Our nation in her intercourse with other nations, may 
 she be actuated by that Christian principle "The turning 
 of the other cheek," recognizing in it a doctrine of long- 
 suffering, eager if possible, to settle disputes by arbitration, 
 at the same time be adequately prepared for mortal com- 
 bat, because practical success in diplomacy rests at bottom 
 
 [9] 
 
upon ability to back up augment with force. Wc read in 
 Isaiah 2:4 of a glorious day when "The nations will beat their 
 swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning 
 hooks," but as long as there are obstacles in the way, it is 
 wise to heed the instructions of Joel 3:10. "Beat your plow- 
 shares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears"! 
 In closing may I add that Abraham Lincoln was a great 
 conqueror, using as his chief weapon the sword of the 
 spirit which is love and mercy, and the metal sword only 
 as the last resort in defense of the principles of right; and 
 go we forth thus to conquer. We shall have God's approval; 
 never know defeat and eventually bring the world to recog- 
 nize Jesus as King of Kings and the everlasting Prince 
 of Peace. 
 
 The following resolution was adopted by a group of 
 civil war veterans. The chaplain, the late Rev. C. R. Norton, 
 was Pastor Emeritus of the First Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, Glendale, California'. 
 
 "We, the members of the Southern California Veterans 
 Association, desire to express our sincere than\s and appre- 
 ciation to Mr. E. F. Rudeen for the able manner in which 
 he assisted during our several entertainments , and especially 
 his address on the life of Abraham Lincoln as compared 
 with the life of Christ. 
 
 Unanimously adopted by the Southern California Veter- 
 ans' Association in Convention assembled. 
 
 R. A. Critchlow, Commander 
 T. M. Barrett, Adjutant 
 C. R. Norton, Chaplain." 
 
 Alonzo Reynolds and Albert Williams, sons of preachers, 
 were expelled from the University of California at Los 
 Angeles last fall, because they refused to take the course in 
 R.O.T.C Their case was appealed to the California Supreme 
 Court, which on January 8th handed down the following 
 decision. "Men students at the University of California 
 
 1 10 1 
 
 
must take the required course in military training, no mat- 
 ter what their convictions may be." 
 
 The counsel for these ousted youths declared that he 
 would probably carry the case to the United States Supreme 
 Court. 
 
 Sergeant Alvin York of Tennessee was designated by 
 the French Marshal Foch as the greatest soldier hero 
 of the World War, but many of the overseas veterans doubt 
 whether York alone, armed only with a rifle and an auto- 
 matic revolver could have taken prisoner 132 seasoned 
 German soldiers, against their will. Yet this is what he is 
 accredited as having done on October 8, 191 8, hardly more 
 than one month before the Armistice. At that late stage of 
 the war, starved out German soldiers were voluntarily sur- 
 rendering by the thousands. 
 
 It is a question whether York could not have directed 
 those soldiers to Uncle Sam's grub wagons without having 
 to have killed 20 of their comrades. 
 
 York, a deacon of the Campbellite Christian Church, 
 a denomination noted as war resisters, was drafted into 
 the service, went through the war without a wound, and 
 is now active as a war resister. 
 
 Ex-Mayor Porter of Los Angeles, also a Campbellite, 
 came in for his share of publicity while in Paris, when he 
 deliberately stalked out of the banquet room when his fel- 
 low-Mayors were drinking a toast to the French President. 
 The President to whom they were doing the honor, had 
 never used booze or tobacco, and Porter would not have 
 been noticed had he, like the host, merely inverted his 
 glass, but his silly drama brought him the coveted inter- 
 national publicity, and he also received a medal from the 
 French Government. How do they do it? 
 
 Benedict Arnold who served as a gallant general under 
 Washington suffered extreme privations and the loss of an 
 jmn. in our struggle for independence, but when pressure 
 was brought to bear by the war resisters, 
 
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he questioned the justice of the American 
 
 cause, imagined that his services were 
 
 not appreciated, so he threw his support 
 
 to the enemy. His name today is held synonymous with 
 
 traitor. 
 
 OUR COUNTRY'S PRAYER 
 
 "Our Father s God to thee, 
 Author of liberty, 
 To Thee we sing. 
 Long may our land be bright, 
 With freedom's holy light, 
 Protect us by Thy might, 
 Great God our King/' 
 
 tincoln knight pedge 
 
 1 purpose to emulate Abraham Lincoln in 
 National loyalty and in the non-use of booze 
 or tobacco. 
 
 Name 
 Street 
 
 City State ._. ... 
 
 Lady signers are known as Ladies oi the 
 Lincoln Knights 
 
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBAN* 
 
 3 0112 002243100