The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1903-04-22

stuoled the popular idea or patr1-
otism both as sentiment and as
a practical truth. My conclusion
is that there exists a great deal
of misapprehension and I feel
prompted at this time of special
patriotic fervor to present my
views. / invite. and even chal-
lenge, any of your readers who do
mot agree with me to prove that /
am in error.
list. There is not in any part of
the Bible even a sentence that re-
quires or justifies patriotism"
I'd. The sentiment called by
this name, like the word which ex-
presses it, is probably of heather
origin.
Sd. The usual definition of
patriotism is "love of country"
The man who seeks to learn what
this phrase means and to carry out
its teachings in his life attempts
a hopeless task.
4th 1t is an exaggerated form
of selfishness and is one of the
DEVILS most successful devices to
deceive and mislead the human
race.
9Th. 1t is, in fact, a delusive
method of inducing a violation of
the Sixth Commandment-"Thou
shalt not kill"-and is practically
in opposition to the spirit of the
other nine.
9th. Ministers and others who
teach the coordinate obligation of
religion and patriotism have no
warrant in reason or Scripture,
and the practice largely accounts
for the diminished moral tone and
tendency to skepticism among the
people.
9TH. The religious organization
which sends missionaries to for
eign nations to preach the gospel
of peace and good will and the
duty of self surrender and obe-
dience to God, and rests it's claims
for support on the value of the
human soul, and at the same time
approves of and advises its mem
bers to enlist for war, occupies q
position SO absurd as to be essen.
TALLY grotesque.
9Th. No man has right to risk
his own life, which is trust fol
which an account must be rem.
dered, except in the effort to bene.
fit his fellow men.
9th. The claims of the State
are inferior to the claims of God
and should be regulated by oul
relations and obligations to Him
10th. The continued life anc
prosperity of nations depends pri
marily and indispenssbly upor
righteousness.
18th. No government has {
right to make training for war {
fixed employment for its citizens
and every man who thus devotel
his life violates divine law anc
jeoperdizes his happiness for eter
nifty.
II. The maintenance of {
navy, except for police purposes
such as may be required to sup.
press piracy or other open viola.
tions of human and divine law, can.
not be justified.
18th. 1t follows that the study
of the art of war in military and
naval academies has a democrat.
izing influence and that the ten.
dency is to blunt the moral recep.
ton and unfit men who pursue il
for useful lives.
18th. 1t is disgrace to Christ.
ian people that men who have ex.
celled in the deceptive arts and
brutal destruction of life, limb and
property involved in war should be
hailed as benefaOtors, treated with
exceptional honor and often placed
in high official positions.
18th. This high estimate of the
merit and proper reward for mill,
tary service disparages self-deny.
ing men and who consecrate theil
lives to the effort to lift up and
save their fellow men, and makes 6
false standard of excellence.
10th. 1t places brute force above
moral worth, fosters worldlines:
and low ideals, and ignores the fact
that man is to be judged by mind
and heart, and that what he thinks
and how much he loves is the true
test of worth.