The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1917-09-06
THE CONSCIENTIOUS DIRECTOR

To the Editor: Having read the
communication of George Copp, in
The Comet in answer to your editor
ial Conscientious Directors" | submit
the followin ; | am an old soldier,
having served three years in the Civil
War for the preservation of the Union
and which resulted in the abolition of
chattel slavery, which the Dunkard
Church opposed. He states that the
Dunkard Church since it's inception
has been opposed to war, and because
of persecution in Germany on this ac-
count they sought refuge in the United
States, where they were assured relief
in their work. And, as he states
the Dunkard Church teaches that all
disputes can be and should be settled
by arbitration. Will Mr. Copp explain
to us how the independence Of the
United States could have been won by
arbitration instead of our forefathers
shedding their blood for our independ-
ence and liberty of worshiping God
according to the dictates of con-
science? Through the help of God, who
helps those who try to help them
selves, our forefathers gained the vic
tory and threw off the yoke of tyranny
and established our free government
which the Dunkard Church as well
As all other denominations have the
privilege of enjoying.
He says it is more of crime to
engage in war than to be forced to
steal, for the soldier is required to
kill. In that case l may be guilty OF
murder. But when l look back into
my Bible | find that David slew
Goliath in defense of his people in
a righteous cause, for which he was
commended. When the Israelites,
who were Gods chosen people, tried
to help themselves, trusting in their
God against the heather nations by
which they were surrounded, beng
victorious, and when God himself, to
show his divine power in the care OF
his people by making Moses leader
of the Israeltes after he slew an
Egyptian in defense of his people, and
when God himself causes the hosts
of Egypt to be swallowed up in the
Red Sea after His people had passed
over on dry GROUND. and many other
cases where divine power was instru-
mental in bringing about victory, l
have no remorse of conscience.
Mr.. Copp says if Congress had been
composed of Dunkards there would
be no war. We firmly believe that in
that case in a very short time there
would be no United States Congress,
and as long as there are envious and
grasping nations with whom we have
to contend it is necessary for us to
defend ourselves, and should the
dreams of Kaiser Wilhelm be realized
the Dunkards might fall under the
same rule as that from which they
fled, and their liberty gained through
war be taken away. We have been
forced into this war, not through any
desire of our own, but as a tather
would protect his home and family
We tried to reason with the German
government and keep out of war. we
hate war. for we have had experience
with it, and if Mr.. Copp has any
method by which peace can be brought
about without bloodshed we Will
gladly accept it. We are not one Oh
those who scott at prayer, as Mr.. Copp
saws. But as we are taught that faith
without works is a dead faith, there
fore, we have a work to do and not
enjoy alone what someone else has
accomplished. ...
d. H. MOWEN. '