A PLAIN-TALKING CLERGYMAN.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 344, 15 February 1871, Page 2

A PLAIN-TALKING CLERGYMAN.

Mr. Spurgeon (says the Echo) has published an address to Louis Napoleon and the King of Prussia, containing some l'emarkably strong language. 1 He is by no means complimentary to either of the monavchs. He says : —" Perhaps you are not both alike, and only one of you is to blame for beginning this dreadful fight; but I don't know your secret tricks, for kings are as deep as foxes, and it is safest to lay it on you both, for then the right ono will be sure to got it. Did either of you ever think what war means ? Did you ever see a man's head smashed, or his bowels ripped open ? Why, if you are made of flesh and blood, the sight of the poor man, with the blood oozing out of him, will make you sick. I don't like to drown a kitten, I can't bear even to see a rat die, or any animal in pain. But a man! Where are your hearts if you can think of broken legs, splintered bones, heads smashed in, brains blown out, bowels torn, hearts gushing with gore, ditches full of blood, and heaps of Hmb3 and carcases of mangled men ?" Tbis is a disgusting description, as Mr. Spurgeon admits, but if men read a few more of these disgusting descriptions they might do fewer disgusting things. He concludes : —" You fight for glory, do jou ? Don't be such fools, lam a plain-talking Englishman, and I tell you that the English for glory is damnation, and it will be your lot, O Kings, if you go on cutting and hacking your fellowmen." We don't know whether Mr. Spurgeon is opposed to war always nnd under all circumstances, but his address reminds us of the lines in the " Biglow Papers :"—

If you take a sword and dror it, And go run a feller through, Guv'ment ain't to answer for it,, God ill send the bill to you.