918. The Playing of Checkers and the Rightfulness of War
By Editor
[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries as may be sent us. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. Let the questions be short and pointed, and such as may be answered in limited space. The questions will be numbered continuously.] 918. The Playing of Checkers and the Rightfulness of War.
1. PROVE by the Bible, if possible. Is it right to play checkers for pleasure? 2. What is the meaning of the first part of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3. 3. Was it never right to have war? And was war done away with when Christ came? N. B. We know of no scripture that countenances the playing of such games as checkers. If a person is a real Christian and not a mere professor, he will have no time for checkers. He will also see that God's Word says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory." If you take out of checker-playing the striving to "beat," and the vainglory after one has beaten, there is nothing left to the game. No one would care to play it. 2. We know of no meaning in chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes, or any other Bible chapter for that matter, aside from what it says. God's instruction is, "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." 2 Tim. 2:7. The Lord wants us to think of what He says; and He will then give us the understanding Himself of what He means. Too much time is devoted to studying what men say about the Bible, and not enough to the study of the Word itself. God promises to give understanding if we consider the Word. Give the Lord credit for telling the truth, consider what He says, and then find the joy of the fact that He does give the understanding that He promises. 3. War in itself considered was never right. And the text in Ecclesiastes already referred to does not say that it was, any more than it says it is right to hate. The text in Ecclesiastes says there is a "time" for war, but it does not say it is right, or that God either ordained war or appointed a time for it. In the old dispensation God directed His people at different times to go to war, but there is no evidence that He would have been under the necessity of doing this if His people had been willing to follow Him, instead of murmuring and finding fault with Him all the time, and insisting upon having their own way, instead of following the Lord's way. The Master's instruction upon the war question is very plain. He says, "Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Matt. 26:52.