Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/882

 792 MISCELLANEOUS

lity of the spiritual life in the political world, India considers herself to be powerless and paralysed before tbe machine-guns, the tanks and the aeroplanes of the English. And she takes up non-co-operation out of her weakness. It must still serve the same purpose, namely, bring her delivery from the crushing weight of British injustice if a sufficient number of people practise it.

I isolate tnis non-co-operation from Sinn Feiniem, /or, it is so conceived as to be incapable of being offered side by side with violence. But I invite even the school of violence to give ibis peaceful non-co-operation a trial- It will not fail through its inherent weakness. It may fail because of poverty of response. Then will be the time for real danger, The high-souled men, who are unable to suffer national humiliation any longer, will want to vent their wrath, They will take to violence. So far as I ktow they must perish without delivering themselves or their country from the wrong. If India takes up the doctrine of the sword, she may gain momentary victory. Then India will cease to be the pride of my heart. I am wedded to India because I owe my all to her, I believe absolutely that she has a mission for the world. She is not to copy Europe blindly. India's acceptance of the dootHne of the sword will be the hour of my trial. I hope I ehaU not he found 'wanting. My religion has no geographical limit?, If I have a living faith in it, it will transcend my love for India herself. My life is dedicated to service of India through the religion of non-violence which I believe to be the root of Hinduism.

Meanwhile I urge those who distrust me, not to disturb the even working of the struggle that has just commenced by inciting to violence in the belief that I

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