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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Originally rejected for publication in 1905 as "not quite suited to a woman's magazine," this antiwar parable remained unpublished until 1923, when Twain's literary executor collected it in the volume Europe and Elsewhere.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 Philip Groth, The War Prayer remains a relevant classic by an American icon.
5 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1905
199 people are currently reading
1768 people want to read
About the author
Mark Twain
8,892 books18.7k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.
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June 4, 2021
War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.
-Jimmy Carter
link: source
Is War a necessary evil?
I have not read anything by Mark Twain, so pounced upon the chance I got to get my literary buds soaked into the prose of Twain, to my surprise, it turned out to be better than my expectations, in fact, I would say, a profound thought-provoking text on war and faith. War has one of the most discussed but least understood vagaries of humanity. Human beings are supposed to be inherently violent, or we may say that though we have come a long way in evolution, in many aspects but there are some animalistic instincts that still embellish our persona. We may decipher from the history of our evolution and civilization that during the primitive times the reasons for wars were naïve, such as food, space, competition, resources, etc, as our society was at that time. However, over the years, the seemingly naïve reasons have been superseded by more complex ones which fuel our inherent characteristics. We know that our evolutionary history is marked by various biases and hatred against other races, castes, ethnicities, religions, nations, or ideologies, and these biases promote our inherent, uncontrolled, and untamed aggressiveness so sometimes the wars are justified to maintain social order. During the course of modernization, we have seen our desire to dominate, to gain power, our greed, and lust for expansion have been the basic causes of several warfares. In contemporary times, it is also observed that warfare got birth due to economic reasons too, be it natural resources or wealth. Having said that the fundamental question that needs to be answered is that is war a necessary evil?
“The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a uttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and ne in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory with stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to ag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener.
link: source
The story starts with pomp, songs of patriotism take form in the heart of people who are apparently blind to anything except glory, anyone tries to question their intentions or raises doubts over the essence of ‘holy’ war is treated with utter disdain as if his/ her existence is not worthy of consideration. We know how difficult it could be to talk sanity in such a pompous and overbearing environment. These colossal gargantuan commemorations take inspiration from the fire of pride, grace, and dignity, burning in the heart of people. The flames of the holy fire so vigorous and impregnable that crumbs of reason, doubt, probe, and contemplation are blazed to nothingness in it. What could be expected from God of such a passionate, fervent, and vehement faction of society? For God of such people must also find glory in these ‘holy’ wars, he (or she which is highly improbable) must fuel the hearts of his devotees with the robust fire of justice, patriotism, bravery, invincibility amidst the bloody battle.
Have we ever questioned the very basis of the abovementioned features of our personality, if deconstruct these characteristics to their essence we might find that our bravery, invincibility, justice, valor, and passion are essentially nothing but comprise of shallow and myopic notions? And our religions are not unsullied from it too, for they have emerged from the womb of biases, hatred, dominance, and our other ‘pure’ desires, and hence the God of such religions would certainly show mercy to its devotees, would definitely make its followers conquer the eternal bloodsheds. It all seems fine and in cohesion with a general understanding of people but then an ‘insane’ man arrives and tries to show the people- ‘the unuttered prayer’ since if God is just, he (she) would answer both expressed and unexpressed devotions. The unuttered orison must ask for the smothering of foes, tearing their bodies apart, wring the hearts of their unoffended widows and children with unconsumable grief, launching their infants to unremitting famines. The patriotic God of ours must snatch the very hope of survival of the enemies. Of course, the man is declared insane, as a man would be done in any sane and patriotic society.
link: source
The prose of the story is harrowing and heart-wrenching, which unfolds like some preach, and may shake the reader to the core of his/ her being. The wry, satirical, and dark humor has been used by the author to put across the message in a very profound, discerning, and perceptive way. The story brings the future of warfare into question, wherein we may see nuclear wars, or bio or chemical warfare, or some other futuristic forms since technology plays an important role in it and it would definitely get evolve with the technology. These possibilities upheave an important inquiry about the survival of humanity itself since the entire existence of life, in all possible forms, may surrender to nothingness. It also raises debates about the role of education since education should impart empathy, sympathy, and other attributes which may enable one to understand and recognize not only one’s emotions but that of others too, perhaps in that we may able to create a pacifist society.
We may understand that disembodied figures, ravaged children, blood-guzzling gutters, enduring pain and sufferings of family members is the probably the price, demanded by war, hence, we may say with authority that war is a great evil, even if at times it may appear to be a necessary one.
-Jimmy Carter
link: source
Is War a necessary evil?
I have not read anything by Mark Twain, so pounced upon the chance I got to get my literary buds soaked into the prose of Twain, to my surprise, it turned out to be better than my expectations, in fact, I would say, a profound thought-provoking text on war and faith. War has one of the most discussed but least understood vagaries of humanity. Human beings are supposed to be inherently violent, or we may say that though we have come a long way in evolution, in many aspects but there are some animalistic instincts that still embellish our persona. We may decipher from the history of our evolution and civilization that during the primitive times the reasons for wars were naïve, such as food, space, competition, resources, etc, as our society was at that time. However, over the years, the seemingly naïve reasons have been superseded by more complex ones which fuel our inherent characteristics. We know that our evolutionary history is marked by various biases and hatred against other races, castes, ethnicities, religions, nations, or ideologies, and these biases promote our inherent, uncontrolled, and untamed aggressiveness so sometimes the wars are justified to maintain social order. During the course of modernization, we have seen our desire to dominate, to gain power, our greed, and lust for expansion have been the basic causes of several warfares. In contemporary times, it is also observed that warfare got birth due to economic reasons too, be it natural resources or wealth. Having said that the fundamental question that needs to be answered is that is war a necessary evil?
“The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a uttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and ne in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory with stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to ag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener.
link: source
The story starts with pomp, songs of patriotism take form in the heart of people who are apparently blind to anything except glory, anyone tries to question their intentions or raises doubts over the essence of ‘holy’ war is treated with utter disdain as if his/ her existence is not worthy of consideration. We know how difficult it could be to talk sanity in such a pompous and overbearing environment. These colossal gargantuan commemorations take inspiration from the fire of pride, grace, and dignity, burning in the heart of people. The flames of the holy fire so vigorous and impregnable that crumbs of reason, doubt, probe, and contemplation are blazed to nothingness in it. What could be expected from God of such a passionate, fervent, and vehement faction of society? For God of such people must also find glory in these ‘holy’ wars, he (or she which is highly improbable) must fuel the hearts of his devotees with the robust fire of justice, patriotism, bravery, invincibility amidst the bloody battle.
Have we ever questioned the very basis of the abovementioned features of our personality, if deconstruct these characteristics to their essence we might find that our bravery, invincibility, justice, valor, and passion are essentially nothing but comprise of shallow and myopic notions? And our religions are not unsullied from it too, for they have emerged from the womb of biases, hatred, dominance, and our other ‘pure’ desires, and hence the God of such religions would certainly show mercy to its devotees, would definitely make its followers conquer the eternal bloodsheds. It all seems fine and in cohesion with a general understanding of people but then an ‘insane’ man arrives and tries to show the people- ‘the unuttered prayer’ since if God is just, he (she) would answer both expressed and unexpressed devotions. The unuttered orison must ask for the smothering of foes, tearing their bodies apart, wring the hearts of their unoffended widows and children with unconsumable grief, launching their infants to unremitting famines. The patriotic God of ours must snatch the very hope of survival of the enemies. Of course, the man is declared insane, as a man would be done in any sane and patriotic society.
link: source
The prose of the story is harrowing and heart-wrenching, which unfolds like some preach, and may shake the reader to the core of his/ her being. The wry, satirical, and dark humor has been used by the author to put across the message in a very profound, discerning, and perceptive way. The story brings the future of warfare into question, wherein we may see nuclear wars, or bio or chemical warfare, or some other futuristic forms since technology plays an important role in it and it would definitely get evolve with the technology. These possibilities upheave an important inquiry about the survival of humanity itself since the entire existence of life, in all possible forms, may surrender to nothingness. It also raises debates about the role of education since education should impart empathy, sympathy, and other attributes which may enable one to understand and recognize not only one’s emotions but that of others too, perhaps in that we may able to create a pacifist society.
We may understand that disembodied figures, ravaged children, blood-guzzling gutters, enduring pain and sufferings of family members is the probably the price, demanded by war, hence, we may say with authority that war is a great evil, even if at times it may appear to be a necessary one.
October 8, 2025
Both sides pray for victory...but victory means the death of young men...on both sides. And God, as father of all the young men, has to listen to this prayer? And as father of all the young men how does he choose? One of Twain's most thought provoking works. Highest recommendation.
November 14, 2023
War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children.-Jimmy Carter
Definitely food for thought but that is nothing new where Mark Twain is concerned.
The "prayer" is a short story about how people did indeed pray but went too far in their prayer that only concerned the welfare of themselves and those nearest them, not giving a damn about others. It's about consequences that people often don't WANT to consider but which are consequences and real all the same.
Whether you agree with it or not, it IS a pretty great piece that makes the reader think (hopefully) and realize that there should never only be a narrow view on anything - and how hypocritical a prayer / religion and all that stems from it usually is.
In other words, Twain is warning of the same thing fantasy stories have been warning for centuries: be careful what you wish for (and how you phrase that wish)!
You can read it for free here: https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/1...
June 29, 2024
This is not the Mark Twain that you know from school and childhood - not the folksy humorist, nor even the wry, clever wit. The War Prayer is the work of of an angry man, full of righteous wrath. He wrote it in response to the hypocrisy of his country's imperialist war of conquest against the people of The Philippines, a war in which the country's generals didn't even bother to hide the routine atrocities and war crimes they committed in the name of God and country. Like a prophet of old, his words lay bare the viciousness of his countrymen's actions.
Unlike the prophets of old, however, Twain did not proclaim this War Prayer to his countrymen. His own daughter was aghast and horrified when he read it to her, and he realized how much his fame and fortune would suffer for proclaiming such naked truth. He wrote,
”I don't think the prayer will be published in my time. None but the dead are permitted to tell the truth."
The War Prayer was first published in a complete edition of Mark Twain's works, in the volume Europe and Elsewhere, after the author's death.
The War Prayer is in the public domain, and can be experienced in several fascinating forms. Your can listen to it, along with original illustrations here: https://youtu.be/IRVod4PwQHs
It has also been dramatized quite effectively more than once, and each version is worth viewing:
https://youtu.be/0ZmEAZCOYSE
And here:
https://youtu.be/sVYIRbmxHpc
Unlike the prophets of old, however, Twain did not proclaim this War Prayer to his countrymen. His own daughter was aghast and horrified when he read it to her, and he realized how much his fame and fortune would suffer for proclaiming such naked truth. He wrote,
”I don't think the prayer will be published in my time. None but the dead are permitted to tell the truth."
The War Prayer was first published in a complete edition of Mark Twain's works, in the volume Europe and Elsewhere, after the author's death.
The War Prayer is in the public domain, and can be experienced in several fascinating forms. Your can listen to it, along with original illustrations here: https://youtu.be/IRVod4PwQHs
It has also been dramatized quite effectively more than once, and each version is worth viewing:
https://youtu.be/0ZmEAZCOYSE
And here:
https://youtu.be/sVYIRbmxHpc
February 12, 2017
A clear poem with no artifice whatsoever, but it's perhaps the most searing piece of writing I've ever read - an indictment of war itself but also more specifically, certain religious attitudes toward war that were prevalent in his time and unfortunately, still exist in many corners today. The straightforward way he whisks the veil off the too-easy hypocrisy is shockingly affecting. I feel a little stunned. Everyone should read this. I was tempted to give it 5★ based on sheer power alone, but I settled on 4★ in the end.
John Groth's ink drawings that accompany the poem are crudely drawn but appropriate. Like the poem itself, they're forceful, expressive, and unadorned.
John Groth's ink drawings that accompany the poem are crudely drawn but appropriate. Like the poem itself, they're forceful, expressive, and unadorned.
June 12, 2014
I just loved it.!! In these few pages,Twain presents a bold criticism of war. As they say,old men start war for young men to die. Not only is there death of the soldiers,but death of civilians,destruction of all those things which a man takes a lifetime to make. But all these are known to a seven-year old. And why do we still close our eyes.? It's these eyes that Twain is trying to open. What an irony it is that we pray to the son of God,who asked us to show the other cheek,to give us success in the war and failure to the other.!! Why is it that we see it as only success and failure,and death as mere count of numbers..?!!
The story touched me and made me think. Rarely does a story do both.
The story touched me and made me think. Rarely does a story do both.
March 31, 2009
This book is very short (a ten minute read) and I'd suggest buying a larger collection of Twain's short works that includes this one in it.
This "poem", in particular, is still so appropriate over a century after it was written. Both the divisive idea of "us vs. them" and the puzzling notion that religious people would pray for their enemies' deaths are stripped naked and Twain uses his unparalleled satirical skills to do it.
This "poem", in particular, is still so appropriate over a century after it was written. Both the divisive idea of "us vs. them" and the puzzling notion that religious people would pray for their enemies' deaths are stripped naked and Twain uses his unparalleled satirical skills to do it.
February 17, 2009
I wasn’t looking for another Mark Twain when I wandered round Powell’s book store the other day. But I was browsing the sales table and was surprised to spot a very slender volume bearing his name — the War Prayer. The fact that it was slender attracted me as much as the price — a short classic? Then I opened the book and found that, true to its size, it's really just a short story, or story poem, published after his death because Mark Twain said “I have told the whole truth…and only dead men can tell the truth in this world…” And it’s about a church service held to pray for young men about to go to war.
I guess Mark Twain never saw the illustrations by John Groth. They complement the tale perfectly; I think he would be pleased. The white space on the sparsely written pages leaves time for the reader to think; one page contains only one word, “Listen!” and issues its challenge. Then on the final written page, just before the last, most devastating illustration, “the man” is called insane. I stood there in the store, wondering which man, or all of us.
Yes. I read the whole book in the store. And then I wondered if I should buy it or leave it for someone else. But there were several copies, so I purchased one to bring home. Maybe my sons will pick it up, or visitors.
Apparently when Dan Beard heard Samuel Clemens read the tale, he asked if he was going to publish it. “No,” said Clemens. “It can be published after I’m dead.” I’m glad it’s been republished. I’m glad it’s in print. And I’m sad that it’s still so very relevant.
If you find a copy, open it, read it, and see if you can say who’s insane by the time you reach the end.
I guess Mark Twain never saw the illustrations by John Groth. They complement the tale perfectly; I think he would be pleased. The white space on the sparsely written pages leaves time for the reader to think; one page contains only one word, “Listen!” and issues its challenge. Then on the final written page, just before the last, most devastating illustration, “the man” is called insane. I stood there in the store, wondering which man, or all of us.
Yes. I read the whole book in the store. And then I wondered if I should buy it or leave it for someone else. But there were several copies, so I purchased one to bring home. Maybe my sons will pick it up, or visitors.
Apparently when Dan Beard heard Samuel Clemens read the tale, he asked if he was going to publish it. “No,” said Clemens. “It can be published after I’m dead.” I’m glad it’s been republished. I’m glad it’s in print. And I’m sad that it’s still so very relevant.
If you find a copy, open it, read it, and see if you can say who’s insane by the time you reach the end.
February 19, 2013
Came upon this by accident. I teach history and spend a lot of time discussing the concept of nationalism both pros and cons. This is definitely something that I will use in class. It is really interesting how Twain takes something perceived to be admirable and gets the reader to see the consequences of their actions. The ending in which the man is discredited is a powerful way to end the story.
September 3, 2015
"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."
February 3, 2017
This is a short, but powerful book by Mark Twain that was published after his death. There are wonderful illustrations by John Groth.
Twain is examining whether God, who is a loving God, would approve of prayers to destroy the opponents in a war. As a preacher is praying "that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers and aid, comfort and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe..." a old stranger walks up the aisle and asks to speak. He asks if the people really know what they are praying for. "If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time."
The stranger says, in effect the prayer is implying this: "O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst..." He continues, "for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, BLAST THEIR HOPES, BLIGHT THEIR LIVES, PROTRACT THEIR BITTER PILGRIMAGE, MAKE HEAVY THEIR STEPS, WATER THEIR WAY WITH THEIR TEARS, STAIN THE WHITE SNOW WITH THE BLOOD OF THEIR WOUNDED FEET!"
The prayer ends with "We ask it in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love."
The people in the congregation thought the man was a lunatic.
Twain is examining whether God, who is a loving God, would approve of prayers to destroy the opponents in a war. As a preacher is praying "that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers and aid, comfort and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe..." a old stranger walks up the aisle and asks to speak. He asks if the people really know what they are praying for. "If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time."
The stranger says, in effect the prayer is implying this: "O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst..." He continues, "for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, BLAST THEIR HOPES, BLIGHT THEIR LIVES, PROTRACT THEIR BITTER PILGRIMAGE, MAKE HEAVY THEIR STEPS, WATER THEIR WAY WITH THEIR TEARS, STAIN THE WHITE SNOW WITH THE BLOOD OF THEIR WOUNDED FEET!"
The prayer ends with "We ask it in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love."
The people in the congregation thought the man was a lunatic.
December 18, 2021
"For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of―except he pause and think...
"Ponder this― keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon your neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain on your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse on some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it."
―The War Prayer
"Ponder this― keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon your neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain on your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse on some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it."
―The War Prayer
January 24, 2014
Mark Twain´s words are so full of truth and eloquence, that regardless of the short length of this story we can learn the definition of men, and how we have finished as we have. This "prayer" as beautiful as it is and told so brilliantly is a quintessential piece for understanding men´s piety-less soul. Twain manages to strengthen his canon even after his dead.
November 2, 2023
This story is so very brilliant and thought-provoking.
The story starts with an excitement. It is not exactly like a birthday party or a royal event, but the war is on with a neighbouring country. Everyone is excited and emotional because their hearts, minds and bellies are filled with patriotic fire. This Sunday the church is filled up, as through their pastor`s sermon everyone intends to invoke the God of Battles for his aid in this 'good cause'. The service with verses from the Holy Book is almost about to end. It is then an elderly person enters, gets onto the aisle and delivers a message.
My thoughts were like, `Wow this man makes so much sense` and `We need someone exactly like this right now'. Just when I was thinking like that, the story ends with the following lines
It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.
Seriously!? Lunatic? No sense?
The gist of the message of the elderly stranger is when you pray for the blessing of your victory in a war, you are also in a way praying for the curse of death of your neighbour, a fellow human being.
[Apocalypse (c) Dario Poli.]
Even during these terrible and devastating times of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are busy dropping bombs on homes in the name of protecting our land and community, and we are bent upon cleansing communities because they believe in another God.
We surely are the most sensible and intelligent of all beings and making all the right choices. And, when fellow human beings question our wisdom, they are called insane, different, senseless and mad.
The story starts with an excitement. It is not exactly like a birthday party or a royal event, but the war is on with a neighbouring country. Everyone is excited and emotional because their hearts, minds and bellies are filled with patriotic fire. This Sunday the church is filled up, as through their pastor`s sermon everyone intends to invoke the God of Battles for his aid in this 'good cause'. The service with verses from the Holy Book is almost about to end. It is then an elderly person enters, gets onto the aisle and delivers a message.
My thoughts were like, `Wow this man makes so much sense` and `We need someone exactly like this right now'. Just when I was thinking like that, the story ends with the following lines
It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.
Seriously!? Lunatic? No sense?
The gist of the message of the elderly stranger is when you pray for the blessing of your victory in a war, you are also in a way praying for the curse of death of your neighbour, a fellow human being.
[Apocalypse (c) Dario Poli.]
Even during these terrible and devastating times of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are busy dropping bombs on homes in the name of protecting our land and community, and we are bent upon cleansing communities because they believe in another God.
We surely are the most sensible and intelligent of all beings and making all the right choices. And, when fellow human beings question our wisdom, they are called insane, different, senseless and mad.
March 26, 2012
This work of Mark Twain was published 6 years after his death in 1910. The only reason that he asked his publishers not to publish it was that "he did not want to look like a lunatic or fanatic".
The reason for Twain's hesitation in publishing this work is obvious after reading it. At the time it was written war was considered to be serving a countries pride.
Even after the end of the kings and their empires we still lived (and live?) in a world where war was considered an evil necessity. Countries fighting for resources and for world domination and the citizens were left with little choice but to pray for the souls of those who died or were destined to die.
In 1916 when already the WW1 was already raging for a couple of years I can't imagine the reaction of the hoi polloi after reading this piece by the master craftsmen.
The story starts with people gathered in a church to pray for those who are fighting the war. They prayed for victory and drank to prosper. Suddenly an elderly man makes his ways through the crowd and introduces himself as the 'Messenger of god'. What follows are the disturbing details of the prayers which when said for victory of one side means to the people living on the other side of the border.
Summarily Twain has pointed to the obvious that we all give a blind eye.
The reason for Twain's hesitation in publishing this work is obvious after reading it. At the time it was written war was considered to be serving a countries pride.
Even after the end of the kings and their empires we still lived (and live?) in a world where war was considered an evil necessity. Countries fighting for resources and for world domination and the citizens were left with little choice but to pray for the souls of those who died or were destined to die.
In 1916 when already the WW1 was already raging for a couple of years I can't imagine the reaction of the hoi polloi after reading this piece by the master craftsmen.
The story starts with people gathered in a church to pray for those who are fighting the war. They prayed for victory and drank to prosper. Suddenly an elderly man makes his ways through the crowd and introduces himself as the 'Messenger of god'. What follows are the disturbing details of the prayers which when said for victory of one side means to the people living on the other side of the border.
Summarily Twain has pointed to the obvious that we all give a blind eye.
May 19, 2020
Super short read which I loved! Also I normally don’t get into mark Twain, but this was really good. It made me see the reality of how blind we and I myself can be to the unspoken prayers we have.
October 14, 2022
Short. Simple. Profound. True.
Be careful what you pray for; you just might get it!
The best prayer is the one Jesus taught to our Heavenly Father. It can be summed up, "Thy Will Be Done!"
Be careful what you pray for; you just might get it!
The best prayer is the one Jesus taught to our Heavenly Father. It can be summed up, "Thy Will Be Done!"
December 15, 2016
This little poem (to be fair, I don't know if the work is originally poetry, or if the publisher stylized this as a poem) is a wonderful indictment of blind patriotism during war time. I picked this up because I didn't know that Twain had written poetry, and I was curious to see what his verse had to offer.
The War Prayer was classic Twain. Slightly sardonic, tongue-in-cheek, while also being insightful, clever and profound. Twain tells of a town whose men are preparing to march to battle. The Sunday before the fight is to begin, the preacher, in front of a packed congregation, prays for a victory. During the pontifical prayer, a man dressed in a white robe walks to the front of the congregation and offers another prayer, emphasizing the destruction, death, suffering and misery that a victory would necessarily bring the opposition. In praying for victory, we are saying two prayers, Twain says.
It reminded me of my high school football days. Before games, I used to say a prayer, asking God to bless my team with a win. After a while, however, I realized that players on the other team were also praying for victory. I began to see how foolish it is to pray for victory because, if God loves all his children, he can't pick sides in a measly high school football game. War is similar, I believe. It is one thing to pray for a speedy resolution. It is one thing to pray for the health and safety of soldiers. Praying for victory, however, is another thing: it is praying for someone to lose, someone to die.
The War Prayer was classic Twain. Slightly sardonic, tongue-in-cheek, while also being insightful, clever and profound. Twain tells of a town whose men are preparing to march to battle. The Sunday before the fight is to begin, the preacher, in front of a packed congregation, prays for a victory. During the pontifical prayer, a man dressed in a white robe walks to the front of the congregation and offers another prayer, emphasizing the destruction, death, suffering and misery that a victory would necessarily bring the opposition. In praying for victory, we are saying two prayers, Twain says.
It reminded me of my high school football days. Before games, I used to say a prayer, asking God to bless my team with a win. After a while, however, I realized that players on the other team were also praying for victory. I began to see how foolish it is to pray for victory because, if God loves all his children, he can't pick sides in a measly high school football game. War is similar, I believe. It is one thing to pray for a speedy resolution. It is one thing to pray for the health and safety of soldiers. Praying for victory, however, is another thing: it is praying for someone to lose, someone to die.
April 21, 2012
Part of my ideological-philosophical formation was accomplished in association with and under the influence of friends, some under that of publications and organizations. In high school, for instance, I belonged to the Students for a Democratic Society and The War Resisters' League, association with the latter continuing through college and beyond.
I believe I purchased Twain's The War Prayer from an WRL literature offering either in high school (this edition first came out in '68) or during the beginning of college. Among Twain's many political publications this may be the most widely circulated, in part because it has a relevance beyond the imperialist adventure (the invasion and subjugation of the Philippines) which occasioned it.
Twain had been vice-president of the American Anti-Imperialist League from 1901 until his death. For a summary of his political views see Helen Scott's "The Mark Twain they didn't teach us about in school". International Socialist Review 10 (Winter 2000), pp. 61–65
I believe I purchased Twain's The War Prayer from an WRL literature offering either in high school (this edition first came out in '68) or during the beginning of college. Among Twain's many political publications this may be the most widely circulated, in part because it has a relevance beyond the imperialist adventure (the invasion and subjugation of the Philippines) which occasioned it.
Twain had been vice-president of the American Anti-Imperialist League from 1901 until his death. For a summary of his political views see Helen Scott's "The Mark Twain they didn't teach us about in school". International Socialist Review 10 (Winter 2000), pp. 61–65
June 22, 2013
Twain wrote The War Prayer, a short story, during the US war on the Philippines. It was submitted for publication, but on March 22, 1905, Harper's Bazaar rejected it as "not quite suited to a woman's magazine." Eight days later, Twain wrote to his friend Dan Beard, to whom he had read the story, "I don't think the prayer will be published in my time. None but the dead are permitted to tell the truth." Because he had an exclusive contract with Harper & Brothers, Mark Twain could not publish "The War Prayer" elsewhere and it remained unpublished until 1923. In this slim volume, the citizens of a small town gather to pray for the young men of the town, who will soon leave for war. A stranger walks in, announces he is God, and proceeds to recite the thoughts the parishioners are actually praying, including asking God to help the young men shred their enemies bodies with their bullets and blades. Here is a link to a pdf if you want to read the entire story: http://www.people.vcu.edu/~toggel/pra...
June 4, 2019
A brutal indictment of war and those who propagate it and blindly support it and justify it with religion and patriotism. The final sentence of the book makes the most powerful statement of all regarding human nature, and is as relevant now as it was when written.
December 18, 2021
"For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of―except he pause and think...
"Ponder this― keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon your neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain on your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse on some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it."
―The War Prayer
"Ponder this― keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon your neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain on your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse on some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it."
―The War Prayer
February 6, 2022
Read via https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Wa...
Published posthumously, which made it all the more timely.
Published posthumously, which made it all the more timely.
July 14, 2015
Any essay that is deemed "not quite suited to a woman's magazine" is sure to captivate my heart and mind.
Mark Twain looks at the dark side of war, and through a lens that is sure to ruffle some feathers--religion. As a church congregation prays for swift victory in war, and protection for their troops, an angel-mystery man-representative-speaker for God swoops in, and points out the other side of the church's prayer: their call for the death of another nation. Implicit in any victory is the defeat of the other: foreign women and children dying in the streets, penniless, bleeding, massacred. This is the other half of any war prayer, and Twain sure don't hold back for no ladies' magazine.
Oh, how I love this man. This sick, twisted little man.
Buy this title from Powell's Books.
Mark Twain looks at the dark side of war, and through a lens that is sure to ruffle some feathers--religion. As a church congregation prays for swift victory in war, and protection for their troops, an angel-mystery man-representative-speaker for God swoops in, and points out the other side of the church's prayer: their call for the death of another nation. Implicit in any victory is the defeat of the other: foreign women and children dying in the streets, penniless, bleeding, massacred. This is the other half of any war prayer, and Twain sure don't hold back for no ladies' magazine.
Oh, how I love this man. This sick, twisted little man.
Buy this title from Powell's Books.
September 13, 2018
In this very short work, Twain creates a scathing indictment of war, the hawks who rally the masses to their cause, and the people who thoughtlessly let their bloodlust and patriotism intertwine into an engine of destruction. The art is raw and serves the prayer well.
It continues to amaze me, the wonders one can find sitting on a library shelf if you just take a moment to look.
p.s., Reading this book reminded me of a favorite Peanuts strip, reprinted here:
https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/2016...
It continues to amaze me, the wonders one can find sitting on a library shelf if you just take a moment to look.
p.s., Reading this book reminded me of a favorite Peanuts strip, reprinted here:
https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/2016...
June 16, 2013
During a wartime church service an unusual stranger enters the chapel with a 'message' for the congregation...
March 16, 2025
4 stars
★★★★
read it & wrote an essay on it for my history class. i think everyone should read this at least once
★★★★
read it & wrote an essay on it for my history class. i think everyone should read this at least once
July 6, 2022
Written in 1905, and not published until after Twain's death by his request, this is a very short but very powerful anti-war parable.
July 12, 2022
This short story is all sorts of interesting. It’s the shortest work I’ve ever reviewed on goodreads, yet could probably be discussed at greater length than most 300 page books out there. I’ve been learning a lot about the post-Civil War, pre-WW1 era and this is as interesting as anything. Great insight into the anti-imperial movement.
April 4, 2023
"O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells"
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