12            REPORTS AND RESOLUTIONS

This and more, in a word, is the state of our country to-
day.
  Undoubtedly throughout the nation the  question will
arise when shall this war end? What is to be the result of
this withering world-desolation? This no man can fore-
tell, no tribunal of men may determine.  The history of
the world is the world's court of judgment, and even at this
bar we may only hope, and the Christian nation in hopeful
confidence bravely faces a wily foe, trusting in the promise
of the God of nations.
        "He breaks the bow, He cuts the spear,
           Chariots He burns with heavenly flame;
         Keep silence all the earth and hear,
           The sound and glory of His name."
              Mobilized Forces in the Field
  A little more than one year has elapsed since the mes-
sage was carried to the world that at last American was in
the war. In every part of the country this was realized
with a thrill, and a wave of patriotic loyalty and enthusi-
asm swept over the nation. We were doubtless the least
prepared for war of any of the nations in the conflict, but
we rose to the dread emergency, and ventured on a vast
and complicated war-scheme. By legislative conscription
there was a call to arms and many flocked to the standard,
and we are told that in less than three weeks after the se-
lective service law, ten millions of men within draft age
had registered; then reckless of distance and facing sub-
marine terror, and the menace of the hidden mine, we set
out to transport our soldiers three thousand miles across
the sea from our base, a military feat never before at-
tempted in the history of war, and eighty-eight days after
the declaration of war our first contingent of troops were
landed in France and to-day we have the rainbow vision
of an army of 1,500,000 men on the battle front and as
many more preparing to follow where they led the way.




			

OHS/National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center Pamphlet Collection

Ohio Annual Conference, Reports and Resolutions Adopted