The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-29

The Bible and the Sword.
BY FLETCHER, OF MADELEY.

Among those who were prominent in th,
early history Of our Church. none gave evi
dcnce of more fervent picty and deep devo
tion than John Fletcher His views on thu
subject of war appear peculiarly applicable
at this time in our national history. W.
clip from the Methodist the following extract
from his writings, which are worthy of q
careful perusal:
1" To return from the preceding Scriptura
account, it evidently appears, a. That God
allows, yea, commands the sword to be drawn
for the punishment Of daring felons and Of
the infatuated people who bear arms in their
defence, as the Benjamites formerly did
(2.) That, in this case, sister tribe may
conscientiously draw the sword against an
obstinate sister tribe. 49, That Providence,
TO try the patience Of those who are in the
right, may permit that they should suffer
great losses. A. That while the maintain
ers Of order and justice draw the sword to
check daring iccniousness, it is their duty
to 90 up unto the house Of God and to weep
and fast before the Lord. (5.) That God
makes difference between the enthusiastica
abettcrs of felonious practices, who fast to
smite their brethren and rulers with the fist
of wickedness, and the steady governors who,
together with their people, fast to smite the
wicked with the sceptre of Righteousness ; and
that, while God tcstiies his adherence of the
former fast, he shows that the latter ranks
among the fasts which he has chosen, the end
Of true fasting being to roprcss evil without
us, as well as within us. And lastly, that,
although no war is SO dreadful as civil war,
yet, when God was consulted three times fol-
lowing, all his answers show that the most
bloody civil war is preferable to the horrible
consequences of daring anarchy and that it
is better to maintain order and execute JUS
tice, with the loss of thousands Of soldiers,
than to let the mobbing sons Of Belial COM
nit with impunity all the crimes which their
lust, rapaciousncss, and ferocity prompt them
to.
Now if fasting and drawing the sword of
Justice be duties consistent with Scrlptural
religion, it follows that praying and using the
sword are compatible ordinances.
But supposing war and bloodshcd were al
lowed under the Jewish dispensation, are
they not absolutely forbidden under the Cos
pei? Is not Christ the Prince Of Peace, and
his Gospel the Gospel of Peace 2
This objection is specious, and deserves
full answer,
|. Our Lord, who said to his Apostles
that kind of raging spirit goeth not out
but by fasting and prayer, said also to them ;
He that hath no sword let him sell his gar
ment and buy one. And they said, Lord, be-
hold. here arc two swords; and he said, 1t
is enough Luke 22 36, 3S. grant that
when Peter drew his sword, and [rashly
struck servant of the high priest, Jesus said
unto him, Put up again thy sword INTO Its
place for all they that take the sword to
use it rashly, as thou dost, without any order,
and without the least probability OF success
shall perish with the sword Matt 70: 52.
From the whole oil this evangelical account,
It appears that our Lord allows his followers
the use of the sword and that he only blames J
Il when it is preciptate, and likely to ans
wer no other end that of throwing the trl- ,,
,mphant friends of vice into greater rage;
). If. indeed, all men were Christians, and
,very nominal Christian was led by the splr-
t of Christ, there would be absolutely no
iced of the sword for there would be moth
no but Justice, truth, and low in the world.
Rnt reason dictates, that so long as the WICK !
ID shall use the sword in support OF vice, the l