"It is the easiest thing in the world," he said, "for an executive to so act as to plunge his country into war. But it requires statesmanship to steer the ship of state through tortuous waters and whirlpools on its course. In these days of crisis, an excitable navigator would have sent the craft upon the rocks. A captain, fond of excitement and thoughtless of the consequences, would have steered the ship into the boiling seas, cleared the deck for action, and precipitated the vessel into participation in the struggle.
"For two years, the American people have been tense in their interest, hopeful that their President would continue to be a safe pilot, and Christian men find women have prayed that he might be guided by the rules of the universe, so that, without sacrifice of American rights, peace might reign on this continent."
Secretary Daniels talked to his Methodist associates upon the history of their church, militant for righteousness, praised by Lincoln for sending the largest quota of troops to the army of Grant, but declared they stood with Bishop Crittenden in praying to keep this nation out of the European embroilment. He dwelt upon the havoc, tragedy, and disastrous consequence of war, and declared it would be a crime for any chief executive to plunge the nation into war when its rights could be maintained by firm diplomacy. 