Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-16
Editorial Comment
Or. Abbott and the Bible.
Christian Herald

sthrISI1ln E-SrdIOt
In these days. when statesmen are
hurting Bible texts at one another Tor
the purpose of proving or disprovins
the Christianity of military prepared
ness. one need not be surprised TO ma
clersymen and leaders in theological
semina ries taking part in the anima'ea
discussion Human nature, cultured
or otherwise. seems TO be unable 70 re-
sist the temptation TO use the blbie as
maller for driving home spiritual
truths. if they can by any means pe
applied 10 the question OF the hour. In
the Outlook OF Noy ember 10. DR.. LY-
man Abbott lays down the principle
that 1T is sometimes Christian 10
fight: and il is sometimes un-Chrlstlan
not 10 do So II is true, there are
plenty OF passages in the Bible that
recognize war as an existing fact, but
/ il is doubtful if q single passage can
he found commencing or upholding it.
When Jesus said 10 PLATE. My king
dom IS not OF this world; if my king
dom were Of this world. then would my
servants fight" he taught Eon-resIst-
ance 10 evil not only in a splritua!
sense but in physical also he taught
! his followers not only TO love one an
other. but 10 love even their enemies
and TO forgive them. The great under
/ lying principle OF the Christian religion
is that its triumph must come not ny
physical violence in any form. but by
its appeal 10 the hearts and consclences
Of men. and through the awakening Of
! that spirit OF broIherly love and kind
ness which would SuDdue the natural
Iassi ms and make love king over all.
Jesus taught the higher citizenship
which recognizes universal brotherhood
and kinship, To say. a. DR.. Abbott
does, that the language of Christ, when
he SAID Il come not 10 send peace but
sword" is 10 he accepted as implying
that Jesus was the harbinger Of war
and strife, is only to half interpret the
meaning. He foresaw that the intro
( Gucticn If the divine law Of love and
forgiveness would encounter anta-on-
ism; that il would be resisted by wars
among the nations; that before il was
accepted finally there must be many
, martyrs. AID that all the worst pas
sions OF men would Be aroused 10 OPP
pose the Gospel.
It is 2 matter Of record that the
early Christians refused even 10 bear
arms, and that not until 900 Years had
PASSED and Christianity was about to
( become a state religion. was the Chris
! tan doctrine perverted tC dccommo-
| date the ambitions Of the ruling pow
ers, who desired to turn the population
into d huge fighting machine The
+ early fathers We're uniform in their
drnuncia tiuns Of war. Origen. Am
brose, Chrysostoln. Jerome. Cyril. all
7 declared it TO be unlawful for Chris
tians to 20 TO war Justin Martyr On
( the second century, wrote, The devil
is the author Of all war" 10 which both
/ Fabian and Clement gave assent in
terms almost Identical Cyprlan called
il "a PAGAN custom. repugnant to the
/ spirit of the Gospel" Tcrtul!ian wrote
! "OYr religion teaches that il j. better
/ 70 be killed than 70 kill Thus it has
/ beer shown that not until the Christian
Church became IN arm Of the Roman
state was il led 20 forsai.e God ana
| the life Of faith and become an instru-
| ment Of deadly strife. Since that time
| 'ChTistlan war, under the Churchs
| sanction. has added % the worlds dis
grace. To this all history has told iii
ne Crusade, in the inquisit.ons, the
, martTrdoms. and the nnaseacres Of last
1 centuries, up 10 the present time II
/ gigantic navies and armies and blood
+ soaked hattletields, with the millions
who have persisted by consent ana APP
prevail Of the Christianity Of our day
I The Church. commissioned TO 20 into
/ all the world and preach the Gospel
/ mas preached il with shot and she'll ana
. bayonet, and with every available
! W"apon in air, on land and on the sea
! The law Of Cain has usurped the law
! Of Christ, and the Church has lost one
! OF the greatest claims it had upon the
{ hearts snG consciences OF men. by lead
/ ing its followers into the acceptance
/ II war As e glorified and sanctified
! thing, instead of being sin against
! God and humanity