Hillis.

_Dr. Hillis, who occupies the pulpit of Plymouth Church,
Brooklyn, made famous by the pastorate of the late Henry Ward
Beecher, delivered the following remarkable sermon on the
European War on Sunday, Dec. 20, 1914, choosing as his text
the words: "From whence come wars? Come they not from your own
lusts?"_

Nearly five months have now passed by since the German Army invaded
Belgium and France. These 140 days have been packed with thrilling and
momentous events. While from their safe vantage ground the American
people have surveyed the scene, an old regime has literally crumbled
under our very eyes. Europe is a loom on whose earthen framework
demiurgic forces like Frederick the Great, Bismarck, and Napoleon once
wove the texture of European civilization. Now the demon of war has,
with hot knife, shorn away the texture, and a modern Czar and Kaiser,
King and President, with Generals and Admirals, are weaving the warp and
woof of a new world. One hundred years ago the forces that bred wars
were political forces; today the collision between nations is born of
economic interests. The twentieth century influences are chiefly the
force of wealth and the force of public opinion. These are the giant
steeds, though the reins of the horses may be in the hands of Kings and
Kaisers. In Napoleon's day antagonism grew out of the natural hatred of
autocracy for democracy, of German imperialism for French radicalism.
Today Germany is not even interested in France's republican form of
Government, nor is France concerned with Germany's imperial autocrat.
But all Europe is intensely concerned with the question of economic
supremacy or financial subordination.

Ever since Oliver Cromwell's day England has been the mistress of the
seas, and Germany is envious and believes that she has a right to
supplant England in this naval leadership. France has long been the
banker of Europe, and Germany covets financial leadership. From whence
come wars? Come they not from men's lusts? Now that long time has
passed, it is quite certain that neither Napoleon nor Bismarck nor
William II. understood the future. It is a proverb that yesterday is a
seed, today the stalk, and tomorrow is the full corn in the ear.
Napoleon was a practical man, but he could not see the shock in the
seed. When Napoleon said, "One hundred years from now Europe will be all
republican or all Cossack"--Napoleon was quite wrong. Forty yea