CHECKMARKED CLASSICS | THE WAR PRAYER BY MARK TWAIN

THE WAR PRAYER 

Written by Mark Twain during the Philippine-American War in the first decade of the twentieth century, The War Prayer tells of a patriotic church service held to send the town's young men off to war. During the service, a stranger enters and addresses the gathering. He tells the patriotic crowd that their prayers for victory are double-edged-by praying for victory they are also praying for the destruction of the enemy... for the destruction of human life.

Originally rejected for publication in 1905 as "not quite suited to a woman's magazine," this antiwar parable remained unpublished until 1923, when Twain's literary executor collected it in the volume Europe and Elsewhere. Handsomely illustrated by the artist and war correspondent John Groth, The War Prayer remains a relevant classic by an American icon.

★★★★☆

Set during the Phillipine-American War, The War Prayer is a brief fable, presented in a poem-like form, telling the story of a church service being held to honor young soldiers before they are sent off to war. 

In the churches the pastors preached

devotion to flag and country

and invoked the God of Battles,

beseeching His aid in our good cause

Sunday morning came --- 

next day the battalions would leave

for the front; 

the church was filled;

the volunteers were there,

their young faces

alight with martial dreams --- 

During the service, a mysterious stranger strolls into the church, claiming to be a messenger of God. This stranger explains that the prayers for victory the congregation have fervently sent up can most certainly be granted, but he urges these people to give serious thought to what they are REALLY asking. 

If you would beseech

a blessing upon yourself, beware!

lest without intent

you invoke a curse upon a neighbor

at the same time.

If you pray for the blessing of rain

upon your crop which needs it, 

by that act you are possibly praying 

for a curse upon some neighbor's crop which may not need rain

and can be injured by it.

The Stranger points out that when one prays for victory for one side, you inevitably also ask for the demise of the enemy. Some may say "well, yeah." But no, really think about that means. You're asking for pain and death to fall upon ordinary men who just happen to be on the opposing side. In essence, they would be praying:

"Help us tear their soldiers  to bloody shreds with our shells.... Help us drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of the wounded, writhing in pain....Help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire...To wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief."

"The Stranger"

* illustrations in this edition done by 

the late artist / war correspondent John Groth

As you can see, it's a grittier Twain than most readers might be acquainted with. In fact, Twain first submitted this piece for publication in 1905, but it was quickly deemed unsuitable for the general, gentle reader of the era. Twain died in 1910. The War Prayer remained an unpublished work until 1923, when Twain's literary executor chose to have it included in the compilation of various Twain works, Europe and Elsewhere. 

The whole thing might take a whopping 15-20 minutes to read, but the value of this writing still resonates today, reminding readers that each choice has a consequence, or, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, "with every wish, there comes a curse." 

"With Every Wish" by Bruce Springsteen

It's an important lesson in thinking through a situation wisely and thoroughly before coming to a final decision. You never know who your choice may affect in the long run.