It was the same in Austria-Hungary. Austrian and
Hungarian prelates have passed in silence the fearful travesties of
justice by which, in recent years, their statesmen sought to compass
the judicial murder of scores of Slavs; they raised no voice when, at
the grave risk of a European war, Austria dishonestly annexed Bosnia and
Herzegovina; they gave their tacit or open consent when Austria,
refusing mediation, declared war on Serbia and inaugurated the titanic
struggle; and they have passed no condemnation on the infamies which the
Magyar troops perpetrated in Serbia.
I am concerned mainly with the action or inaction of the Churches in
this country, but it is entirely relevant to set out a brief statement
of these facts about Germany and Austria-Hungary. The Christian religion
was on trial in those countries as well as here. It failed so
lamentably, not because there is more Christianity here than in Germany
and Austria, not because the national character was inferior to the
English and less apt to receive Christian teaching, but because the
temptation was greater. Until this war occurred, no responsible
traveller ever ventured to say that the German or Austrian character was
inferior to the British.
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