Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-04-18
Henry Ward Beecher on Muscle
The ability to Ward of and Give Blow Neees-
sdryt to peJez Christianity.

The Ablfy to Ward off and Glue a Blow Neces'
| sdry to perfect Christianity.
The following extracts from q recent ser
mon of Henry Ward Beecher Will natural
ly lead the reader to suppose that the
Brooklyn divine is firm believer in the
"manly art of selfdefence." We have
seen it stated that there is attached to
Plymouth Church ten-pin alley, for the
accommodation of members of the congre.
cation, and now we expect to hear that a
P. R. has been staked of, and dozen OF
two pair of boxing gloves purchased, fol
the diversion of those anxious to ego in
on their muscle" Why not! Mr.. Beech
er says "no man is perfect man in Christ
Jesus who does not know, under appropri-
ate circumstances, how to ward off and
how to give blow" Hear him:
"In the life of a perfect Christian man
there is place for physical force. The
world has been very much divided in opin-
ion as respects the doctrine of combating.
There have been great many non-com-
batants in the world, who have supposed
that physical force and physical violence
were inconsistent with a radical conception
of Christianity. But one of two things
is certain: either there are two Gods, one
of whom made the human mind, and the
other the New Testament, or else there is
place in Christianity for that which God
has put in the human soul-namely, the
physical-force element. 1t is very true
that Christianity forbids physical force and
physcal violence where they are vengeful !;
where they proceed merely from the i'm
pulse of cruelty; where they seek selfish
end, and origiante in selfish motive. But
where they spring from affection, or from
moral sentiment, they not only are toler-
ated, but they are commanded by the whole
spirit of Christianity. And no man IS a
perfect man tn Christ Jesus, sDho does not
know, under appropriate circumstances,
how to a0ara off and ho,O to give the Mow.
consider the man as kind of eunuch
who forswears, on proper occasions, physi-
cal force. For, if you logically carry out
the idea that physical force must not be
resorted to, then the father must not whip
the boy, the officer must not arrest the
thief, and the Governor and Chief Magis-
trate must not employ military violence.
Such doctrine disorganizes society. So
long as men are made mp with bodies, and
SO long as they are in bodies, they will be
actuated more or less by physical motives,
and there will be place and an indispen-
sable necessity for physical force. The on
ly thing required of US in this matter is,
that we shall properly use physical force
for the control of the moral faculties. It
is to serve justice purity and love. 1t is
not to serve pride and envy and selfshness.
1t is to promote right feelings and not law
less passions. And if men say, SHOW
then do you interpret the commands of our
Saviour on this subjects" I reply that I
have interpreted them. In my personal
relations to men, if they under the in1u-
ence of anger, smite me, am not to smite
back; 1 am to take the second blow with
out retaliation. But, suppose that, not in
q fit ofanger, but with deliberate purpose,
man assails my house, God do so to me,
and more also, if 1 stand like miserable
paltroon, shaking with Christian nonsense,
and not daring to strike him! Strike him
1 would plunge him headlopg out, and
thank God for strength to do it! And 1
hold that man is deficient of Christian
traits in proportion as be shrinks, in pro-
per circumstances, from the employment
Of physical force to do moral act. 1
take it that our sneak-thieves are the chill
dren of cowardly Christian ethics.
1t is taught as a part of Christianity
that man must not defend himself; and
the next step is the ineffably pusillanimous
idea that it is better to lie still and lose
your watch, than to get up and grab the
thief that crept into your room to steal it,
because he might shoot you! that it is bet
ter to live a coward than to die perform.
ing a manly deed. So it is understood that
as churches and sunday schools spread,
crimes can be perpetrated with greater and
greater impunity. despise this whole
idea of non-resistence. 1t is false to man.
hood, and essentially false to Christianity,
which does not take away, but only regu-
lates the great law of physical force. A
man is bound under proper circumstances,
to apply disciplinary force to the child,
community is bound to apply police force
to scoundrels in its midst; country is
bound to apply military force for its de-
fense; and, as individuals we are bound to
apply personal force for the protection of
our lives. The commands of Christianity
are against physical force in its veDgeful
and selfish forms, but it is not against
physical force as moral power employed
for right objects. A perfect man is one
that Las all the attributes of courage that
belong to true bodily strength. 1t is very
certain that these men who will not fight
are not much respected among men. They
think that the respect which they lose in
this world is made up to them by that
which they receive above; but I do not
believe they are bit more respected up
there than here.
The ZoUAvEs OF THE SOUTHERN ARMY.
"A Zouave force is orpanized for Jeffar.