Page:Eminent English liberals in and out of Parliament.djvu/130

 us in no doubt as to his canons of biblical interpretation.

"I have no hope," he tells us, "for the future of this world that is not connected with Christianity." When "every thought shall have been brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," then only will Mr. Richard feel satisfied that we are politically on the right rail. There are not two moralities, he maintains,—a private and a public, a personal and a political. Mr. Richard's method with the Jingoes is the shortest of any. Is it not written, "Thou shalt not kill"? Therefore is the occupation of the soldier forever cursed, cursing alike conqueror and conquered. According to this exegesis, such gallant Christians as Sir Henry Havelock and Capt. Hedley Vicars of pious memory were little better than public cut-throats or licensed murderers. So be it. Mr. Richard will shrink from none of the consequences of his understanding of Holy Writ. The commandment is absolute. "Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." "Resist not evil." "See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men." "If ye do well and suffer for it, and ye take it patiently, this is acceptable unto God."

These are hard words for flesh and blood to apply literally; but Mr. Richard, in his "Defensive War," makes it plain that he will, no more than Hosea Biglow, admit of any dodging:—