| DEAR FRIENDS OF
PEACE: During the summer season of 1959 I
walked a 1,000 mile pilgrimage through six Northwestern States - Oregon, Washington,
Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada. I walked from Salem, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington, from
Spokane, Washington, to Helena, Montana, from , Idaho, through Twin Falls and Pocatello to
Salt Lake City, Utah, and then in Nevada. Whether they were on my pilgrimage route or not,
I visited all the large towns in these six states and spoke to groups in most of them and
through the news services in all of them.
THE BEAUTIFUL NORTHWEST
When I began my Northwestern walk rhododendron was outstanding in the gardens and yellow
broom was queen on the hillsides. I walked north along the fertile riin—soaked west
coast of Oregon and Washington surrounded by big beautiful trees. To the east were the
Cascades, with Mount Hood towering on the Portland skyline and Mount Rainier towering on
the Seattle skyline - on those happy occasions when they emerged from the clouds. To the
west were the rugged Olympics. I explored the scenic Columbia River valley, and traveled
up to meet a group of Canadian friends at Peace Arch Park between the two countries. West
of the Cascades I have never seen more verdure. East of the Cascades there is sage brush
desert except where irrigation creates an oasis. In Montana I climbed the Rockies and
crossed the Continental Divide. From Montana I went to visit Yellowstone Park for the
first time and saw some amazing sights I had never seen before - geysers, steam vents,
seething mud holes, boiling pools which were often very colorful - besides all the animals
and the scenic beauty. I was there before the earthquake. I encountered that in Boise,
Idaho. Everything swayed for about thirty seconds. Boise offered excellent speaking
opportunities. Whenever I enter Idaho I remember the remarkable display of spring wild
flowers I enjoyed during my first walk there. In Utah - the Monnon State - I was given
very fine hospitality - a bed every night and ample food. In Nevada — which has no
laws against gambling and no speed limit on the open highway - I walked from Carson City
past steaming springs to Reno, and from Hoover Dam past beautiful Lake Mead to Las Vegas.
When I ended my Northwestern walk there was snow on the mountain tops and autumn foliage
on the slopes.
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION
I think there has been much too much tendency to just let people get sick, and then look
for ways to help them. I believe the emphasis should be on keeping people well -
therefore, I think in terms of health research. We have been alleviating symptoms too long
- let us get busy on eliminating the cause. I would like to give everyone access to
pure food, pure water and pure air. I would like to supply all their material needs, and
also give them access to good food for thought and beautiful surroundings and all things
that inspire. If we take the money - or even part of the money - we have been spending for
destructive purposes and spend it for constructive purposes, we will be able to do all
these things.
THOUGHTS TO LIFT OUR SPIRITS
Love is the greatest power on earth. It conquers all things. One with love has more
strength than an army, for he need not subdue his adversary - he transforms him.
The entirely self-centered life is not worth living. If what you are doing will not
benefit others besides yourself it is not worth doing.
Judging others will avail you nothing and Injure you spiritually. Only if you can
inspire others to judge themselves will anything worth while have been accomplished.
When will we learn to try to help instead of hurt? Insofar as we hurt others we hurt
ourselves, and insofar as we help others we help ourselves.
In our spiritual development we are often required to pull up roots many times and to
close many chapters in our lives, until we are no longer attached to any material thing
and can love all people without any attachment to them.
If you want to teach people, young or old, you must start where they are — at
their level of understanding. If you perceive that they are already beyond your level of
understanding, let them teach you. Since steps toward spiritual advancement are taken In
such varied order, most of us can teach one another.
The trend in the world is toward togetherness - toward cooperation - and youth feels
this trend. For instance, I know of a religious gorup which was divided tnto two parts. To
the young folks this seemed most unfriendly, and they began to meet together. As a result
the division no longer exists.
The number of peacemakers is increasing - and we are always together in spirit -
praying and working together for peace across the miles between.
|
Love and peace to you, PEACE PILGRIM, Cologne, N.
J. |
WRITE A LETTER
I would like to emphasize again that right prayer leads to right action - that “faith
without works is dead”. An excellent way to put thoughts into action is to write a
letter - to congressmen or other officials, to the editor of your local newspaper, to
friends and relations. Below are a few of the letters I wrote recently.
Letter to Henry Cabot Lodge, our Representative to the United Nations:
The miracles of modern communication and transportation are making the world seem
smaller and smaller - and the time has surely come for the people of the world to be
speaking a common tongue.
Let us ask the United Nations to establish a world language to be taught as a second
language In all schools in the world.
I believe this would be the biggest single step toward world understanding, and a long
stride toward world peace.
Letter to Eisenhower and Khrushchev:
I do a lot of speaking in the United States, and when I am asked what I would do with
Germany I say “Send In a United Nations group of neutrals, withdraw all national
forces, disarm Germany, unite Germany, and bring the united Germany into the United
Nations.”
Everyone I have discussed this with has felt it was sensible and just. Why could not
the U. S. A. and the U. S. S. R. agree on such a simple solution?
Letter to Dr. Edwin T. Dahlberg, President National Council of Churches:
I do not expect you to remember me, but the enclosed will identify me. I have had the
privilege of meeting you and of speaking in your church at St. Louis.
I write to suggest a step toward peace which I should think the National Council of
Churches would be interested in. Many steps toward peace are for the distant future, but
this step could be taken right now. It is the establishment of a Peace Department In our
government to do extensive research on peaceful ways of resolving conflicts. Let us
pioneer this constructive measure, and then we will be in a position to ask every other
nation to establish a similar department. Let us do some realistic research for the
nuclear age in which we live!
Knowing your real interest in peace, I feel sure you will give this suggestion
prayerful consideration.
Answer from Dr. Dahlberg:
It was such a joy to receive your welcome letter of August 3rd. I remember you well,
particularly In connection with your last visit to the Delmar Baptist Church, when you
gave such a fine testimony. May God bless you in your continuing testimony. I appreciated
especially your suggestion about the National Council of Churches taking steps towards
recommending the establishment of a Peace Department in our government. I am not sure but
what this suggestion has already been made by our Department of International Relations,
but I will look into the matter, and if It has not been done I shall suggest it to Dr.
Maxwell, Secretary of the Department.
May God bless you in all your journeying around the nation. I am sure that our Father
in Heaven is looking down upon you with tenderness and blessing as you go on your way.
THOUGHTS FOR OUR WORLD
- Nuclear weapons must be controlled - this demon of destruction that we have unleashed
must be harnessed - that men may live!
- Wisdom demands that we stop preparing to wage a war which would eliminate mankind and
start preparing to wage a war which would eliminate the enemies of mankind.
- We have now reached a point in human history when all nations will need to give up one
right to the United Nations, the right to make war - just as all of our states once gave
up that one right to the United States.
- Problems shuld be handled as near to the grassroots as they can be fairly and
efficiently dealt with, so the main job of the United Nations would be to maintain a
peaceful situation in the world.
- The United Nations will undoubtedly have a Police Force to deal with individual
offenders against the peace of the world, but I velieve it should also have an unarmed
Peace Force to go into trouble spots and remedy the cause of the trouble before strife
begins.
- What we suffer from is immaturity. If we were mature people war would not be a problem -
it would be impossible.
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