The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-07-27

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An excellent and timely letter OH
the Boys Brigade movement, signed
"a Churchman," appears In the En-
field Observer. The writer remarks /:
"I have made a few inquiries into the
objects of Boys Brigades, and have
learnt who are, in the main, its chief
supporters. 1t meets with the ap-
proval of all the Generals of the stand
ing army, and the Volunteers who
have ventured to speak upon the move
ment; it is even stated that this fad
was Matched at the War Office by the
Duke of Cam bridge and Lord Wolse-
lev, and not in Scotland. But wheth-
er this be true or not, the fact that mil
itary men praise it SO highly is enough
to excite the suspicious Of Christians
of all denominations. 1t is a fearful,
q lamentable confession to make that
Christianity in the abstract is in any
sense q failure, that the Cross and Pas
sion of the Divine Founder have lost
their charm, that at least our juvenile
population are not to be drawn into
the fold by the love of Christ, nor by
the earnest and self-denying labors OF
Gods servants, and so it is thought de-
sirable to Introduce the Prince OF Peace
through a military organization and
the muzzle Of gun.
IA reverend gentleman in Elgin, in
speaking of this movement, says He
would like to see everything connect
ed with the art of self-defence taught
including boxing, and everything else.
He did not think any boy was worth
much, unless he was able to, knock
down fellow as big as himself The
Rev. r. w. Dale, the eminent Congre-
gational minister, of Birmingham, in
Speaking on this question, says: Ca
Diet corps might add immensely to the
popularity and perhaps efficiency OF
the volunteer movement. AT present,
boy cannot belong to battalion till
he is fourteen it is difficult to under
stand why the age for battalion
should be higher than for corps. The
battalions are furnished with unser.
viceable arms, and these are not to be
fired. These conditions almost de
stroy the charm of the force. The en-
couragement given by the War Office
is extremely grudging and made
quate.'
after such testimony, will any one
dare say that the tendency is not to-
wards militaryism, and the develop
ment of warlike feelings in its follow
eIs? Is it not natural that If you
teach a boy how to use gun he will
sooner or later, have desire to use it :
Where the military tone is assumed
the military spirit is quickened. The
spirit of the New Testament is in di'
rect antagonsm to the tone of mill
tarism the murderous spirit of war is
far removed from the spirit OF the
Master, and it is surely mere mock
cry of prudence. and an insult to OuI
common sense to say that we can fos'
ter the Christian man IN these boys
while we teach them to ape his oppo'
site.
"Listen to the officiol organ of the
Boys Brigade, viz, The B. B. Gazette
AT the ordinary drill meetings OF a
company, experience teaches, there Is
but little time for instruction in those
subjects which are peculiarly fitted to
advance the higher life of the boys, OF
make them desirous to become mem
bers of the Kingdom Of Christ l do
not hesitate to say that if any friend OF
mine sent his son to Sunday School
which had Boys Bridage attached to
| it, I should strongly advise him to
take the lad away and place him in an
other, where the story of the life and
death of the Savior, the Prince of
Peace, is taught without the sword or
the gun. The gentlemen who are at
the head of the movement here, who
are they? l thought they were men
who advocate the substitution of Arbi-
tration for War, the beating of swords
into ploughshares, and spears into
pruning hooks. Have they given up
these thoughts for military drill and
gun exercise? These good men, in my
opinion, should relinquish such a
craze, in favor of Christian work pro.
noted by methods which are beyond
suspicion"