The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-06-07


the last lifting no hand in their own
defense, but trying, as citizens, to
render unto Caesar the things that
were C@sar's. During longer Pc
Rod than the African was enslaved
in Christian America, nearly every
emperor tried to destroy the Chris
tian. Nero, the most beastially brut-
ish figure in history, under whom
Peter rand Paul were slain, was scarce
" more cruel and far less implacable
in his enmity than Marcus Aurelius,
one Of the noblest spirits that ever
sprung from the old Roman stock, by
whose decree Polycarp, the last Iiv-
ing disciple Of st. John, was burned
at the stake. But il is a most signif-
icant fact that during all this time
many soldiers were converted and
continued to serve in the ranks after
their conversion. When, at length,
in the early years Of the fourth CEN
fury, Constantine the Great became
Christian, his bravest soldiers, his
most competent generals and his
ablest political advisers were already
Christians, and it is one of the un-
settled historical questions Of to-day
whether or not Constantine's decla-
ration of faith was not more mat
ter of policy than of sincere CON
viction.
We have tried to put the doctrine
of individual non,resistance to evil
in the strongest light we are able and
we have indicated no limit to its app
plication. 1t is an article of faith
with most civilized men. The French.
mans 'Code Of Honor" is childish
and abhorrent; Georgia mob,
wrenching a poor wretch from the
hand of the law, even when he has
been found guilty of the foulest
crime, to riddle himswith bullets or
roast him alive, is barbarous and an
archie; both the duelist's pistol and
the mob's vengeance are crimes
against the law of God and man.
But are there not cases conceivable
in which one is justified in resisting
evil? If there are, then there must
be limit to the application of the
doctrine of passive non-resistance.
We lay no weight on the actof Christ
in flashing the money changers and
usurers from the temple court, be-
cause It may be said IL IL this instance
Christ's conduct affords no rule for
our guidance. But who would not,
if he were able, defend cripple or
child from abuse at the hands of a
drunken ruffian? Are there not in
stances on record of killing in self
defense, which appear to people out
of 10 as justiffable as the killing of a
rattle-snake cooled for its deadly
spring: Among the horde that emil
grated to California when gold was
found there in 40, there was much
of the scum of Europe, Australia and
the older states. Fer time thieves,
thugs and gamblers terrorized all
honest men The federal arm was
too far away to afford them. imme-
date protection, and the honest and
law-abiding men formed themselves
into the famous vigilance committee.
Its justice was rough; and sometimes,
no doubt, it made Mistakes; but all
it's. measures were dictated by the
love of law and order, and were the
acts of new commonwealth for it's
self-preservation. But such cases, in
which the right of self defense is ad-
mitted or part of commonwealth
is held to be justified in acting with
out the sanction of law, are excep-
tions. The nation is the guardian of
the citizen; it defines his rights and
protects him in their enjoyment.
John Brown was moved by noble
impulse, but legally he was a rebel.
He had the citizens right to agitate
for the repeal of an iniquitous law;
he had no right to kindle the fire of
civil war. While vastly less can be
pleaded in extenuation of its rebel
lion, every state which rent itself
from the great commonwealth and
lifted sanguinary hand against the
Union, committed the same crime.
st. Paul says governments are in
stituted of God. They exist for the
Well-being of all, and the laws they
make for the control of human con-
duct and the punishment of evil
doors are more than the voice of the
people. Mankind may be so governed
by reason and conscience that gov
eminent by armed force is an out
rage on mems natural and inalienable
rights. Such set of conditions pro-
duced the revolution of 1775. But
when men will not be governed by
reason and conscience, government
must descend to their level, hence
statutes, laws, and the police and
armies to enforce them. A nations
laws indicate its place in the scale of
human development; its ability to
guard and enforce them, its vigor
IA M M "A