The War and our Duty by B. F. Snook

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 14, 1862

The War and our Duty.

By B. F. Snook

THIS is a subject about which I have thought much of late. Almost from my youth up, I have believed that all kinds of war were contrary to the teaching of the New Testament. But after much prayer and serious investigation I now believe that I occupied an extreme position. I am forced to the conclusion that the doctrine of universal non-resistance is an untenable extreme. I have grieved and mourned to think that I could not lead out with the brethren who have written on this subject. But I now rejoice that my mind is clear, and that I am well satisfied that the Lord has not led his people thus far to forsake them, and let them go astray at this time. I believe that he yet directs the ship. I have opposed Bro. White's position on "The Nation" to some extent. However I did so in all sincerity, believing him to be wrong. I now am sorry that I have been so hasty and inconsiderate, and ask forgiveness, and herein disclaim all that I have said against his views, and declare myself in full confidence and sympathy with him in his present move. I now act freely, because I believe we are moving in the light. The following reasons I rely upon as justifying me in changing my views, and leading me to stand where I now do:

1. The New Testament recognizes civil government as an ordinance of God. "There is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Rom. xiii, 1.

2. The object of civil government is to protect the good, and punish the evil. "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. For he is the minister of God to thee for good: but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Verses 3, 4.

3. We are commanded to obey civil government. "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers." "Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake." Rom. xiii, 1, 5. "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well." 1 Pet. ii, 13, 14. This submission, of course, only refers to things which are according to God's will.

4. We are commanded to support civil government. "For for this cause pay ye tribute also." "Render therefore to all their dues." Verses 6, 7. Now we conclude that as civil government is God's ordinance, it is just and right that it should exist, and that it is just and right that it should be supported by our money, and when absolutely necessary, by our swords and muskets. To say that all war is wrong, is to say that civil government is wrong, and so contradict the apostles. So far as a spirit of war is concerned, it is equally displayed in the civil magistracy with its means of punishing criminals, or invaders of private or social rights, as in what is called war in defense of national rights. If then it would not be wrong to aid magistrates in arresting and punishing the violator of personal rights, which is war on the transgressor, so neither can it be wrong to aid the highest magistrates of our nation in executing the laws of the nation, though it should be done by the sword.

5. In the proclamation of the gospel we are not to use carnal weapons, but not so in defending ourselves from the assaults of rebels. See Acts xxiii. More than forty Jews had sworn to kill Paul. Information of the fact came to him by his sister's son. He then immediately petitioned the protection of the military powers, and leaned upon the sword for safety. His petition was granted. So the captain sent two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, in all four hundred and seventy men, to protect and conduct him safely to Felix. If Paul did right, then it is not wrong to receive military protection, and hence it cannot be wrong to sustain the government in its military duty. Query: If the soldiers who thus protected him had killed those wicked Jews, would they not have done right? They would, if such had been absolutely necessary; and he would have sanctioned the same by requesting their protection.

6. To kill in war, when defending our government and our rights, is no violation of the sixth commandment. We appeal to the example of Abraham. It is said that he obeyed the laws and commandments of God, Gen. xxvi, 5, yet he was a warrior. "And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants by night, and smote them; and the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter." Gen. xiv, 12-17. For this Melchisedec gave him bread and wine, and blessed him as the servant of the Most High God. Abraham fought for his confederates who gave him protection. Verse 13. In so doing he did God's will, which proves that killing in a defensive war is no violation of God's law, else Abraham was a murderer.

7. We are commanded to fight for our families and property. "Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses." Neh. iv, 13, 14. This testimony proves that fighting in self defense was authorized by God. And where, I ask, has he ever said to the reverse? Nowhere. God has never said that we should stand still and be murdered, or see our families slaughtered by the cruel hands of unholy and ungodly rebels. As the present war of our nation is for self defense, there certainly can be no wrong in aiding to crush the rebels who are trying to overthrow it.

8. Cornelius was a soldier, and a devout and praying man. When he was converted, we see not that he resigned his commission as centurion. We read also that he had a devout soldier with him in his family.

Church history speaks of many Christian soldiers. In A. D. 117, among the Christian martyrs was a distinguished military commander who was ordered to offer sacrifice in honor of victories gained by himself, but refusing to comply, was martyred with his whole family. Fox' Book of Martyrs, p. 22. In A. D. 161, Marcus Aurelius began his reign. He marched with a large army against the Northern nations who had rebelled against Rome, and meeting with difficulties, especially the want of water, he ordered his soldiers to call upon their gods for aid, which was done, but to no purpose. He next called upon the division of his army which was composed of Christians, and commanded them to pray to their God, and their prayers were believed by the emperor to have been answered Id. p. 26.

In A. D. 172, the emperor Severus began his reign. Under it, a Christian soldier refusing to wear a laurel crown on a joyous occasion, was harshly treated by the military officers. The rest of the Christians who were fellow-soldiers in the same army, took offense at his over-nice scrupulosity, and gave various reasons disapproving the soldier's course. Dr. Cave's Work, p. 273.

In A. D. 286, before any of the emperors had embraced Christianity, under the reign of Diocletian, who associated Maximian in the government with them, there was a legion of Christians (6666) put to the sword for refusing to take part in the sacrifice ordered, and for refusing to swear to assist Maximian in the extirpation of Christianity from Gaul. Book of Martyrs p. 47.

In A. D. 161, Christians submitted to be drafted. Milman says, "The armies were recruited by unprecedented means, and many Christians who would before have hesitated to enroll themselves, might less reluctantly submit to the conscription [draft], or even think themselves justified in engaging in what appeared necessary and defensive warfare." Hist. Christianity, p. 235.

Luther said, "Whoever is killed fighting for the magistrates, is a true martyr, if he fought with a good conscience." With these truths and facts before us, how can we help saying that Bro. White is yet all right?

Dear brethren, let us be united and not resist our government in its struggles for existence. Our neighbors and friends have nearly all gone; and if God allows the lot to fall upon us, let us go and fight in his name.

A word about petitions. In this move we all acted from faith, feeling it duty to avail ourselves of the benefits of an exemption, if we could get it on the condition of asking. Under my present convictions I regret making any such move; for I see now that it has done no good. Since I wrote to Bro. Waggoner stating that the bill had passed, I have been informed that that was a mistake. The bill has been indefinitely postponed. So we will try to profit in the future by past experience.

Dear brethren, let us rally around the standard, and go on together to mount Zion. Let us be humble and teachable, and truth will be made known to us. Oh, may the Lord be the shield and guide of his people in these times of peril, is my prayer.

B. F. SNOOK.