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JAINA GAZETTE. [Aug. & Sept, tion of a new body, called “Citizens of the world.” It is pointed out that the real rulers of the world are the workers and that they alone can put an end to war. This is the aim of the “ Citizens,” and they propose to organise a body of persons in every land who shall, when a million persons have joined the
Citizens, “ declare that they will no longer pay war taxes," and thus provide “the sidews of war,” The movement “ expresses only a profound political and religious conviction that war for any reason or any pretext is wrong.” The difficulty in the way of any movement for peace is that most men are imbued with the war spirit. They want to fight; they love fighting; they enjoy the excitement of struggle. The love of peace is an etlical sentiment ; tbe love of war is an animal instinct.
The instinct is so strong that even religion which should always be the harbinger of peace and harınony is made the pretext for war. The Holy wars of the Crusade, and the Go Jehad ” are matters of history.
But the people who are really of a religious turn of mind are recognising a unity, a brotherhood in religions also. Congresses of religions and religious conferences are being held in every country. An International Congress of religious quity is announced to take place in India in the cold weather. We hope that the grim phantom of war will disappear by that time, and that we shall have the pleasure of seeing amongst us the distinguished philosophers and missionaries who are expected from America and Europe, China and Japan, Ceylon and Burma, Turkey and Persia. This International Congress will be on the lines of the Chicago Parliament of Religions at four centres in India, Calcutta, Bombay, Diadras, and Lahore ; and on conclusion of its deliberations, the Congress will proceed to China and Japan where preparations are being made on a grand scale to hold sessions at Shanghai and Tokio.
The American and European delegates on their way to India intend to visit and hold meetiogs in London Badapest, Con.
stantinople, Athens, Caira, and Colombo, Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
