UNKNOWN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 977, 8 April 1911, Page 4

UNKNOWN

I’, ua i Naumann h..s every pro-spc-H oi spenc.mg the remainder of lus'.oein isou because he persistently refuses to submit to military discipline one Saturday.

Namuann, who belongs to the sect known as Adventists, declares ibat Saturday is tue real Sabbath, and that any kind of work on that day, even the lightest, is in the highest degree siniul. When he became a soldier in 1907 he refused to obey any orders between sunset on Friday and sunset on Sain id at.

He was in consequence sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, imi when lel eased resumed his muliiion.s comm cl, and received a second sentence ol two yeais unpi isonmei’t. When released again he re in set obcUie,.cc, ami war -enlenced to live years’ imprisonment.

t)n appeal, the higher military Cl url re-tried the case. (Questioned nv the presiding otiicer, Xaumauu declared that as, a Clnistiau soldiei oi-. duly was to obey the religious lav am! refuse all work on the Sunbath. A .systematic study ot the Dibit had convinced him that :l ,va-. wrong to regard Sunday ;b UK S ibh.tlii. which was really ■ia mi day. It Was pointed out that COIF tinned pvr.-.r-.U-nim in this attitude would me', nably result in his spending his entire life within prison walls, and the presiding alike-, asked whether Xaumauu was prepared to accept such cons.c nuences. Naumanu replied, "Yes, certainly." (Questioned whether in war he would refuse to fight on Saturdays, Naumanu replied that he would then obey orders because the danger to the Fatherland would justify it.

Two medical experts gave different opinions on the man s mental condition, one declaring Ilial he was not wholly responsible tor his actions. The court ac c.-pted the former view, and confirmed the sentence of five years imprisonment, a her which Naumanu will be required to serve tue remainder of bis two years’ compulsory in ill I ,ry service.