THE SPIRIT OF WAR IS NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST.
By Editor
For what are army chaplains?—One would suppose it would be to comfort the sick, the sorrowing, the dying, of either friend or foe, by pointing them to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of men. The more faithful they were in this work the more worthy were they as chaplains. This is, we believe, the theory; but in actual practise the “fighting parson” is the one most glorified. The New York World of July 13 tells the story of Rev. Dwight Galloupe, now lying in Fort McPherson Hospital, Atlanta, from a wound he received before Santiago. Here is what the chaplain is reported to have said:— “I could not help taking part in the fight. I at first confined myself to the duties of my office, caring for the wounded as the battle progressed, but when our7men began to reel under the concentrated Spanish fire, I felt the American rise in me, and, tearing the red cross off my arm, I snatched up the gun and cartridge-belt of one of our men, and went to shooting just like the rest of them.” “I thought,” suggested the correspondent, “that your mission was to save souls and not to send them to death.” With a twinkle in his eye, the chaplain replied: “Yes, but when I saw our poor boys staggering under the resistance of the Spaniards, I thought of brave ‘Bob’ Evans, of the Iowa, when he said that the best place for the Spaniards was below. I think I sent a few of them there or somewhere else.” We can understand how the natural unregenerate man will feel just as Mr. Galloupe felt. But, reader, that is not Christian. He even felt the inconsistency of fighting with the red cross on his arm. Think of a minister of Christ killing men! Think of his saying that he thought the best place for his enemies was “below,” or, to put it plainly, in hell! Think of sending a few there, if you could! Jesus Christ rebuked Peter for drawing his sword. For those who killed Him most cruelly He prayed, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” How poorly have Christians learned one of the great object lessons of the Reformation as manifest in Luther and Zwingle! In many respects the latter was superior to the former, possessed more of the truth of the Gospel in some respects, was more loving in character; yet he took the sword. Luther left all to God and conquered. Zwingle trusted in the weapons carnal, and was defeated. So it will ever be. The moment a minister of Christ takes up carnal weapons to fight his foes, that moment he ceases to be a minister of Christ.