Page:Christian Review - War.djvu/10

82 With these suggestions, we proceed to give, in order, a few reasons, drawn directly from the gospel, for believing that christians have no right to engage in war.

1. If the spirit of war had existed in the government of Christ, we might reasonably suppose he would have appealed to arms to establish it. So far, however, from this being the case, the Apostle applies the language of the Prophet to him:—"He shall not strive, nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgement unto victory."—Matt. 12: 19, 20. His laws were to be rendered triumphant and gloriuous, without the aid of earthly weapons. Not so much as a tender reed was to be disturbed, or the smoking flax quenched, for his cause to be victorious. The exhortation to the Apostles was:—"Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."—The whole doctrine of Messiah was, to conquer the world by love. This was contrary to the experience and philosophy of mankind, and it is perfectly antipodal to the sentiments of the world, and even to nine-tenths of the religionists at the present day.

Christ's religion has extended to every nook and corner of the earth, where human beings have been capable of receiving it, and in his transcendent love, and matchless kindness, he has done every thing without an appeal to arms.

2. A distinguishing feature of christianity is, the abrogation of the lex talionis, by the gospel. The law said,—"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:" but not so in Christ's kingdom. "If ye be smitten on one cheek turn the other," is the teaching of the New Testament religion.—Matt. 5: 38, 39. How the command,—"Resist not evil," is to be reconciled with the spirit or practice of war, we are not prepared to see.

3. In the law of Moses, and amongst most partisans of the earth, the doctrine and practice are:—"Love your brethren, or party, and hate all the world besides;" but christianity says:—"Love your enemies; bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you; that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven."—Matt. 5: 44, 45. We observe that being children of the Heavenly Father, is put upon the condition of—"Loving