No 4564 5th Leicesters Hut A 3
Enteric Depot, Dukes Hill Camp Woldingham Surrey.
July 25th 016
Dear Rev Walters
I have been considering what to write to you about, & seeing that you are a minister I thought I could not do better than give you my ideas regarding “Religion & War”, because these are the two fundamental topics of the Day, & many are asking the question “Is there and agreement between Religion & War?
Religion & War are contrasts, & as such claim the attention of men. No person goes through life without the problems of Religion & War appealing to their soul. At a first glance there seems to be no connection between the two, but I think they have the same relationship, as between Humanity & Divinity.
Between the human & divine there seems to be a gulf until the human realises that life is Divine, & that Divinity can so encompass Humanity that it is lost in the immensity of the life of God.
Just so is the connection between Religion & War. “Truly the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence & the righteous take in by force.” Today more need to be told that there is war. The immensity of the struggle baffles human thought. Europe, once garbed in the beauty of spring, is stripped of her glory & today is saturated in blood. Humanity is bleeding, & we see anew the scene of the Crucifixion.
Two forces are opposed to each other, & both armed to the teeth. What does it all mean? Why have war? It just amounts to this – “The righteous are taking the kingdom of heaven by force, & are endeavouring to plant it within those kingdoms which has misunderstood life, & have misinterpreted the Laws of Divine Justice.
“The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence”. Is there not a just & true connection between Religion & War. War at its best is no “Good Business”, because it chiefly results in death & despair, yet, after all, force of arms may be necessary expedient to bring home the truth to the rebellious. What I mean is this, & such a thought shows the fundamental connection between the two.
We believe that Germany is appointed to learn, through this terrible war, that there is a power above the state that works for righteousness, & that those who seek His Aid must allay themselves with Eternal Laws of truth, justice, & mercy.
Therefore to prove my opening statements I am asking myself a few questions, & I shall endeavour to answer them as far as possible in the light of scripture, so that we may really know what scriptures teaches us regarding Religion & War.
First of all then: Is it not possible to meet opposing physical forces of evil, with Spiritual forces which are infinitely more powerful?
To my mind the first call of life is, A defence of the defenceless & weak, yet I think the answer can best be given by those who have battled against those physical forces of evil which has found a manifestation in a degraded humanity.
National emotions & problems are never borne by the individual. To the individual are two Divine commands given, one command effects him as an individual, the other command affects him as the subject of a King, & a unit of a nation. To the individual the Divine command is:- “If you are smitten on the one side of the cheek, turn the other also”, but in national affairs the Divine command to the individual is: – “Submit yourselves to every ordnance of man for the Lord’s sake; whether it be to the King as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, & for the praise of them that do well.” 1 Peter. 2.13.14.
To my mind the great silence of the Scriptures regarding such problems as – “Should a wronged nation retaliate, or what course should an individual adopt after he has been smitten by an enemy on both cheeks”, is a matter of conscience, as God moves the nation or individual so should they act.
Defence of the right, if it causes death, is not murder. For instance, I do not think for one moment that a person would be justified in standing aside, & not staying the hand of the murderer or robber who had come to ill-treat or rob their people, rather would it be a greater sin to allow an enemy to crush our people & ill-treat our loved-ones, than to put forth all our Spiritual. Moral, & Physical powers to stop the enemy from carrying out his evil designs. And does not the same law apply in a national sense? I think so. Religion bids us go forth to do our duty, & commands us to use our Spiritual, Moral, Social, & Physical powers to repel an unscrupulous enemy whose sole design is greed & whose aim is to dominate the world without having regard to God & His eternal laws of Justice & Love.
If what I have said is true, then is not Religion a vital necessity in the life of a nation?
The nation that knows the true value of religion, the nation that honors God most, is the nation that offers the highest service to humanity, & displays the full meaning of the sacrifice of Calvary.
The great mistake many people make today is: – They seem to realise that the “Sacrifice of Jesus Christ” only affected “Jesus Christ Himself” insomuch that the “Sacrifice Himself” only fully realized the meaning of His Own Death when He suffered for the world.
Tis true “That God only knows the love of God”, but what I have learned is this:- Christ knew – He understood our state, & Offered Himself once for all, for the sins of the people, that all might be saved”, & that the saved should realize & truly know what that death meant.
The death of Christ was a sacrifice, not an individual act alone, to begin & end with the individual. That Death was a revelation, revealing to us this fact; that the way to life is the way of sacrifice & sacrifice is Divine; therefore our Religion is the outcome of “That Wonderful Death”, thus it is a nation’s most valuable asset.
We too learn the full meaning of sacrifice when we do as Christ did, give ourselves for others, which is a heavenly service. The remarkable feature about this war is: – that at the present moment seven Christian nations are engaged in the most deadly & destructive war that the world has ever witnessed, nations representing 3 great divisions of the Christian church – Greek, Catholic, & Protestant.
Is it not a fact that the Christian Religion has been the ostensible motive of many of the bitterest Wars? I think so! And on the one hand it shows the value of religion as a thing worth fighting for. & yet, on the other hand, it is sad that such a great part of the so called Church of God is blind to its own destiny.
I am here reminded of a remark made to Abraham Lincoln during the American War. Said one to Lincoln “I hope the Lord will be on our side, Lincoln replied “About that I am not at all anxious my only concern is that we should be on the side of the Lord”.
Thus it is a vital necessity for the well-being of a nation that God & Religion should be pregnated in its life, for where God is known & adored there is victory.
The right knows no defeat; it may have its struggles; its trials may be immense, but it surges on & on, till it becomes enthroned, not only in human hearts, but on the mount of God.
Truth has well said:- “Right is might & as such it can be evidenced in Religion & War, but what we pray for is:- that the time may be near when right need only be evidenced in Religion & War becomes a thing of the past.
But we must look beyond. The future must appeal to us if we have any vision whatever. Thank God we can see the dawn of a New Day, & “The World’s New Hope” stands resplendent in heavenly majesty urging us on to mightier effort.
Such a mingling of blood as is shed today becomes a sacrament, & the near future will see its fruits. No sacrifice is in vain, glory always bestows her rewards, though she makes a stern demand on the sons of men.
We are now witnessing the sowing of the seed in the anguish of the nations but those that come after – what harvest shall they reap, what fruit shall they gather, when new heaven & new earth shall rise before them in all their splendour.
“Hope on, Hope ever! though today be dark, the sweet sunburst will smile on thee tomorrow”.
Thank God today we hear the Voice of the New Humanity, & realize that Heaven lies about us.
And now I come to my last thought, & it is this:- Is a Christian justified in taking up arms in view of the saviour’s teaching “Thou shalt love thine enemies.” Today we have many conscientious objectors, & they reveal a diversity of opinion regarding Christ’s teaching to men. But such persons seem to me to have a one-sided view of religion. They oftimes forget that chastisement & stern punishment is akin to love.
Love is not abstract, it is real, & objective, capable of many interpretations.
It is a Father’s heart of love that compels God to sometimes deal drastically with His children, & it is from a heart of love & sympathy, that Christian people defend the weak & helpless & keep back “the enemy from our gates”.
Of course “conscientious objectors” have a right to live, but they have not a right to their opinions where truth & justice is involved.
Still, there is an incident in our Saviour’s life that has given me an endless amount of thought, & it is this: – The 1st time Christ sent out His disciples he said, Take one coat each, but not scrip or purse, & you will get your living by the way.
The 2nd time he sent them forth He said:- Sell what thou hast, & buy a sword. Now, as followers of Jesus Christ what need had they of a sword? Was not the Divine Presence sufficient for them? Methinks the Master knew of their perils & needs, or Peter would never have been girded with a sword at his Master’s trial. The mystery of the Scripture is, the work left to conscience. And so I believe today that the brave men who are giving their life for their Country are revealing the Christian Spirit, & the fathers & mothers who, in sternly consenting to duty, have not withheld their sons, even their only son they also are repeating in their self-surrender the Mystery of the Cross. A touching story is recorded of a youth who has since fallen in battle. When in the trenches he desired a comrade to convey a message to his home “Tell them” he said “how sorry I am to have given them so much trouble, but that I will try & make some amends by doing my best for England.”
“To him who loveth much, much is forgiven “Out of common danger human kinship grows & unites in the bonds of a common sympathy. Therefore to stand for right & truth is to render to God & the world a noble service.
I am pleased to tell you that I am now doing well, & as soon as I can come home I will call upon you. I do sincerely pray that God will abundantly bless you & your work in the coming “Mission of Repentance & Hope. I pray that many may be turned to God & find in Him a refuge in the time of storm.
If you have the time I should be pleased to hear from you as soon as possible.
From your Sincere Friend
J.W. Brotherhood
To Rev Walters.
S.P. If there are slight mistakes anywhere in my letter it is because of it being rather, & I am in a great hurry. J.W.B.
In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters M.A., Vicar of Whitwick, Whitwick Vicarage, Leicester-shire.
Letter postmarked CATERHAM VALLEYS SURREY 26 JY 16 also on the back COALVILLE LEICS 27 JY 16.
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