(The Nationalist, 24 January 2003)
In 1905, the American writer Mark Twain wrote a story called “The War Prayer”, during the war between the US and Spain, which led to Cuba and the Philippines becoming American colonies. No publisher would take it. Twain commented, ‘Only the dead are allowed to speak the truth’. This was prophetic; it was published after his death.
The story tells of patriotic fervour being whipped up for the war: rallies, parades, speeches, bands, pamphlets and sermons. In a church the preacher is urging people to rally round the flag and defeat the enemy. Then he launched into a prayer asking God for victory: ‘Our noble young soldiers… comfort and encourage them in their patriotic work, shield them in Thy mighty hand, make them invincible in the bloody battle, help them crush the foe, grant them, their flag and their country imperishable honour, etc.’ The congregation voiced their approval by interspersing his prayer with Amens.
Then an elderly man appeared, moved slowly up the aisle, and over to the pulpit where the words were in full flood. When the preacher had finished, the old man motioned him to step aside.
He stood and spoke, saying, ‘I am a messenger from God. He has heard your prayer today, and will grant your desire, if you still desire it after I have explained its meaning to you. It was two prayers, the second being unthought and unspoken. When you prayed for victory you also prayed for many unmentioned results which follow’.
He continued, ‘Your unspoken prayer said, “Help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells, to cover their fields with the pale bodies of the dead, to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of the wounded, to lay waste their homes with a hurricane of fire, to wring the hearts of their widows with unavailing grief, to turn their children out without a roof. Bomb their hopes, Lord, blast their lives, make their steps limp, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet. We ask this in the spirit of him who is the source of love, the faithful refuge of all who seek him with humbled and contrite hearts.” That was your unspoken prayer which reached the throne of God today. If you still desire it, speak, and it will be heard.’
People said afterwards that the man was a lunatic; there was no sense in what he said.
(Written with help from The Plough magazine, Winter 2001, pp. 30-32)