1914-09-21yy

The war in Europe was the near-constant topic of conversation in Hamilton during the month of September, 1914.

The war theme even dominated many of the sermons preached from Hamilton pulpits all across the city.

Two such sermons, delivered on September 20, 1914, received coverage in the next day’s issue of the Hamilton Spectator.

At the Centenary Methodist church on Main street west, the pulpit was occupied by a visiting member of the clergy, Rev. W. R. Young, pastor of the Broadway tabernacle in Toronto.

Part of his sermon was selected for inclusion in the Spectator:

“At the present time, the nations of the world are engaged in an awful conflict. It may be a little premature to predict what the result will be, but the Kaiser of Germany, under the delusion that he was especially appointed by God, sent forth his millions against the world, while posing as the anointed of the Most High, and seeking to have himself proclaimed, William I, emperor of Europe.

“But it is God’s purpose to smash despotism which is blocking all true progress among the nations, and the present century, which is being ushered in with war and bloodshed, will close with the downfall of despotic rule, and for nothing else, does God allow the present conflict to continue, fully knowing that from out of all this chaos and misery will rise a better Christian world.”¹

¹ “Yellow Ward in World’s Hospital : Interesting Sermon on This Theme in Centenary Church”

Hamilton Spectator.               September 21, 1914.

At the Central Presbyterian Church, Rev. W. H. Sedgewick, in his evening sermon, focused on some of the phases of the development of German culture, taking as his text 1 Corinthians Chapter 8, verse 2 “Knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up.”

Rev. Sedgewick said that the world had been staggered by what he called “the breakdown of civilization in the centre of the world’s culture.”

Acknowledging that Germany had led the world in many ways and to its  scientists, scholars and artisans the world owed a great debt.

If just knowledge was enough, Germany might well be impregnable, but, said Rev. Sedgewick:

“ ‘ By terrible things in righteousness, God is teaching Germany and the world the insufficiency of knowledge and science.’ ” ¹

The minister then turned his attention to the influence, on the German upper class, of Nietzsche, the German philosopher. He felt that the significance of Nietzsche’s teachings could be seen in the worship of power and force, and the might, not right, should prevail. Cruelty and murder were seen by those influenced by Nietzsche, as legitimate methods of progress, and that attitude had saturated the attitudes of the German war lords :

“ ‘The only comment on such actions is found in the text of my sermon,’ said the reverend speaker.”¹