The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-14
CHRIST AND THE SWORD
REV. MIR. FARKER's SERMON IN RE-
LATIOE TO THE WAR OUTLOOK.
"If Force BE Needed Let Us Use IT.,
Says He-War of Right
eOusEess.

He that hath no sword, let him sell his
garment and buy one" Luke xxi, So, was
the warlike text chosen by Rev. Addison
Parker, Of Delphi, who preached on
"Christs Teachings Concerning the Sword"
at the First Baptist Church yesterday morn
ing. He held that war is sometimes abso-
lutely necessary, and appeared to believe
that the time Is ripe for war for righteous
ness. During the course of his talk Dr.
Parker said that one of the proudest mo-
ments of his life was when he heard that
Congress had appropriated 5000 900 for the
defense of the Nations honor.
1.-THE sword" he said, "is an implement
of war. It stands in literature as the SYM
boil of destructive power. 1t is an imple5
ment Of which due account must be taken
in the recognition of those forces that con-
troll the world. Man when empty handed
has little strength. Put a tool into his hands
and he becomes a tiller Of the ground, an
artif1cer, world subduer. Put a weapon
into his hands and he is no longer weak
ling subject to adverse powers, but a man
Of dominion. With a sword, battleax or
crossbow he becomes q great warrior; with
the modern musket, cannon and battle ship
he makes a resistless force
The minister divided his discussion into
drawn and the sword sheathed. Taking up
the first head he continued:
1T may seem strange that the Prince of
Peace counsels His disciples to the purchase
of the sword. Is 1t by such means that his
person is to be defended and his kingdom
to be maintained? Is the sweet evangel of
the gospel to change to the rude clarion of
war? No, not that, but he would teach
that for differing exigencies there must be
different sources Of defense. There are oc-
casions when self-protection and the use
of force become Christian right and duty
War has place in the worlds civilization
Great battles have not always been without
the amplest Justification. With all its cruel
ty and horror, war becomes at times the
CHOSEN instrument Of Almighty God There
are occasions when might must rule till
right can come. Upon such an occasion it
we are moved with a resistless impulse to
grid on our swords. Our mighty navy is
pelng put on war basis; our army is be-
ing prepared for service; Congress, without
debate, votes $4,000, 600 for exigencies. True
patriotism and true piety as we'll StirS the
Nations inmost soul. How can it be other
wise as we hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war? I"
PIETY AND PATRIOTISM STIRRED.
Concerning the drawn sword, he said:
THE man who gets ready for war at the
bidding Of his Great Master is the man
who will draw his sword and use 1t when
occasion calls. The Christian religion should
have about it no pusillanimity. Tt ought
to grid one for heroic deeds. CTillon was
knight of France One day the rude
warrior went to church and heard a sermon
that portrayed the arrest and condemna-
ton of Jesus Christ. AS ne listened to the
story his soul famed at the thought of the
indignities heaped upon his. Lord, and,
grasping the hilt of his sword he started
to draw it from it's scabbard as he cried;
% Crillon, where vert thou then? And so
1t was with Peter. He could not brook the
indignity put upon his Master by the band
lightning he draws his Gallilean weapon
and smites one of the insulting rabble. You
loyal act. There was valor in that stroke,
there was religion in it. There are times
when it is mans business to fight the
good fight of faith, even though it be with
guns and cannon. Admiral Durham, at
Camperdown, calling all hands to prayer
on the deck of his ship before he fought
of old England is an ideal Christian soldier
and ideal soldier of Christ. When India was
was one Christian soldier who did more to
rescue India than any other one. Call out
1ovelock and his saints they used to say,
day I speak to some who girded on the
sword to fight for the country. What was
It that moved you, with resistless impulse?
made a nation of soldiers. What is it that
stirs the Christian young manhood of to-
day? Piety and patriotism Joined together
to vindicate the honor of our Nation and to
speak, If need be, at the cannon'S mouth.
the needed word for justice and humanity"
In conclusion DR.. Parker spoke of the
aftertime of war when the sword should be
sheathed. War is after all a dangerous
and frightful business" said he. Far be
it from me to throw about Il any unreal
glamor With Lord wellington would
say that the horrors of a single day of battle
would be enough to disabuse any sound
mind from its ideal charm. War has cost
this old world of ours untold treasure and
not less than thrty-fve million precious
lives. Our own experience has been bitter
and costly. Nonee is so ready to sheathe
his sword as he who has used it valorously
for the right. We know the danger of
trusting, except for exigencies, to brute
force. What Christ said to Peter He said
for the worlds teaching. Take the sword
then and when exigency demands use 1t as
a good soldier should, but take care to
sheathe 1t again lest 1t destroy you, for
shall perish by the sword.
eff war must come let 1t come, but let
not strife be prolonged. If force be needed
let us use 1t. But having used It, let us, as
General Grant said, have peace. Ultimately
Christianity must make not for war, but
peace. It's ultimate service must be benign
not devastating. The time is coming when
nations shall cease to arm, when cannon
shall rust, when battle ships shall be de-
serted hulks, when he whose right it is shall
reign Prince of Peace and King of Nations"
THE CREED OF WHITTIER