Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-03-29

man destruction cannot exist in con]unc- r
ton with the character of a Christian
This would be the conclusion of the in
habitaBts Of some far and peaceful island,
where war and Christianity were alike .
unknown. If he read these definitions of
the CHRISTIAN duties, and were afterwards
told that we thought ourselves allowed to
plumber and to murder one another, he ,
would start in amazement at the monstTous
inconsistency. Casuistry may make her
" distinctions" and philosophy may talk
Of her expediencies," but the monstrous
Inconsistency remains. What IS the fact ,
Mahometans and Pagans do not believe
that our religion allows Of WAT. They
reproach as with the inconsistency
Our wars are, with them, scandal and
taunt you preach to u.s." say they,
Of Christianity, and would convert US TO
your creed;-frst convert yourselves
show us that yourselves believe in it,
Nay. the Jews at our own doors tell US,
that our wars are an evidence that the
Prince Of Peace is not come. They
bring the violence Of Christianity to prove
that Christ was deceiver Thus do we
cause the way Of truth to be evil spoken
OF. Thus, are we, who should be the
helpers ofthe world, its stumbling-blocks
and its shame We,who should be lights
to them that sit in darkness, cause them
TO love that darkness still Well may
the Christian be ashamed for,hese things:
Well may he be ashamed for the reputa-
ton Of his religion: And he may be
ashamed too, for the honored defender Of
the Christian faith who stands up, the ad
vocate Of blood who subtiizes the soph-
isms Of the schools, and roves over the
fields of spec ulation to find an argument to
convince US that we may murder one
another This is the wisdom of the
world" that wisdom which is emphati-
CALI y, FooLIsHNEss.'
;. Declarations Of some eminent men that
Christianity prohibits 1cdr.
= They who defend war;" says Eras-
mus. must defend the dispositions which
7 lead to war; and these dispositions are
i absolutely forbidden by the gospel. Since
the time that Jesus Christ said, put up thy
y sword into its scabbard, Christians ought
not TO go TO 1oG1 Christ suffered Pete
} to fall into an error in this matter, on pur
Z pose that, when he had put up Peters
sword, it might remain no longer dOub
. that War tOGs prohibited, which, before
Q that order, had been considered as allowa
bIe."-" am pursuaded," says the Bish
op Of Landau, "thdt phen the spirit o.
ChNstianity shall exert its proper infu
: enee over the minds of individuals, anc
= especially over the minds Of public mer
D. in their public capacities over the mind;
~ Of men constituting the councils of princes
I" from whence are the issues OF peace an(
~ war-when this happy period shall arrive
Is tOGr UiH cease throughout the rhOI
~ Christian uorld"" War" says tn
% same acute Prellte, has practices an
N principles peculiar 10 itself rhtch but Il
rs QuGdrate ,oith the rule Of moral rectttude
$ and are quite G6hOrrent from the Benign
D. ~ of Christianity"t The emphatica
J. declara which | have already quotes
u for another purpose, is yet more distinct
5 The prohibition of 1o0r by our Divine Ma!
rs ter, IS plain literal and undeniGbte. +
Us Or. Vicesmus Knox speaks in langusg
We equally specific -" Morality and rel1
"a giOn forbid 10or IN its motlres, conduc
" and consequently
re
IL 1. The APOSTLES and early Christians r.
'at gGrded rodr as uRld1cfut.
W During conside rable period after tn
-. death Of Christ, it is certain, then, thu
* his followers believed he had forbidde
~, war, and that, ia consequence of this b.
'o lief, many OF them refused TO engage in i
W. whatever were the consequences, whethe
!" reproach, or Imprisonment, or DEATH
~ These facts are in d!sputabIe; &" 1t is 4
10 easy" says learned writer of the sever
az teenth century, Ito obscure the sun
-, midday, as to deny that the primitv
80 Christians renounced all revenge and war
;a Ofall the Christian writers of the secon
''' century, there is not one who notices tn
subject, who does not hold it to be unIav
~ full for a Christian to bear arms; :" and
w. says Garrison, " it was not Till Christial
'eT ity became corrupted that Christians \,
~ came soldiers"
lin These principles were the principle
DIV Of the bod y. They were recognized an
to defended by the Christian writer's and the
ar contemporaries. Justin Martyr and IT.
re- tain talk of soldiers and Christians as d
an tinct characters; and Tatain says that tn
&C. Christians decline aay military command
yes Clemens. of Alexandria calls his Christia
contemporaries the " Followers of Peace,
I'M and expressly tells US that 1.-the follower
lat of peace used none of the implements
.