The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-05
Luthers Odd Defence Of War

4 !,
Few know that Martin Luther wrote
tract on the question of Christians ser
wing as soldiers. but it has been lately
translated by Professor ". H. Carrutn.
of the University of Kansas, for the Open
Court Its salient points are well worth
reading when We near so much of Toll
| stoi's doctrine of non-resistance
Here are some of the chief points in this
tract. written in 1526:
Now, although it does not seem IN
! deed that Staying and robbing is a work
! OF love, whence a simple man may think
/ that 1t is not Christian work and be-
seems not Christian TO do, yet in truth
il is after all work of love. For a
! good physician. when the disease Is so
deep and virulent that he has 10 cut of
and destroy hand. foot, eye or ear IN
order to save the body, seems. when We
consider the limb that he cuts OF. ter
rible, merciless man, yet considering the
body that ne thus tries TO save. be IS In
truth an excellent, faithful man, and Is
doing good Christian work 10 the pest
of mis- ability
Even so when I consider the work OF
war. Furnishing the wicked. Staying wrong
doors, and causing so much misery, IT
seems to be very un-Christiau work and
directly contrary to Christian love; out
when 1 consider how it protects the good,
women and children, homes, property and
honor, and sustains and preserves the
peace withal, then 1t appears how pre-
cious and divine the work is, and l see
that it, too. cuts of an arm or a leg TO
save the whole body. For if the sword
did not keep the peace and prevent riots,
riot would needs ruin everything in the
world. Therefore such a war is nothing
else than small and brief breach Of the
peace to prevent long and limitiess
breach OF the peace.
ITO be sure. if people were good and
willingly kept the peace, wars would be
the greatest curse on earth. But what
will you do with the fact that the world
is wicked; that the people will not keep
the peace, but rob, steal, KILL abuse We
men and children and take honor ard
property?
Christians do not fight, nor have civil
authority among themselves, for their
government is a spiritual one. and accord
ing to the spirit they are subject - no
one but Christ. But yet, as to their
bodies and property, they are subject to
the civil authority and bound TO be ODE
dent If then they are summoned by the
civil authority TO combat, they are to
fight, and must fight, from obedience, not
as Christians, but as members of the
whole and as obedient subjects according
TO the body and temporal goods.
The office of the sword is in Itself
right and a divine and useful institution,
which God does not wish to see despised.
but feared, honored and followed, Tor He
beareth not the sword in vain.
Consider the veteran soldiers who have
seen battle; they are not quick to 1raw;
they do not bully and are not anxious to
lint xrba ra hat
they must, then look to thyself; they are
not noisy; their weapon is fast in It's
sheath but if they have TO draw 1t It
will not be returned without blood. On
the other hand the needless fools WHO |
fight first in thought and make fine be-
ginning and devour the world in words |
and are the first to draw the swofd, taey |
are the first to flee and TO sheatne the /
sword.
"Tillage is to provide. warfare IS to |
protect, and those who are set aside /
or protection are to receive their pay |
md food from those who are devoted to
providing. On the other hand, those who
provide are to be protected by those who
ire devoted to that office in order that
hey may be able to provide.
md useless people, who serve neither as
protectors nor providers, but who can on
Y consume and idle and lie around should
lot be tolerated. but be driven out Of
he country or forced TO work, just as
ees do, drive away the drones which do
ot work but steal the honey from the
Their bees
IF any one goes to war with heart
nd mind set on gaining nothing but Def,
nd temporal gain Is the only reason, so
hat ne is unwilling to have peace, and
orry when there is not war. he has left
2
ven if he fights under the orders and
ummons of his sovereign. A man who
ghts from greed counteracts all his eth
r deserts, just as one who breaches fer
-orldly pelf is lost.
Though in Gods eye we are wretched
nners, just as much as our enemies are,
ct since we know, or know not other
ise but that our prince is right in his j
luse and are thus certain that we are I
srving God by our service and obedi-
ice. therefore let every man be bold and 7
aress, and think only that his hand is
DDS hand. his pike Gods pike, and cry I
it'll heart and voice, For God and the .
mDeror! |
But to my mind those are most reck- i
IS fellows who, before the battle. en- c
,urage themselves and one another by a
e delectable memory of their sweet I
I
wv. Let each man think Of his sweet $
art! But it is shocking to a Christian 2
art to think and to hear that any one b
n tickle and solace himself with the
ought of sensual love in the hour when $
9 judgment of God and the fear OF a
ath are before his eyes. For those who n
e slain or die in this frame OF mind send d
cir souls Of a surety straight to hell a
thout any delay. u
Soldiers have all sorts Of superstitions OF
battle. but they do not believe in God. o.
{. on the contrary. are all committing u
sin against God with their unbeief and n
perstition, and II they should die thus p
ey would all be lost. When the battle p
proaches. then let them simply com / n
md themselves to the mercy Of God and "
have in this manner like Christians IT
-ery man should say or think 10 him / 81
Father, here am I BY vi
y divine will In this outward work and
vice OF my sovereign. as IS my duty, d
st Of sll 10 Thee and then TO my SOW ~
ign. for Thy sake: and I thank Thy cr
ace and mercy that Thou hast placed i
in this work. where I am sure that IN
il not sin, but right and an agreeable te
edience 10 Thy will II after that thou In
, the Greed and the Lords Prayer ell
~ mayest do so. and let that De enough II
en- commend body and soul into HIS n
nds and draw and strike IN Gods al
me-" pa
BOer characteristics. IN
ne average Boer farm house Il a low III
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