LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2408, 13 March 1915, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SHOULD THE CLERGY FIGHT? Sir, —I read with interest the corre-' spondence by "Socratus" and Mr. I'. 11. Waddy ro "Should the Clergy Fight?" and desire to throw further light oil the subject, for having obeyed the command to "search tho Scriptures" (John v., 3D), I.fiud that Cod through Isaiah the Prophet said: "To the law, not to the testimony: if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is ho light in them" (Isaiah viii., 20). It becomes us, therefore, to compare all assertions with the written Word. 1 find the Word agrees with the words <-f "Socratus" that war is anti-Christian, and therefore the clergy, professing to be "followers of Christ" should not- light. Jesus nays: "All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." (Matthew xii., 01.) Jesus further says quoting from law given tc Moses: "l'o have heard that it hath been said an cyo for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but 1 say unto you that ye resist not evil." (Matt, v., 35). Jesus in sending forth His Disciples says: ' 'lie ye wise as serpents, but harmless as doves" (Matt, x, 36.) Tho Apostle Peter said: "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps, Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, threatened not." (1 Pet. ii., 2i.) When before Pilate Jesus said': "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were c.f this world, then would: my servants fight that 1 should not be delivered io the Jews." (John xviii., 36.) lor further precepts and examples see Luke ix., 54, John xi., 15, 17, 12, R-omans xiii., 10, 1 Thessalouians v., 15, James v., 6. Above all, sir, wo must bo careful over our definition of the word Christian, or we shall confound Christ's people with tho world, to which they do not belong. (John xvii., 16.) lie has given us the standard: "Whosoever shall do Hie Hill of, Sly Father Who is in Heaven,, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." (Matt, xii., 50.) If, .therefore, we go to the law and to the t«stimonyj we see that the nations who are at one another's throats, are not C'Liistians. in. the true sense, and the cloigy vlio lako the sword or en«wi;tge it aie aiso un-Christiaii. Mr. AVad»v condemns "Socratus" for quoting Scripture regardless of conr.ext, for lie immediately puts himself in V-o earno position by quoting two passages regardless of context, as 1 will "show. When God sent Jesus He saM: "This is my beloved Son; in Whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him." (Matt, xvii., 5.) Thus bestowing upou him authority, and then we hear. Jesus saying, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." By reading the above quotations it will be manifest that what- was lawful to be done under, the law of Moses was not so under the law of Christ. '

Where is. Mr. Waddy'6 Scriptural proof that His (God's) laws in the days of Adoni Bezek are identical with His laws of to-day? Is it the one and the only one quoted: "Think not that'l am come to send peace on the earth. -1 am not come to send peace, but a sword" ? If this passage proves Mr. AVaddy's above contention, then we immediately come in conflict with Christ's explicit words above quoted. Christ truly came with the Gospel of Peace, but the result of His preaching would (during the time intervening between His first and second coming in the course of separating the good from the bad)'cause enmity,.strife, hatred, and in that" seiise He eanie not to send peace, but a sword. But Mr. Waddy only quotes verse 34 of this tenth chapter, of Matthew. Why did he not. quote to the 38th verse, then more light would have been, shed?—l am, etc.; ■. H. MILVERTON, Kilbirnio. '