“In nearly all the
Hamilton churches yesterday, special prayers were offered for peace, and many
of the ministers made reference to the great war.”
Hamilton
Spectator. August 10, 1914.
Few Hamiltonians
believed that Canada would be at war at the beginning of August 1914.
The assassination of
the Austro-Hungarian Archduke in Sarajevo was known, and there was expectation
that there would be repercussions towards Serbia made in answer to the act.
However, problems in
Eastern Europe had happened before and were resolved, more or less. It was inconceivable
that such a matter would have such a disastrous domino effect.
The long summer holiday
weekend, August 8 to10, 1914 had been
anticipated with enthusiasm, plans had been made, but the joy was dampened by news of the
invasion of Belgium by Germany, followed by the declaration of war by England,
an action automatically making Canada at war as well.
Hamiltonians attending
church services on August 9, 1914 were
definitely lead in prayer for peace, and preachers included comments on the
perilous situation in their sermons.
The Hamilton
Spectator did not have reporters enough on duty to cover services at every
Hamilton church but a few of the largest churches were attended and portions of
the sermons printed on the following day’s newspaper:
“At the Centenary
Methodist church, Rev. R. B. Bows reviewed the great wars of the past and
likened the actions of the Kaiser to those of Napoleon 100 years ago. He
claimed that Britain had not entered the conflict through any wish to be
aggressive, but simply to uphold the freedom for which she had fought so many
battles and for which many loyal British soldiers had died in the past. He said
that under no conditions must the British flag be dragged in the dust and
claimed that while war was cruel at any time, there were cases where it was
necessary and this was one of them as far as Britain was concerned.”1
1 War Themes
in City Pulpits : Congregations Pray for the Peace of the World : Inspiring
Scenes Marked Many Church Services : Preachers Endorse Britain’s Part in Great
Conflict”
Hamilton Spectator.
August 10, 1914.
The other church
attended by a Spectator was the First Methodist church :
“Rev. Prof. A. J.
Johnston of Victoria College, speaking in First Methodist church yesterday on
the war among other things said:
“ ‘ In casting about
for something to say to you, it has been impossible for me to keep my mind from
the all-absorbing topic of the great war. We Canadians are a peaceful and a
peace-loving people, and it has been with the greatest satisfaction we have
been celebrating 100 years of peace between ourselves and our neighbors. We
deplore war and none deplore it more than the Christians of our numbers.
“ ‘But we are thrust
into and a long and bloody one it is likely to be. Our opponents have what is
admittedly the strongest and best equipped army and this is backed up by the
second best navy. So it is not likely to be a walk-over for any party in the
conflict.
“ ‘The options are
gloomy indeed. It makes us pause. A few things we can comfort ourselves we as
we contrive with others to do our duty.
“ ‘We did not seek
this war. Germany’s nasty movements and big offensive actions reveal a
pre-determined plan. Germany for years has been dominated by the army and the
Kaiser with his weaknesses at its head. The hope that looms on the horizon is
that when the war is over, Germany may have full responsible government. When
the nations give the government into the hands of the people, they will not go
to war. Wars from time immemorial have been the result of the pride and
ambition of princes and potentates.
“ ‘We have the moral
support of the world. Germany with all her unworthy bribes and haughty threats has
not drawn to herself one single people. In the end, that moral support must
count mightily.
“We are now at war.
Patriotism and duty summons every Canadian citizen to be true. A magnificent
spirit has been revealed. There is no discordant note. In pulpit and press, and
on street corners from one end of Canada to the other, there is but one will
and work.
“’May God bless our
soldiers and sailors, and when the war is over may we once again be free to
cultivate neighborly relations with our cousins of the blood.’
“At the close of the
address, the audience remained bowed for several minutes in silent prayer. A
profound impression was created.”1
St. Anne’s Roman
Catholic Church on Barton street east was also visited by a Spectator
representative. Rev. Father Englert touched briefly on the war news in the
course of his sermon:
“He counselled the
members of his congregation not too enthuse too much over the war, but rather
to pray for the dead and wounded, and sympathize with those wives and families
near and dear to the brave soldiers who were being slaughtered in defense of
their countries.
“ ‘ It is not those
who bring about these wars who suffer most. The kings and emperors remain in
their castles; it is the soldiers who bear the hardships. Kings march to
victory over men’s graves,’ concluded the speaker.”1
Over at St. Paul’s
Presbyterian church on James street south, Rev. D. R. Drummond impressed upon
his hearers the righteousness of the war which Great Britain was waging, and
prophesized the crumbling of Germany:
“But he also foresaw
that the culmination of the war would mean the disarmament of the entire world,
when men would put aside the implements of warfare and enlist in the real army,
the one that was worthwhile – the brotherhood of mankind.”1
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