The evening leader., 1918-07-13

Jesus answered, My kingdom is
not of this world; if my kingdom
were of this world, then would my
servants fight, that I should not
be delivered to the Jews; but now
is my kingdom not from hence.
st. John, xviii, SO.
This text has been frequently mis-
applied Some have tried to read into
it a condemnation of force. But such
Interpretation is wide of the mark.
What our Master condemns is force
as the method of His kingdom. He is
stressing the difference between His
kingdom and the kingdoms of this
world. They are distinct in purpose,
plan and method.
Jesus Christ sanctions war as an in
strument of the state, the legitimate,
normal organ of self-defense, and He
asserts enthusiastically that if His king
dom was designed to take its place as
one of the Kingdoms Of this world then
would His servants fight.
The attitude of Jesus accords with
the whole tenor of the Scripture. The
Bible is war book from cover to
cover, whether you turn to the wars of
the Lord in the earlier books or the
vision of Armageddon at the close of
the canon. War to maintain the in
tegrity of the state finds ample Scrip
tural vindication. ST. Paul, who was
in constant contact with the camps
and cantonments of his day, has no
word of censure for the military call
ing, but makes the figure of the
Roman soldier type of the Christian
warrior clad in the armor of God.
All honor, then, to the boys in khaki
and our boys in blue who are main
tanning the glory of the flag and add
ing fresh lustre to the Stars and
Stripes. We hail them as crusaders in
democracy's cause, and as they go
forth we invoke upon their armor the
benediction of God. Their quick re
sponse justifies American mother
hoods proud song, II Did Not Raise
My Boy to be Stacker"
/ 1t was grievous caricature to pic
ture. Jesus as gentle, .amiable agree
able, inane, invertebrate personality.
Such was not Isaiah's conception when
he drew the bold outlines of a victori-
Gus warrior, his garments stained
with blood and carnage. Far other
was the Christ with His scourge of
cords driving the money changers
from the temple, smashing their ta-
bles and scattering theircoins. Strong,
virile, martial, mighty in moral indig-
nation, majestic in wrath was the
Jesus who exclaimed, IT came not to
send peace, but sword"
No disciple of the Master need have
amy conscientious objection to lending
his full strength to the state in the
prosecution of righteous warfare. Yet
it is clear that Jesus discountenanced
the establishment of His kingdom by
force. Here is the contrast between
Chris anity and Mohammedanism.
Mahomet gathered the wild sons of
the desert and started on a career of
conquest. His was religion of the
"sword." The method Of Jesus was
distinctly the reverse. His kingdom
was propagated by the word" By
loving persuasion, by personal touch,
by patienceeby sympathy, by broth r.
" kindness, by helpfulness Christiani-
ty enters into the lives of men and
wins her victories by the slow, toll
some process of education.
The kingdoms Of this world repre-
sent the kingdoms of force. The king
dom of Christ represents the imperial
ism of love. He subdues the hearts of
men not by force of arms but by the
compulsion of love. There is nothing
SO kingly as kindness, nothing SO
royal. as truth, nothing so lordly as
love. Napoleon once declared: cal
exander, Caesar, Charlemagne and
myself founded great empires on
force, but Jesus founded His kingdom
on love, and today millions are ready
to die for Him"
Love alone is the abiding foupda-
ton. The consciousness Of Ratiana'i-.
ty which plays so large a-role in mod
ein history must give place in time
to internationalism. All national dis
tinctions will be merged into higher
spiritual brotherhood and the grand
consnmmation of the ages will fulf'
he vision Of the apostle, "The king
dons Of this world are become IN
In asSt o-,,r- ~ /.,,.. sc4.l ,,.l gT.