Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-08-27

Cited--Passages from the scriptnroS
| Bearing on the Subject.
[ErOm the American Christian Review,l a.it
lam centurion of the Roman army,
captain of one hundred Italians. Without
Boosting, ! may say that Ihavea an honorable
aud pious record. The celebrated. physi-
clan and historian claiming to speak by in
spiratiOu, wrote it in his Aeta ApostoLoruI8,
that was ''devout man, and one that
feared God with all my house, which gave
much aims to all the people, and prayed
to God always" An angel in his bright
clothing also came to me one day at three
p. NJ, saying, "thy prayers and thine
| aims are come up for n memorial before
God : call for Simon Il who
will tell thee what thou Oughtst to do.i-
To cut my story short, Simon Peter came
by divine direction - supply my need, and
preached the Gospel to me and mine, and
our faith was attested by the seal of the
Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues sent
down from heaven for that purpose. We
were baptized and counted among the
Christians, and among US was founded the
| first GENTLE church. God did the whole
work by having me Informed of what
must do. In all this Information there was
no prohibition ofwar. was not asked or
urged to lay aside my sword or armor, or
4
us the centurion. t,.
But this is not surprising, as / once saw
soldier who came to John for baptism,
and after his baptism, so read in q paper
once, he asked John what he should do.
The great prophet merely told him, not to
put any man in fear of violence pr false
laccusation, aud be content with bis wages
and consequently remain in the ranks.
BY telling him to be content with his wa
ges, he discouraged his seeking any other
employment Aftev Joined the church
also, there appeared another great light
among the Christmas, who in writing to
the Corinthian church advised against
change of employment, after conversion,
saying, "let every man abide in the same
calling in which he was called"
To this it is objected that Christ and the
Apostles have discouraged war by such in
functions us these. rResist not the evil"
Revenge not yourselves but rather give
place unto wrath, for / will repay, saith
the Lord" Certainly this is all very good,
but 1t relates to our private Yexations and
requires that we shall submit to the Divine
arrangement for the punishment of of
tenders instead of taking the law into our
own hands. When-it is said, al will repay, |
saith the Lord" the next words show how
he will repay: "Let every soul be subject
unto the higher powers. For there is no
power but o. God; the powers that be- are |
ordained of God. whosoever, therefore,
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance
'of God and they that resist shall receive |
to themselves damnation. For rulers are
not a terror 70 good works, but to the evil. |
Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power |
do that which is good, aud thou shalt have |
praise of the same: for he is the minister |
of God to thee for good. But If thou do
that which is evil, be afraid; for lie bear |
eth not the sword in vain for he is the |
ministerof God, a revenger to execute wrath !
upon him that doethi evil" The ruler is |
then "God's minister, a revenger." Itwouldl
be snbversive of society for each indiyid<
ualito avenge himself. All must refer the
matter of difference to the ruler, who bear
eth not the sword in vain Tor lightly
Submission to civil and military govern
ment ordained of God, requires loyalty
and civil and military service The man
who would have sided With province in
the days of bloody Nero's reign. would
have rebelted both against the Emperor
and God and would have been disciplined
In the Roman church if Paul had been
there. Many passages of PauI's, Peters
and james, epfstles more severely censure |
the insub0rdination of the Jews to the |
tyranny of Rome, because that tyranny
was better than anarchy, and because the |
Roman empire was the vast trunk upon
which the Christian vine of Coils own
planting monnted into the light of history. |
i, Cornelius, then have found in my day |
tue following to be true:
l. That God ordained civil government. |
2. That the military power is necessary
to the civil. The sword stands beside the |
scales of Justice 3so7 sls
3. Christians are to be subject and there.
fore to sustain both. etiii
4! Therefore from John till the close of I
the New Testament, there were Christian
soldiers and officers
5. That Christians should defend the
government which defends them.
6. That it savors of meanness for Christ
ians who get the greatest benefits of gov
eminent to stand of and let the people of
the world fight our battles, whether they
are prepared TO die or not.
1t sounds strange to me, soldier, SOL
der of Christ, and Christian soldier, TO
hear preachers in Missouri and editors talk
of this struggle to sustain the government
of the United States, which has during
eighty years past made US the most peace
able, happy, prosperous and Christian peo-
pie of history, as though it were football
10 be banded over the field of n it,ersd,iat