What is a Nation Profited? – Sunday, January 24, 1943
There is an overworked phrase that has fluently fallen from the lips of many speakers and flowed from the pens of many writers these last several months, which is almost certainly referred to during the course of almost every public speech that is currently delivered. It is that phrase which reminds us that, “We must not only win the war, but we must also win the peace.” But regardless of its loose and repetitious use, fundamentally behind this stock phrase is a basic idea that deserves comment. It raises the question: “What does it mean to win a war?” And also the question: “What does it mean to win the peace?”
There are those in the world, now known to be mistaken, who have hopefully supposed that the winning of a war is the result solely of having a superior physical force and pursuing that advantage quickly and decisively until the enemy no longer has any means of effective physical resistance, and so must accept whatever terms he can get. Certainly physical conquest is a highly important factor in the winning of any war. But it isn’t the only factor and it does not take into account the fact that a man may be physically conquered and still be strong—strong morally and spiritually—strong in his tenacity for ideals and principles—for righteousness, and justice, and, vengeance—strong in his conviction that he who lives by the sword will die by the sword, and that there must be a day of turning.
To win a war in a real and permanent sense, means, therefore, not only might of arms, not only the will to victory, but also a righteous cause, and a high moral standard. And history, current and past, has proved that morally dissolute armies, and armies fighting for unrighteous causes, cannot long enjoy the fruits of victory, even though they may, for the moment, walk over their victims. There comes to mind this utterance of Jesus the Christ: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26). To paraphrase: What is a nation profited, if it shall gain the whole world and lose its own soul? What would it profit a nation if it should give its all for the winning of a war and then should find no peace? There are many nations, from remote times until now, that have had opportunity to discover the tragic answer.
And lest there be any man or any nation so deceived as to suppose that peace can be won regardless of the righteousness of the cause or regardless of the ideals of the people there should be quoted these words of Isaiah: “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57: 21). Though armed conflict were to cease, though the thunder of cannon, and the sound of marching feet were heard no more, yet no man and no people would long enjoy the fruits of peace, except on the basis of personal and national righteousness, and continuing conduct in accordance with those principles on which righteousness is based. That is what it means to win the peace.
By RICHARD L. EVANS, spoken from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, Jan. 24, 1943, over Radio Station KSL and the nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System. Copyright – 1943.
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January 24, 1943
Broadcast Number 0,701