THE “CHRISTIAN” DEMAND FOR WAR.
It is astounding, looking at it from a Christian, or Biblical standpoint, to note the general demand for war from Christian press and pulpit. In some cases both preacher and paper urge the government into the fearful conflict, which may mean the loss of myriads of lives, widowing of thousands of women, the orphaning of tens of thousands of children, and the brutalizing of thousands of persons. There is no school so degrading as war. No pen can portray the fearful effects and diabolical ends of war. As to its necessity, its justification, we leave that to the men in the governments involved, praying what God has taught us to pray in 1 Tim. 2: 1-3. We believe in liberty, and in the liberty of Cuba and of every oppressed people and person on the earth. We believe that God desires liberty for all. But for that as Christians we can only plead with God and men; “for tho we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,” yet are they “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Cor. 10: 3-5. And the only weapon in this warfare is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;” and the panoply of the Christian warrior is the whole armor of God,—the shield of faith, the helmet of the hope of salvation, the greaves of peace, and the breastplate of righteousness. See Eph. 6: 10-17. Fighting such battles, armed with such a weapon, clad in such armor, eternal victory is sure. The Christian has his sympathies for the poor, the oppressed, the down-trodden of all ages, lands, and times; but he will leave to God the execution of vengeance upon the tyrant and oppressor. To say that because we, a “Christian nation,” are strong, and can bully or bluster, frighten or coerce, some weak, offending “Christian nation” into acting the hypocrite, is not the Christianity of Christ and His apostles. It is because professed Christians have lost sight of this—lost faith in God—that they are clamoring for war and appealing to the despotic spirit of militarism and brute force. But nowhere has Christ commanded His church to go to war, kill their fellow-men, or fight with carnal weapons. Think of what it leads professed Christians to do. Here is what the Pittsburg Catholic says, as quoted in the Independent of March 31:— “Should the die be cast, and the sword be drawn, every Catholic must and will enter with all his heart into the conflict with an unflinching determination to carry the flag of the Union with triumph and honor through the storm of war. Henceforth, until peace be restored, our great object must be to defend by every means in our power the national cause.” That is, Catholic Christians of America will enter heart and soul into the sanguinary conflict to destroy the lives of the Catholic Christians of Spain! Two men revere the same pope, ask the protection and assistance of the same saints, and yet endeavor to kill each other! The Word declares that Christ died for all; but how many believe it? God loves the sinners of Spain as truly as He does the sinners of America. If vengeance is due them, can it not be left to God, who declares, “I will repay”? The very fact that we hear the insistent demand for war, by professed Christians, is proof that those who join in the chorus do not know the Christianity of the Bible. “But what would you do in reference to this barbarity and cruelty and oppression?”—We would do all that Christians could do in a Christian way to secure freedom for all. We would seek God, as we do, in behalf of the oppressed. We would minister to the wants of the poor. If all professed Christians who are to-day clamoring for war on both sides the Atlantic, would have one true, Christian prayer-meeting, war would cease of itself. We would leave results with God, who “ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever He will.” He is just. He will surely punish the wicked, acquit the innocent, and reward the faithful. If Christians would obey Christ Jesus, preach the Gospel, carry the glad tidings, separate from worldly policy, politics, and ambitions, their indirect influence would be a thousand times more potent in the councils of nations than all the influence begotten of so-called “patriotism,” or politics.