The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-11-30

or Slaugnterlng
animals in the stock yards. are not
permitted to serve on juries. 1t Is
reasoned that the constant sight Of
blood blunts their sensibilities so that
they would not be slow to doom fell
low man to death on slight evidence.
It must be admitted that the terri
BILE business Of warfare develops in
some men the spirit Of cruelty and
brutality.
1t is claimed, also, that the life Of
the soldier cannot but result in the
lowering of his morals, and that 1t
will almost certainly utterly destroy
anything like religious principles.
Doubtless some will come back more
immoral than they went away, and
some who went away moral will come
back immoral. We believe, neverthe-
less, that there is no necessary peril
in the occupation of a soldier, when
the issues of the war in which his
country Is engaged are righteous and
just. Indeed, we believe the contrary
result will be far more likely.
Take Bible soldiers, those that be.
longed to Israel, Gods people. There
was Joshua, a redoubtable soldier, a
great commander-in-chief Of the mill
tary establishment of Israel in the
days Of Moses. He was great fight
er, but could say, "As for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord" eide
on did not disdain to fight manfully
against his enemy, and he was one
whose sword was welded as with the
sword of the Lord. There was David,
the greatest fighter Of his day, fight
ing from a mere boy to his old age,
yet David was man after Gods own
heart, and wrote, .sThe Lord Is my
Shepherd, I shall not want" 'Who
have I in heaven but thee. and there is
none on earth that ] desire beside
thee"
Coming to New Testament times we
find several soldiers mentioned, all OF
the Roman or pagan army. Centuri-
ons are mentioned several times, and
in every case with commentator. One
centurion was a faithful friend of
Paul on his journey TO Rome. Anoth-
err went to Jesus and besought him to
come and save his child. He was a
nobleman, and had built a synagogue
for the Jews; and Jesus said his faith
was greater than any he had found
in Israel. Another centurion said OF
Christ on the cross, '"Truly this was
the Son Of God" Cornelius was a CEN
| turion, "a Just man who feared Cod
and man Of prayer. 1t is also re-
corded that the had a servant, a de-
voted soldier, probably an ignorant
barbarian, but one whom the Spirit
Of God had touched. And 1t is to be
remembered that in those days battles
were hand-to-hand and usually result
ed in the death Of the defeated party.
All through the centuries many great
soldiers have been great Christians
end unquestionably large number OF
officers and men In the present war
ere also decided Christians.
Never were soldiers Of any army SO
guarded as to morals and religion
The Young Mems and Young Women's
Christian associations, the Salvation
| Army, the church organizations, the
camp pastors and chaplains, with hun
creds of ministers visiting the camps
are giving splendid service in this d.
rection.
The government of the United States
has made provision for the protection
of the camps at home and abroad
from immoral influences to an extent
never before attempted, and never be-
fore were the prayers of Christian peo
Pile so earnestly offered for the sol
diers as now. Many men are being
prayed for who were never prayed fol-
before, and many are hearing the Cos
pei in the camps who never heard II
before.
With these considerations and 9th
: ers that might be set forth, it is oul
belief that men will return more chiv
alrous, gentle, moral and religious
than when they went away. They will
come back to be leaders in oul
churches and in all kinds Of religious
service like the soldiers who came
back after the Civil war, both in thu
North and in the South, to be til
".