CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
Sir,—As an interested reader of the letters recently appearing in The Dominion 011 the vexed question of the conscientious objector, I must enter a protest at that most unfair method of misrepresentation to which your correspondent, "H.M.," descends, in his letter of to-day'a issue, When he takes two passages of Scripture, wrenches them'out of their context, and, having thus isolated them, diivoroes them utterly from the obvious meaning of the passages in which they occur, and holds them up as examples of our Lord teaching that warfare is right for his followers. Jn the first passage, from Matthew, chapter 10, verse 34, "I come not to send peace, but a sword," tho meaning is quite clear when the two verses before and the three after it tire read. Christ is explaining to his disciples that one of the results of their preaching would be -that when some members of a, household believed and confessed His name, they would meet great opposition, even from members of their own who were unbelievers. The passage contains no reference whatever to warfare, except in so far 5s the word "sword" is used as a simple figure of speech to explain what is called "variance'' a moment afterwards, and which would probably have seemed a strange result of the preaching of the gospel of peacc to the disciples, had they not been warned of it by their Master. In his choice of the otter passage, "H.M." is still more unfortunate, the words, "He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one," are from Luke,' chapter 22. On occasion on which Christ uttered these words He had just been 'warning Peter that lie would shortly deny Him, and, turning to His other disciples, who also, He knew, would forsake Him and flee, He asked them whether they had lacked anything while under His care, although sent out to preach with no provision of any kind. They answered that they had lacked nothing. Christ then made use of the words "H.M." quotes as an instance of His advocating wurfare, tfhile in view of the question preceding them they could only mean that, though every pro,vision was made for their welfare while under His care and guidance, yet if they deliberately deserted Him they could not claim Bis protection, and would have to "fight their own battles," as we say nowadays.
So this passage, rather than advocating warfare, on the contrary would be a warning to one believing as "Chas. B. J." does, that the only path in which he can expect Divine approvaJ, comfort, and support would be that in which he could walk in accordance with a conscience educated and regulated by Revelation. It has been well said that the Bible can be made to teach anything; for instance, Isaiah, chapter 5, verse 11, says: "Woe unto them that arise early in the morning." Perhaps some day when it spits him, will also wrenoli these words their context, and tell us that the Bible teaches that early rising is a sin. Such a conclusion would be just as reasonable as the one to which he comes in. hi 3 letter of to-day's issue of your paper, that in these passages Christ teaches or advocates warfare.—l am, etc., FAIRPLAY.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2823, 14 July 1916, Page 6
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548CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2823, 14 July 1916, Page 6
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