Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-02-12

Peter, disdrmed every soldier afterwards: I
for custom never sanctions an illicit act." q
And in his .soldier's garland he says,
"can a soldiers life be lawful, when
Christ has pronounced, that he who lives
by the sword shall perish by the sword? !
| And shall he, who is not to avenge his
own wrongs, be instrumental in bringing
lothers into chains, Imprisonment, tor.
ments, death2"
| Cyprian, in his epistle to Donastus.
after observing on the dismal prospect Of |
seas beset with pirates. highways With
} frobbers, encam2ments, marches, and all
the terrible forms of war and bIoodshed.
says, "when single murder is commit
ted. it shall be deemed a crime; but that
crime shall commence virtue when
committed under the shelter of public
authority; so that punishment is not rated
by the measure of guilt, but the more
/ enormous the size of the wickedness. so
: much greater the chance for impunty."
Lactantius, who lived some time after
Cyprian, in his treatise concerning the
; true worship of God, says, cit can never
be lawful for righteous man to 90 to
+ war, whose warfare is in righteousness
itself" And again. it can never be
lawful to kill man, whose person the
Divine Being designed to be sacred, as 10
violence"
, Origen, Archelaus, Ambrose, Chrys-
. ostom, Jerom, Syril, aud indeed, every
). christian writer of the second century,
: who notices the subject of war, makes it
: unlawful for christians.
These were the sentiments of the early
christians; what was their practice? Ter
= tullian, in his discourse to Scapula, tells
"a US, that in the wars between the Emperor
v Verus, and Avidius Crassus, and those of
D. the Emperor Severus, with CIodus AL
a. binus, between the years, 1863 and 1913,
E. no christians were to be found IN these
~ armies, though they were largely extend
a ed, and christianity had reached all the
10 places in which these armies were.
us Clemens of Alexandria, gives the chris.
IS. tians of his day, the appellation of "peace.
IN able. or the followers of peace" Thus
Distinguishing them from the soldiers o.
= his age; and says expressly, that those
who were the followers of peace, USED
: none of the instruments of war;
Athanagorus and other early writers
ng remark, that the christians in their time
We abstaIned when they were struck, from
tn striking again, and even refused to go tc
- law with those who injured them. The,
- also kept away from the shows of thu
NC gladlators, giving it as reason, "lest WE
he should become partakers of the murder.
In committed there"
oil A case of refusal TO fight as recorded
a. by Ruinart, is to the point. Macmillan
:. young man, being brought before tn,
:. tribunal In order to be enrolled as a sol
LOT der. Dion the proconsul, asked him hi
nh name: Macmillan replied, "why woulds
of thou know my name, am a christian
ife and can not fight" On his refusal +
&C. comply, still asserting he was christian
-, Dion replied, "bear arms or thou sha
- die:' to which the youth replied. II ca
ere not fight if l die, | am not soldier {
'sf this world, but soldier of God" Dio
) TO said, "who has persuaded thee to behav
op- thus?' Macmillan answered, my ow
Tho mind, and he who called me.'' Dio
INV commanded, stake thy arms, and receiv
e the mark" II can receive no sucl
:. mark" says Macmillan. Il have alread
my the mark of Christ" Upon which, Die
ing replied, Il will send thee quickly to th
ov- Christ" "'Thou mayest do So" answer
nf- ed Macmillan, but the glory will
rib mine" Dion then babe the officer mar
ure him: but Macmillan still persisted in re
fnsing, and spoke thus: 81 am chris
tan. and it is not lawful to wear such
y mark, when | have received the mark O
the the Lord Jesus Christ. the son Of tn
the living God, who died 10 give us life
the Him all we christians obey: him we fol
der low as the restorer of our life. and III
,ort author of our salvation" Dion saie
ave consider thy youth and bear arms: tn
profession OF arms becomes a youn
nc man." He replied, "my arms are wit
ere the Lord; can not fight for any earthl
her consideration: am now a christian"
ent, After further expOstula.ing with hin
of but in vain, Dion ordered his name to /
he struck off the roll; and then delivere
Won the following sentence: "Maximiliar
because thou hast, with rebellious spi
y it. refused to bear arms, thou art TO d
aa- by the sword" This conscientious youn
any man replied, s'thanks be to God" Thu
ern- nobly did a youth of 20 years of ag
a of bear testimony against war.
7 be Anu dS INC edilJ CutlsIidnS would NJ
row. enter into the armies, so when the chri
tan faith was embraced by some while
. them, they relinquished the profession
'ha' arms. Marcellus was centurion in tt
bear legion called Trajana. On festival, /
ent, threw down his military belt. at the hea
Fer of the legion, declaring that he would +
med longer serve in the army; for that he ha
become christian s'I hold in detesl
and ton said he, "lhe worship of 20,