Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/191

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"If a murder is committed privately it is a crime, but if it happens with state authority, courage is the name for it." Chelc̄icky̍ echoes these words of Cyprian with the whole being of his personality. Basing his conviction on Christ's teaching he fully adopted the position of the early Church Fathers and in many ways anticipated Tolstoy and Gandhi in trying to seek the source of war.

"The sword separates the Christian from God," he wrote in the. In the sight of God, war is always murder. What is the beginning of wars?

Covetousness and lust for power is the cause of every war. Cain was surfeited with pride of possessions; for this reason he was the first to fortify a city, since it is inevitable that possessors always have to think of aggressors.

I:6.

Chap.LXXXII, p.244*.

Chap.LXXXI, p.243*.

Chap.XLVII, p.185*.

Chap.XIV, p.75*.