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T HE PRAGTICA L C HR ISTIAN, 67


o ffice a nd emolumen t render th em jealou s ­that


we sha ll o ne day s u persede th e necessit y


' Of th eir serv ices, ' Ve d o ind eed look for ward


to the day, ( IInll we are vai n e noug h to beli ev e


'; t is n ot a ce ntury ahead) wh en wh ole commu- '


niries of men will ex pu nge fro III th eir ci vil


- cons tu u tio ns, th eir stlltu lC ' hook s, nud th eir


' sy ~ te ll1 of gov ernmental poli cy , war, penal veu ­:


gellnce, s la very, drunknrd - m uking , and ev ery


' Other nnti C hris tian featu re of ex is ting co m­l


lllCIS. ' Ve pr ay for that dlly as ofte n as we


utter th e words- i- vrhy kin gd om COIII ' l , th y will


be don e in enr th / IS it is in heaven." Others


may think we ha ve tak en a s low method of


,1I'olll oting suc h a resul t, hut WI) have ch ose n


th e o n ly sure nurl efficac io us o ne . ' Vc lire


confhle ut it will pre vail in du e time. And now,


aft~ r a ll th at I have sa id, does it appelll', my


b roth er, tlllIt we / Ire, whllt so IlIlIny are llisp os­~


d til ni ck- II lime us 00- no gl/. verlllnent men ~


I lll n sure you willllgr ee with me, th at o f all


' Oth er s we leust c1 eserve suc h a n e pithe t. I


willllow proceed 10 u d irect ullswe r of you r


' elldiug qu esti on s . You : Isk-


1. " iUust we tell all pUlriol s , s ta tes men,


bwyer s, lIIul all offi cers lind so ill iers of th e


, : ni" ~ y and : nllv y, thllt th ey are unchristi an , , to


the sallie d egree th at th ey are tru e to th e sup­port


of th e Iuws ami dcfeu ce of th e gO\' ern­ollmt


?" AI/ swer. ' Ve must tellrhem God's


t ruth - wilho ll t fear, filVor or fillttery. Iftheil'


{; ov'ernmeut is anti Cill'islilln, in c ~ rlain im­poruJIlt


resp ect s, we ou ght to slIYso . If they


' SlIj, p ort lind defend those unli C hristillu fea­t.


ur es, of governmeut, we oll ght to tell th elll


t lllit tl lB)' are fO fa! ' unchristi an. This is th e


trllth, llIItl we ollg ht to d eclare il. Then, ifwe


' Ca ll conviuce th em o f iI, 111t~ y will eilher avow


IIlllt th ey do not owe ali eg- iUlwe to C hriRt, 01'


h on estl y r'~ llt llm C e whnle,' er Ih ey heli e,' c he


' fi, rhillil. If we Mnnot eu n " iuce lilem Ihat


there is an y . hillg IInti Ch ris lia ll iu th eil' uffi­<:


ia l e ng nglll ne uls. Wll hnve lit lenst horn e 0 Ill'


teslinlOuy aud tlon e 0111' dllt y. BlII in doiug


;; 11 thi s we ha,' e nu right to inwlt 01' ahuse


th em. ' Ve have uo right to a e cu ~ e th em of


sins which th ey nev er cOlll lll itte d. ' Ve hllv e


no righl to address them, / IS if th ey had no


go o , I'~ llllliti " il, mo iiv es or feelings. ' Ve hu" e


110 righl to roll th em ufthe crCflit, wh ich ac­conlin


g 10 th eil' , lelll'ee of moml light, th ey re - '


li lly d e; lel'\' e . We hnve uo right to say or ,10


lilly Ihiug to Ihem eo utra ry to the heu evolent ,


truthful. COlli pass ion ate s pir it of C hr isl. Bu t


ullr duty to d ee- Iare th e trlllh to th em, at a ll


prope r times and iu ull suitahle \ VaYR, is plain


ill id illol is pe ns ab le. How else ca n th e worlrl


lie ref'll" Inetl? I\ lllny men th ou ghtlessly' unite


will i ulhe rs iu unchristi an practices. They are


liu cun sf: iollS o f th e e vil th ey ar e tloin g. \ Ve


mll st iulol'lll mid adl; lOnish th em . Then , if


th ey nrc ill an y gotlfl de gr ee rea sonahle ami


eun sCientiulIs, th ey will renonnce th eir prae­ti


ces. Bllt if the y are an gl'y, wl'llthful anol vi ,


ol ent,' w. are innocent. In Ihat CIIRC th ey o nly


show their inside to tho wol'l, l. Thlls mnny


appllreu tly meek aud ge n tle nlllmed people, Rl


lcmj.: th ex hihit Ihe ' lung co uce ulell swine and


wo( f of th eir hcartR.


2. i' llow mil ch less si u is it fi, r th e sworn


sel'\' auts o f C lu'is t, to IIl1uw th ems el ves to he


pl aced unll el'lhe irrespon sihle power : lII, 1 con­trol


of desp ots, than 10 IIssume and exerc ise ir­respou


sihle po wer themselv es ovcr othe l' meu ?"


Jl nswer. Infinitely hett er ; for in all owiug


th emselv es to he placed undel' s uhj ec tio n to


tl espots, th ey do just as th eir mast er Ilid, Iln, 1


a re innocent suffe re rs for righteou su ess' sa ke j


wherells hy assumiug and exe rcis iug' irresp on ­s


ihl. e power ove r others , th ey not only se t at


, n, ought th e exam ple of C hrist , hilt positi vely


I di soliey hi s command me nts. He forhids th em


I to. set ' themse h'es up as masters ov er othe rs, or


I to exe rc ise lordship IIpon th em, nflel' th e


I mauner of th e geutile prin ces; bllt ' bids th em ,


I if th ey ~ v i II he , chief, to serve,- lInd if Ih p, y


I will be greatest, to minist er in th e plnce of hu-mility.


A \ Iue C hristinn cOllld uot uss ume


alld exerc ise irresponsible power ov er other s.


This wOllld be io se t God lit nou ght, / lnd re­j


ec t hi s only hegotte n SOli. Eve ry mllu is und


must he uccountnble to th e Suprcme a uthor ity j


8 n,\ th ere cann ot he tw o S lIpremes nt th e SIlOle


tim e over the sa me suhj ec ts.


3, " If I mny n ot suc rilic e my life to 1\ 1 a lll ­ulOn


01' BllcchllS, 01' with th e razo r, 01' pistol ,


Illay I suffer it vo lllntnri ly, IIl1 resis tiugly. o be


takeu hy unothrr ?" J1n~ tllel° . F or C hrir is t's


sa ke yo n lllllY j 01' whilt is the slime Ihill g, I'll Ihe r


tha n 110' any th ing ant i C hrist ia n, yOIl mny,


nay mor e, yOIl must 110 so, as n Christiun.


F or thi s ~' e r. y r eason , yOIl a re to ld hy YOUI'


Sll vio ur-" llot 10 fear th em which kill the


borly, hnt a re not nhle to kill th e sOIlI, hilt


ra the r to f,," r God & c." Also yOIl nre told


thll t iu suc h cnses, " he wh o seeket h 10 sa ve hi s


iife sha ll lose it ; hut wh osoever loseth hi s


life for my sake RlIII th e gospe l's, shnll k eel' it


unto life ereru nl." Did not C hris t freely lose


hi s life wh en he might have summoned twel ve


legions o r an gels to snve it ? ' Vh a t grent loss


is it to Il tru e Chris rian, to lose hi s li re for th e


sake of C hisIian prin ciple ? But to k ill him­se


lf, as muuy do iu th e se rvice of Mammou, 01'


to dr ink himselfto death, 01' to cut h is throa t;


01' shoot hims clf- e- su rely th ese a re gross cri mes.


It seems to me thut my br other mu st see n


wiele tlifleren ce hp, tween th e two so rts of cn­ses


. lu th e / urmer Ihe ' C hris tilln's Imd. l/ ollly


is kill ed, whi le his so u l is rel]( lel'ed Ihrice nlivll


by th e holy sllc ri fice . Bill in th e lutw;' ca se ,


bod y Illld so 1l1Bre wontonly des troyed , in pos­itive


d iso het lience to th e will of G od. The


forme,- is martyrdont; the latt er is walll OU


self murder.


4. " Clln it be wro ng th en , when a fellow


bei ug JlIlssessell of rellson a nll consieu ce, lllld


with n kn owleelge of duty, hreuks Ir lllll the


law s of GOII, and at th e peril of hi s su lvlltion


seek s th e life of IInoth er, to p rev ellt him hy


Il hys icul forc e from executing IllS pllrpose ?' ,


Jl Il S l/)~ " . No ; it wOlild not be wro ng to pr e­veut


sll ch a n nct by inllocent physical fOfc e ; but


it wOlild he wron g 10 pr ev ellt il hy usiu g ph ys­ielll


forc e sinfully j i. e. hy infli ctill g ou th e


g llilty mlln lIny phy sical violence. It is of


/ IIor e irllport lluce 10 n lllilllaiu a C hr istiun \ lriu ­ciple


inviolable th an it is to p rese rve II life.


Becau se th e prin ci ple thus lIIaiu tai ned will


sa ve mllllY liv es ; wl wr eas its vio lati oll will


oilly Slll'e one at Ihe ultimate ex pe nse ofman!!.


5, " 81111 11 the IJlaui , ll' be sum'rcil to ruu


throllgllth e s h'p, els : tI ~ d Idll hundred s o f meu


won lell Ilnd c hildre n, hecau se he en n o n ly he


prevcnl c, l fl'O lIl ~ o , Ioin g hy th e ex ercise of


pll)" s il" al lor ce ?" Answer. By uo meaBS. It


is perfect ly ki nd Ilud C hr is lia n , to lise prop el'


- I I I , ~ ~ i e a l (,;;:;:- e t o se iz ,~;,: e~ . t rn i'n , ;;-;;; Ti;';; I', 1 in sa, le


keep illg suc h an unfin'lUllute h! Jing. But to


sho nt him, ku oek him , Iown , ma ng le himl- 0r


in Iluy ~' Vuy damnge Iris hod y , woul, l be a nti


C hris tia n. B e is a brothc r nlllU, Ih ollgh he rdl


of llis rea son ; let him he tr eated lIl: co l'lling- ly ;


just ns au y on e of ns wou), 1 desi re to he t!' ent ­ed


ifi n til e like c irl' u ulstn nc: es. t\ littl e while


Ilgo s uc h po nl' e n ' a lures , we re trented 1I ~ 11 1'-,


Inon s aud henSls j hilt now, ill our lu ulltic hos ­pit


a ls, a " ulOre exce llem wuy" hns beel! foulld.


It will SOOIl he so will'. ' l'I:~ p ect to ull moral


, nlllllill cs. C histiauity will h rill ;': it aho ll t j a nd


uOIl- resistlln ce will lIut relll ni th e work.


6. " An a ha ndo ucd ,' ill nn riu gs my door hell j


my wi fe, not kllowing who ca lls, o pens the


door j he immediatel y s~ i zes he r nnd a t­tempts


her life, 01' Iler honol' ; she stl'll ggles


with va in I] es pe ra lion to ' li'ee her eself from


hi s giant gras p, 01' polluting embrace ; s he


clllls on me, her swom pr ot er. tor, iu Ihe deep es t


Dccen ts ' hf · 1101' 1' 01' and di sllI lly, to co me to her


resl: u e! Mu st I refose , or mu st I ou ly entre a t


th e villaill, , vh ose heart is s teeled Ilgnin s t all


moral force, to desist ? ' Vould it he wron g­IInju


stifiahle- unchrist ian, iUlhis case, to shoot


th e ru ffian, 01' rescu e illy wife, th ou gh in 11 0­ing


so I must Illke his life ?" . answer. Hi s


gll ilt however g rem, could not IlInk e it right


for you to co m mit murdet, 01' any olhel' 1111 ­ch


ristiau deed. Neither cou l, 1 th e c lnims of


your wife poss ihly he pura mom; t to YO llr ohil ·


glltio ns to ad he re to C hrist an d th e priueipl es


of his reli gion . Iu sllch a ca se hOlh Natllr e


lind Christialli ty woulo] ca ll yOIl to th e rescll e


of yo III' wife hy an y lind every c hi stian llIell; Js.


Aud th ere is rio good reason to d ou ht, tllllt in


th e use of pu re ly C ilr istian IIlcau s, oV G r~ had .


o we d by th llt di. vin e P ro vid en ce wh ich uc ver


forsak es th e faitllful, yo u would s llcc ee d, and


mu ch helt er th nn hy forhi,] d en emll'lS of ph ys ­ical


violen ce. Y ou hllve no right to pres llme


th at wra th Ilnd violen ce lire th e bes t menlls o f


I'es isting violent meu , till yo u hllve filirly tr ied


th e C hristian meth od. Ifyo u ha bit unly lived


in Ihe p ra cti ce of lh ose gr eat prill~ iples, wh ieh


our S lIIlIdurd tays down, lin d wllikel l wilh


mell of a ll classes as a () Inll of trn e C hris tia n


pea ce, yon wo uld be' very linlikely '\ 0 hllve


yonI' hOllse ellte red hy this al llluo! on " d vi llnin.


God in a th OUS\ lllll Ullsee n way s would Sllr-rou


nd you uud YOUI' family with im pr eg na ble


bul wa rk s. AIIII o n yom part, you wo uld daily


be couuihutiug some th ing towards the di miu­ution


of vice nud cri me amou g men . But if


in some ex treme case Gm t per mi tted s uc h a


ru flinn, I'Jr th e trial of your faith , to nssnil YOllr


hou se, he would he pr esent with yo u to ca rry


yOIl til ro ugh th e st rug gl e. If 011 your par~ th er e


wns a [ hithtul ndherenee to th e tru e testu non y


o l' Iove to tile wor st o f foes, th at hour would


nOI overtake yOIl IIIHIW nr eS, . On th e first alarm


vo n 1\' 011111 hasten , in th e sp irit of Clnist, 10 til e


; 1001'; suituhle looks ntul words wo u ld he giv.


cn yOIl j the rufliinn would quai! before YOllr


meek hilt determined g lance ; he would qu it


lIis gl'llsp ' o n yo ur wi fe, lind she wou ld es ca pe.


YOII wcuklrhen lie the victim of vio lence , if


a uy o ue j but y ou r spirit of love would be an


ov e r mutch till' th e tyge r- like fe rocity of yo ur


invm le r. He wo u ld gl: ld ly re trea t, 01' yo u


would overc ome him, The wolf wou ld s ue­eo


rnh to the lamb. 0 1' if wor s t clim e to wor st,


ha ving 11orIII a ll yo u co u ld in a Ch ris tia n wuy, ·


hy i 1lllOeeni physical f oree aud holy 1II01' U1 lorce,


yo n would d ie a Chr istian's death j and leave


hehind yo u:! lestilllon y wl. ich tholl l{ h it co st


yo n YOllr life o n ea rt h, wo nhI indi reclly save ,


II1I1Uy lives , and he to YOllr son l a crown of


rej oicing in heaveu fill'e ver . B llt th e c lulllc es


th at yOIl wOllld he hllp pily ca r ried th rou gh


s uc h a lria las t lo is in sll liHy, are IlIlIeli gre a te r


o n th e Ilou - re , ist all ce groll[ ul , tllll n o n th e old


CII I'IIIl I gro und of killing the wret ch thllt Ilssll il­cd


yo nI' d we llillg. ' Vould it 1I0t he well to


cOllsillcl', ill a ll these extre tue CIlRes, wh allll ay


he s lIpposed to happen- sume of th e lead in g


ea nse s wh ich pr oduce th elll. Is no t th e spirit


of se lfishnes s, rev en ge, war, anll ph ysi cal vio­len


ce- yes the ver y spirit which so lIIau y e ven


of pr oli~~ s ed c hristia ns che rish IlS th e s tl'Ung es t


pl ed ge of Ih eir per son al safety- is not Ihi s


s pi rit olle gl'Uud cause, a mllin spring, in th e


fOl'lllati ou of th e rll ffian chal'llcter? Does it


lIot firs t withhold ins truc tion from the YOllng ?


Iloes il uot , lor vllriou s wo r ld ly rellso ns, le;.: al­ize


th ,: f a le of in to) l: icatill g liqll or s ? c10es it


not keell Ih oRe wh o a re well orr iu Ihe , w or lcl


frOlu hlkiug the necessllry pain s to illl'prove tb e


eo nditiou , an d es pecially lile morllis of th e less


filvo rell d ll s; l e~ of socie lv? floes it not ullit ' the


I- lree dy' eyes of the proMgnte with pll hlic exe­c


ntious? c1 0es it not Irai n lip men lfJ th e a rt of


Will', allrl g lor ify th e exp loits or a licelltiou s


soldie ry ? 1I0es it 1I 0t eo ulrihute in ten th ou s­antl


ways 10 nourish the vices aUlI pr Olllote


Ihe hllse c rilues of th ose , who , we lire told ,


IIIl1 st ur:. huu g, sho t or d es troyed ? Jt ev e ry


IIIl1n iu ' the rcs pec tllhle walks oflife wil~ ser i­olls


lv cQusid er l he Cllllses of Iho se crimes aud


OI ~ lI'; l gQ,~, which ~ i~ so fe: II'f~~ i~ tu.. n~ e


WIll I'e IIl1ald e 10 proviile agamst, he WIll he ­giu


10 se e th e prwenlive nlllnre Ilf 01lJ' prill ci­pies,


Ilnd wi ll e re long Ilcknowlell ge, th at luur­del',


allli I'U pine Ilnd vio lellce IIl1lSt c1ecrerise in


tile wor ld j us t in proportio n 10 th e pr evalen ce


o f lhe se pl'ine ipl es. Hlhis is sOllnd 1I 0clrine,


lloes uot Illy hr otll er see that no slleri fic e ca n


he too grcllt to lIIak e fill' tllese priu,~ ipl es- to


preserv e thelll in violat e, a nd to sp read th ell1


thr o ug- h th e world , L et llle poin t IIiIl1 to the


c1 0in gs of a victo r iolls Ilrmy iu a s in gle u igh t,


fi e hilS. hro ng ht lip a s lro ng ense of Ils; l'l1I lt 011


his wife . L et me rete.' h in- I to hllndred s of


I'llJies : lIId lIIurders eo n. rnirted ori the people of


II c OIICI III~ re d ci lY It )' Il wan ton so ldi ery. These


soillie rs : w d th eir offic e rs lire Ihe a lll horized


serl'lI uts of perh a ps a p l'Oli~ ss edl y c! Jri s, tlan


I/ O"': I'IlIUeut, Aud " ' hat do tk ey perp e'l'lI te ?


' VlllIt 010 s \\' oru husba nds ( ll neont rol ed wit. h


th e sp ectre of c hri stian non ores isla n ce ) then do?


wh ll' can they , do , when a li le of soldie rs d a im


th eir I\' ives a ud dall ghlers for the vileilt purpo­ses,


a ud wh en res istau ce wOllld be follow ed by


iUSllll1l deul h ? These lire caseil worl h loo\;: ­in


g nl! BUI Ihey arc for;:: otl en hy th e j llsli li­c


rs of war. Thou sands of them IHive occ urred


in a s ing le clllll imigl) j and thousanel s of them


willllga in occ ur, if wa r be not don e a way. ­Y


I~ t when th e Iluge! of P ellc e, wi th g- ellli e look


lIlid weeping eye , offe rs th e o u ly specjlic


wh ic h clln heal thi s hor rid wou nd of lllJlIlRui.


ty, heh old he is poiut ed to so me extreme soli.


tary cuse of I'Upe 01' illlll'( ler, w hi ch lIIay possi­bl


y happell if his s pec ific shollid be IIpp lied. ­.'


IJ! Jriads 11Ilppen hy reasoll ' of wur j while bllt


Iler e auol th ere one may / tappen , if non- resist­au


ce sho uld pllt IlU end 10 Will' j yet t! Je ten


t! JOIISIlU II lire lor l( ott en , and th e possihle f ew


ure lIIugu ifi ed iut o mOlllJltlins o f c1l1nger.


7. " 0 1' s llppose he ( t be same I'IIflillu ) shollid


11mg her to his I"," n l of iniqu ity , a ud c ril lie in


A-- 81.- 11Uol slIp pose I hdve 110 power' to


rel ellse Iwr fmlll thi s hell , wo u ld, it he wron g


, in UIlJ, iii ordc r tn rescu e her Ii'om this inli­n


itely \\, orHl thau dent h ils elf, to commllnd th e


powCI'ful aid of the pol ice ?" i l l/ slOt'r. Yo u


lIIust no t do evil thai go od IJllly COlU f~ . If this


;' po wc r lill a l'lll of tim poli ce" is all ant i ell/ ois­/


ian a rlll, yo n cannot eOIllIn: JIlll its se rvice;


a llY mo re th ull you can lift lip yo nI' own : il'ln


to smile it lll'Oth er lIIan, co nt ray to til e pr ecep ts


o f C hrist. lfy oll elln ': 1l 11 on a pol ice wh o


hold Ihe law of YOll r Sllv : our Rllcrc ol, II tflll y


christiall p olice. wh ose offi ce oh liges Ihelll to (


resor t to uo ull ch rist illn li, eall s, yUII may


cn ll Ihelll to yonI' Ilid, And 10 make sure of


YOIII' o bject, ca ll two 01' lh re. e of th e lIIeelwst,


firm esl C hrislillns of yo ur acqllailllllllee , lind


y on will eflcl' t II rescu e witho ot Ilillicuhy. I f


suc h were within hllilillg di s tan ce, m e t h iu k ~


I co u ld ulmos t g ual'llutee Ihe safe d el ive rnu ce


of yon I' companio ll. wi th o ut oll e un ch ristillll


\\' 01' 01 fir d eed . B'Il will my hr oth " r I'elltllrc


to aSS8ure IIle posi til'e ly, tha t the re are not a t


th is ve ry time more 01' less men, holding office


in all 011 1' Ilirge ci ties, uay professor s 01 reli gi on l '


whn are hv vario us net s and co n tr iva nces lead­ing


the wiv es nnd dau gh ters of oth er s into


pl aces as had IlS A- s l. Aud wh at is th e


mi ghly diffe renc e between seduction and mpe'


There is a d iffer ence we know j but in the


s ig ht of G", I, how mu ch more innocent is th e


s lee k, paillver ing villai n, wh o ruins his neigh- :


hOI'S wif e 0 1' daughter, th an the ruffl nn, who vi ·


o lntes C hus tiry aga ills l co nse n t ~ \ Vhi ch sort


of persons is the 1II0st dan gerous ? Y et the


lenru ed, the wealth y, and th e honorable often


go unwh ipped o( j us tice, lad en with the


spoi ls ofru iued f'ill uilies. Neit he r go ve rnme nt,


n or reli gion p rev en t th ese ubominntions, Yet


th e doctri ue of nnn- rcs istan ee nwnkcs th e most


fenrful np prehensio ns, thnt some o ne ' s c hastity


wi ll he fo rcihly viola ted !


8. " A vlrngo enters Illy l1ursei'y nllt! seizes


a n inl a nt so n, thnt she f11 l1y ex h ibit him as he r


own iu ra~ d, s h i ve l' tu ~ with co ld, lit the


doors or th e ri ch , in or de r 10 sec ure th eir houn-ty


to her! lel f\ lind wh en s hl.! is s lItillt ed Inte lll! s


to throw Iny so n, int o tile dock, or ed ucate


him in a brothel . I f I cannot prevent her


from d o in ~ a ll thi s, hill hy usin g physi cal for ce


- lIInst I uot d o it ?" Answer . Ce riiJitlly j do


all th ut yo u clln by lin iuu ocelll , I: hristiau nse


01 ph ysielll fOI'ce ; hu t be s llre yOIl do not


COlll iliit s iu, even for th e sa ke of yo ur son,


Be sure yo u do 1I0t lov e YOllr SOil Letter than


you do C hr ist- or whieh is Ihe Rame tt. ing,


hetter th llil yo u do CIlI'is l! an prin ciple. F or Ir


yOIl do, yOIl II1 l1y lin wittin gly calise ilv enty


s uc h wron :;: s for o ne th llt yo u will ill'event. 1


am Sllre , how ev er, th at dlrist iatl mellns will


s ufiiice to rescll e yo nI' so n as oft en as suc h


trial s will happen . YOllr next lind se ve ra lothe r


questio ns hllv e heen sullic iently IInswerell lJtI­tJel'


th e eight helld s to which I ha ve nli'endy


a tte uded. Fl'Om ull th at I ha ve sllid I trust


yo u wi ll now he IIhle to Iin derstllnd ' and ap'


pr eci at e otlr views of this gre a t sUhje c t ill nil


its illlportnnt ' hca ri ngs. With a lillv words


mor e I sha ll fee l ot Iihert y 10 close. YOII say


your mntto Is -" obe. lf the cOllllnands of God at


all hazards, whether expressed ill written lalt­g'llage,


or by a mode 0./ existence, or an order of


sequence iu natu r•." If I understond your


s tlltement of t hi s motto, it is a nohl e on 1<,


Ilnll I UIII willing to mnke it minc. I think


the n, th llt th e p ll ~ Rll g es of Script llre to which


we refer in th e 8 tamllll'll, liS ou r warrant for


th e . r1oclrin e hfno n resi stnn ce, lire plnin uue­f)


lIivocul nu d per tin ent. I f so , I se e not how


yo u ca n adhere to yo ur motto, wilhoutcll1­hracing


thi s dOell ' in ; for surely uothing in ' ony


" Illod e of of exisle uee " 01' " orde r of seq uenc o


in nature" can irll' al ilillte such \ llt\ iu d ecl a. l" ll~


tioll s;= You - wili not lhiuk of hel iiliu l! - thii


posil it'e pre c t~ pt s o l'C hr ist 111111 hi s IIpostl es teJ


lilly llle re infc ren ce d ra wn from nature j hut


will l'llthe r, I tru s t, s tully to hriug those infer­enc


cs into hul'lu ou y wilh r e velu tion. YOII


think, howe ver, th llt 011 1' proof teXiS do


not eo ntlliu " commanlls bin lling o n chl' istlUml


in a n ati on professedly chris tinn." H ere th en


yOIl admit th llt th ey a re bindin ~ on a ll chris ­tians


living in othe r th an professedly Chris­tinu


n Ul i ou~. ! lut why sho n ld th ese COIII­Ulllllll


llle nls he iUllp il1 if'uhl e to Chr ist illl1s ill


profe ssedl y Ghris l illn ua tion s ? I ~ il less illl ·


pOl'la nt to act o u these g re llt principles wh ere


I h l~ y hal ' e heeolll " general, th an wh er e Ih e~


Ilre u nl' 0p" lllr ? O r is it more d ifficllit for a


whole ullli on of Chr islia ns to IIct oUt th ese"


pr icipl es, tha n for a Icw insul lllcd , hllted pel"


secmed illlliv idu llls ? Mn st Ch rist iun5 love


th eir e tmmies 1111 .1 s ntie r all th ings fo r r ig ht­o


ns ness sa l"" w hile tlmy a re Il feeu le- Juino ri ty ,


hu t as soon liS th ey hecoill e n maj ority, hllt e .


a nd pers ec nte th eir e nemies ? HI! sid es, is th ere


the leust itiri'lllll ion in the connec tio n of th ese


t exl ~ , 01' e lse whe re iu th e Scri ptu res, tlllIt they


wer e in tended to aJlpl y to C ht'ist iaIJs oil ly


whe n few Illlrl fee hie ulJlong th eir enemies ?


It appellrs to lIIe tlHlt yOIl will filel bOllnd in


ca ndor to l! iI'e lip th is view o folll' proof texts.


I ca UIlOI hill hope th ut yo u will j for 1 1\ 111


sure it IIIl1 st Le e rro ue olls .


Y ou allach co us idemhle irnportan ce , I pet­ee


ive to th ll filCt IllIIt Go el admiuisters a r ight­e


ous Iliscipl inary retributi OlJ to his cre/ ltures ,


/ 11111 inf cr Ii'olu this- tha t men lIIay punish g u il­ty


fiJllow meu. - This wOllid be a ~ ood Ilr:;: u ­Illellt


, ifit was not ellt o il' by positive Scr ip­tIIre


iUJun etiou. " Delll'ly heloved" snys th e


a pos tle, " llI'ellge Utll yOlll'se lves, hllt rather g ive


pl ul'e lIUto wi'uth j for it is IV riuell - vell gcnnce


is IIIiu ,~ , nnd I will rcp ay , ~ l1 lr h th e L ord.


T herefore if thiue e ue lllY hUlIge r, feed him j


if loe Ih irRt, g- ive h im driu l, l ( i ll' In so doillg


tho ll sha lt IlCap eo a ls of lire o n his heuIl. ' Be


1101 OloerCOllle o f e v il, hUlove reo me evil with


good ," T he IIn ive rsal F ath er is perfectly


' Jlllllitied to ad! ll i ui~ lcr a just 1II111 sn luta ry l et­r


iblltio n. li e k now s how, when, 111 111 in whll!


manner I II elllise eve ry UIllU to find / lcco rdiug


to his ways. J1.... is " hie 10 follow out lho fli(' ta les nfh is


wi!' i. dflltl, a nd 10 p uni sh the g uill. y w ilh oll l a llYerror o f


j llclg- llH' 111 or ' i~ clill g · . It i:- o ltis ,! J) ire to do this - not


nw'S, I f \ n~ tt lld Crlnk n 10 elo tflis work , \\ e 71lu,. drr it .


au ll o fl l' lI mak e it ~, H I " Hiller worse . Fo r 11H.~:: 5e re a­SIlH$


lip h a " iI' cl ai l1l~ d lhi s hlli.'\ inp1' is in his own hands.


III l ho :~ ha nds it is r, t'r(('(: l ly s n ((~ ' Alld let us he so


IIlllch Ihl' mo l' 4 ~ wilhug" to lea ve · it fhe re , fro ln th e a s­~


lI r il ll(' f! th aI his illfinilc ~ oo dHe ss, wisdom nlld powe r


ar c a ll p IC I I~ f: l I , 11lal il sha ll he St'as011/ lbly anrlfaithful­;


yarroUiplislu', f .


Hop ing . de , tIl · h~ n l h(, l" : that J Ou willuol ue we a ried


wilh II I)' lIlull ilwle o f worcls.. nuo still wore , that they


Hl il )' pro\' fl it Sen : UI" o f sp ir itua l lilc Iu ot her inqu ir in § '


lIIiuus J I rema in ill Chr is1iall a tle c tio n yo urs


' t l U; EDl T o a .


OJ"' l\ l en do u Co u fe re nc e, 27th a nd 28th ins t.

Page 67 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840