Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-09-05
I 0t0IGtes all the cypress precepts Of the
New Testament.
- a

Even the Old Testament does not sane
tlon war, as custom. In each case of
lawful war, it was entered on by express
command If such authority were now
given, We might worthily take up arms
But without it, how can we violate both
the genius and precepts Of our religion,
and set at nought the example of a divine
guide? 1t should be remembered, that
in no case, even under the Old Tesla
ment, was war appointed to decide doubt
tuI Questions, or to settle quarrels, but to
lnf1lct national Punishment. They were
intended, as are pestilence and famine, to
chastIse nations guilty of provoking God.
Such is never the pretext of modern war;
and if it were, it would require divine
authority, which, as has just been said,
would induce even members of the Peace
Society to fight.
AS to the New Testament, multitude
of precepts might be quoted, "Ye have
heard, an eye for an eye, but say unto
you, RESIST NOT EVIL" "FoIIow peace
with all men," "Love one another."-
do justice, love mercy" love your
enemies" Follow ri ghteousness. faith,
charity, peace" 'Return good for evil.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger,
and clamor, and evil speaking, be put
away from you, with all malice; and be
We kind one toward another, tender heart
ed, forgiving one another, even as God,
for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you."-
eff my kingdom we're of this world, then
would my servants fight; but because"
&c. "Be not overcome of evil, but over
come evil with good"
1t is unnecessary to adduce more Of
these passages. All know how much
they abound in the New Testament
There they stand. No Interpretation can
nuliify their force, or pervert their appIi
cation. In any sense the words will
bear, they forbid war. If language have
any force, they equally forbid retaliation.
Yet this is always advanced, as the very
best pretext for war, and Is more frequent
Iy the avoved reason than any other!
The preceding quotations relate to the
- single point of fighting. But contending
nations and armies violate erery precept
of the gospel Rehearse all the cata-
, logue of graces, and mark how we are
? enjoined to be meek, IowIy, peaceable,
easy to be entreated, gentle, thinking no
S evil mercIful, slow TO anger, given to
quietness, knowledge, patience, temper
anoH, prayer. War sets them all al nought.
Of the sermon on the mount, five ben
i edictions are upon the poor in spirit, the
meek, the mercifuI, and the peacemakers.
Two others are upon the prosecuted and
t reviled. These include all but two of
the entire list, and the others regard those
] who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
P and the pure in heart. The protested
!, warrior, therefore, shuts himself out from
n all these benedictions! The discourse
S then declares, that not on y killing, but
anger, is murder. 1t expressly revokes
the law Of retaliation, and, exploding the
y tradtionary rule of loving our neighbor
}. and hating our enemy, requires US to love
It our enemies, and do good to them which
:, despiteful}y use US. Aterward, in pre-
: senting a form Of prayer, it not onlv teach
o es US to say, "Foroive US our trespasses,
e as we forgive those that trespass against
7, u.s." "U We forgive not men their tres
0 passes, neither will your heavenly Father
forgive you" What peace sermon is
1t here! What modern peace society goes
1t farther than this!
IS The irresponsible feelings of a regular
" soldier are necessarily wrong. He makes
n war a trade, and is ready to fight any ma.
lie ton, or any part Of his own nation, as he
20 is sent He must have no mind of his
own. He is to wheel, march, load, fire
n advance or flee, just as he is hidden, anc
Il because he was hidden. In the Language
n of Thomas Jefferson, 1.-The breaking o
/, men to military discipline is breaking
is their spirits to passive obedience'* The
ID nearer soldier comes to mere machine
r the better soldier he makes Is this rio
r for a Christian? Is it compatible with
E. his duty to "examine all things, and holc
J. fast that which is good"
o., The cantempt Of life, which is neces
'r sary to brave soldier, is sin. Life il
n our probation, our period of preliminary
g service to the great God. No man should
y despise it. He who masters the fear o
r death, must do it either by religious infu
Is ence, or by rejecting the fear of God, anc
a. all concern for the future state of his soul
Y, That there are religious soldiers, is true
e but they gre far too few to give character
t. to an army. They are mere exceptions
S, to the general military character. The
he contempt of life, which distinguishes the
ID veteran, is itself great SIN, and is induced
a. by the preceding great sin of casting of
the fear of God and the concern for the
IN soul.
Of What gospel precept is there. which he
er who makes war profession is not a
to times compelled to violate? What Chris
m tan grace is there, which would no
III depreciate him for his trade OF death2
40 Some graces, it is confessed, are con
N, verient in camp; as when a soldier act
mr. nc q eorvant or a~lahorer IF he hav,