Page:Christian Review - War.djvu/9

Rh by the gospel. True: but we find hundreds of practices amongst the Jews, of which it is no where written:—"They shall not exist in the christian economy;" yet when we find christianity standing just in the place of them, we know it was its tendency to abrogate them. It was not Christ's intention to attack civil institutions, but rather to impress upon his disciples the importance of respecting them. This silence with regard to the particulars of worldly governments, does not argue, that he considered them the very best for me; but rather, that his religion could exist, regardless of particular forms of civil governments.

His servants were to "pay tribute" to governments, and "pray for rulers;" not because the governments and rulers existed by any special appointment of Heaven, but in order that the "disciples might lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness, and honesty."—1 Tim 2: 2. So are christians required to support civil governments yet;—at least, so far as they do not interfere with their duties to God. We presume, there are few civil governments that would interfere with religious scruples; but should they do so, christians should reconcile it to themselves to suffer, as their brethren did under the administration of the bloody Nero.

The servants of the Lord are to keep in mind that worldly laws "are not made for the righteous; but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unruly and profane, for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, for manslayers," &c—Tim 1: 9.

But should it still be urged that the law of Moses tolerated war, and we can find no direct abrogation of it; we might reply, by stating that the whole law was done away in Christ. Even that on tables of stone, which is called by some, "moral law," was a "death administration," and blotted out to make room for the "administration of the spirit."—2 Cor. 3: 7-12. The conclusion, then, is that christianity is a new institution,—a spiritual edifice,—not depending upon the "strong arm of the law," or "red armed war," for its existence. It was designed to flourish under every form of human government, and even without the form of human legislation.

We presume, there is not a learned man on earth, who will contend, that either civil government, or war, would be necessary for the happiness of our race, if all men were christians.