The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-09-11
War Inconsistent with Christianity.

Capt. Howe, late staff Officer of the
Royal Engineers, thus relates how he
came to resign bis commission and
leave the army.
He was on service in Natal during
the Zulu war, and had been sharpen
ing his sword with a file, and was rum
ming his finger along it, admiring its
keen edge, when the thought flashed
across his mind, &'tAnd what Is this
for ?n and the answer came as instan-
taneously, "To run through a fellow
creature" 7=l. /. &;
II was 80 startled sit the thought
said he, (which for the first time came
home to me in this form, that involun-
tarily I dropped my sword, and from
that time determined on the first lop-
portnn nifty to quit the profession" I"
This determination was carried out at
the conclusion of the war, and he Is
now enrolled as a soldier in nobler
army, one that seeks to save the souls
Of men, and the la.G that is heard of
him is that he has gone to the Cape as
a missionary, and is preaching to the
miners of Kimberley. This instance
of conviction as to the true character
of war and its inconsistency with any
profession of Christianity is not a soli-
tary one, for we know from the early
history of the Christian Church that
numbers of young converts to the
Christian religion left the Roman
army, feeling that Christ's precepts
"unbelted the sword Of every soldier,n
and made it impossible for them if
they followed Him to lift their hands
against their enemies. But some of
them suffered death rather than serve
in the army, one of whom was young
Maximilian, who in the year 260 A. D.
had his head struck off by order of
Dion, the pro-consul. 81 & u. =.
When he was brought before Dion
and asked his name; MaXimilian,
turning to him, replied, "Why
Wouldst thou know my name?7I I am
8 Christian and cannot fight"
Macmillan was registered five feet
ten inches high, and Dion bade the Of
ficer mark him. But Maximilian re-
fused to receive it, still asserting that
he was Christian, upon which Dion
instantly replied, "Bear arms, or thou
shalt die.n asai.-l -
TO this Maximilian answered, "I
cannot fight if die. I am not a SOL
dier of this world but 4adier of
God.n Dion then said, "Whoshas per-
suaded thee to behave thus ?" Maxi
milan answered, "My own mind, and
He that called me-" Dion then spoke
to his father, and bade him persuade
his son. But his father observed that
his son knew his own mind, and what
was best for him to do. After this had
passed, Dion addressed Maximilian
again in these words, 'Take thy arms
and receive the mark.1 IT can re-
ceive," says Maximilian, "no such
mark. I have already the mark of
Christ" Upon which Dion said, 81
will send thee quickly to thy Christ"
"Thou mayest do so," says Maximil-
ian, "but the glory will be mine"
Dion says, TtAmong the 1ife-guards
of our master, the Emperor, there are
Christian soldiers, and they fight"
Macmillan answered, "They know
what is expedient for them, but am
Christian, and it is unlawful to do
evil.n
Dion said, "Take thy arms. Despise
not the profession OF q sOldler lest Gnou
perish miserably." "But I shall not
PERISH" says Maximilian, land if I
should leave the world my soul will
live with Christ the Lord"
Dion then ordered his name to be
stricken from the roll, and delivered
the following sentence: "Maximilian,
because thou hast with rebellious
spirit refused to bear arms, thou art to
die by the sword" Macmillan re-
piled, "Thanks be to God"
He was twenty years, three months,
and seventeen days old, and when he
was led to the place of execution he
said with pleasant countenance to his
father. t"Give the executioner the SOL
dier's coat thou had gotten for me, and
when I shall receive thee in the COM
pany of the blessed martyrs we may
rejoice together with the Lord"
j. L. in British Friend.