The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-06-02

conception. 1t was the chief business OF
men to fight. The causes of war were
perhaps slight and obscure so far as we
can understand them. The motives seem
to us many times inadequate and unwor-
thy. But we must consider the stage Of
evolution in which each succeeding gen.
Grafton lived and suffered and died. The
soldier was the maker and the unmaker
of kings and emperors. By him nations
were able to conquer and rule, and by
his arm the mighty were pulled down
and humbled in the dust. The mind fal-
tiers and the heart sickens now at the re-
cital of ancient warfare, but we can see
nevertheless if we get the proper point
of view, that in the divine Providence the
blood-stained banner of the conQueror
was the vanguard sand symbol OF the
coming of the reign of order; the prepa"
ration for the intellectual and moral
awakening of the nations; the laying OF
the highways over which civilization
must advance; the teaching by object
lessons the fundamental principles of
righteousness which, after ages, should
begin to prevail. To quote the words
of another: sit was the soldier that
cemented together the mighty Roman
empire and thus hastened the spread of
Christianity. 1t was the soldier that
carried the Greek language to all parts
of the then known world, and thus gave
common language to the nations. Ii
was the soldier that stayed, at Waterloo,
the mighty force that threatened to over
run and devastaSe all Europe. 1t was
/ the soldier that gave the United States
it's civil liberty, and it was the soldier
that freed US from slavery, that relic OF
narbsrism," at is true that
some of the greatest soldiers have been
inspired by an evil ambition, but even
then they have accomplished for man-
kind infinitely more than they intended.
By changing the course Of empires, they
often attained a greatness Of fame which
does not properly belong to their person
al character" Alexander the Great,
Constantine, the first Christian emperor
of Rome, Charlemagne and Oliver Crom'
we'll were not lovely characters, but,
even 80, under the overruling Providence
they were instrumental in preparing the
way for giant strides in the worlds
progress.
II we tura TO the Bible to study this
great subject we find it full Of wars and
soldiers and battles; and the great
soldiers of Holy Writ were prominently
men of God in their day and generation
The good soldier is not necessarily wise
man nor saint; but war as it is treated
in the Word of the Most High is always
put upon its highest plane, and is Of somt
moral and spiritual significance. Crude1
SAYS that, "Whsn the Hebrews drew ouI
their armies and went to war agains
their enemies, and the time of battle wal
at hand, the high-priest presented him
to the people in this manner: Hear {
Israel, and be not in fear Of your enc
mics for the Lord your God fights fol
YOU" =" 1.-THE Hebrews were for
merly very warlike nation. The book
that inform US of their wars, are neithe
fiattering authors, nor ignorant, blu
were authors inspired by the Spirit O.
truth and wisdom. Their warriors wert
none of those fabulous heroes, or pro
fessed cor queroIs, whose business 1t wa
to raYage cities and provinces, and tx
reduce foreign nations under their domin
ion, merely for the sake of governing
them, or of purchasing name. They
were commonly wise and valiant gen
erals, raised up by God to fight the bat
tie OF the Lord, and to exterminate hil
enemies. They were such as Joshua
Caleb, Gideon, Jephtha, Sampson, David
and Josiah, whose names alone are Q
i sufficient encomium." The wars of Gods
ancient people were for most part rcli
gious wars, undertaken only by divine
command, for the greatest good Of the
world. The true soldier fought and laid
down his life to vindicate the right; to
punish wrong; to rid the land of cor.
ruption; and to possess the earth for the
i Church Of Jehovah. In many Of the
battles the victory OF Gods people did
not depend upon superior numbers, OIL
skill or courage, but was manifestly the
result of divine power. Again and again
i were the armies Of Israel assured thai
God would fight for them, In every right.
eous cause, and seldom did they no out
to battle without the divine approval
And 80 1t became vital part Of their re.
ligious faith thas Jehovah waa 'smar