Part 3 (2/2)
War with its attending evils unquestionably diminishes the aggregate of happiness in the world, and is therefore unwise.
VI. WAR IS UNWISE, AS IT DOES NOT MEND, BUT INJURES, THE MORALS OF SOCIETY
The strength, defense, and glory of a country consists primarily in the good moral character of its inhabitants. The virtuous and the good are the salt that preserve it from ruin. Says the Rev. Dr. Miller in his sermon on the death of Dr. Rogers (pages 366 and 388 of the Memoirs), ”It is manifest from the whole tenor of his word that G.o.d is slow to inflict heavy judgments upon a nation in which many of his people dwell; that he often spares it, spreads over it the protection of his providence, and finally delivers it for their sake; and, of course, that the presence of his beloved children, speaking after the manner of men, is a better defense than chariots and hors.e.m.e.n, a better defense than all the plans of _mere_ politicians, than all the skill, courage, and activity of _mere_ warriors.” Again, ”I have no doubt that it is as great and precious a truth at this day as it ever was, that a praying people are, under G.o.d, the greatest security of a nation.”
When the inhabitants of a country become generally profane and dissolute in their manners, slaves to dissipation and vice, it is usually G.o.d's providence soon to visit them in his wrath and let loose the instruments of his destroying vengeance; how important, therefore, in a temporal point of view, is the preservation of good morals to a nation. But no event has so powerful a tendency to destroy the morals of a people as that of actual war. It draws the attention of the inhabitants from useful employments; it generates curiosity, dissipation, and idleness, and awakes all the furious pa.s.sions of men.
War occasions a great profanation of the Sabbath. Under G.o.d's providence the Sabbath has always been a great barrier against vice, and the observance of it is indispensable to good morals.
In time of war the Sabbath among soldiers is often a day of parade. In the streets of the best-regulated cities may be seen soldiers marching, flags flying, drums and fifes playing, and a rabble of children following in the train. Now all this is not only calculated to dissipate all reverential respect for the solemnities of the day among the soldiers, but is calculated to destroy the respect and observance of the day with which the children and youth have been inspired. Add to this, flags are suspended from the windows of taverns and grogshops to entice in the youth by the intoxicating cup. In the camp the Sabbath is almost forgotten and rendered a common day. Armies from professing Christian nations as often begin offensive operations on the Sabbath as on any other day; and professing Christians not only tolerate all this but approve of it as a work of necessity and mercy.
War occasions dishonesty. In countries where armies are raised by voluntary enlistment all kinds of deception and art are practiced by recruiting officers, and connived at by their governments, to induce the heedless youth to enlist. The honor and glory of the employment is held up to view in false colors; the importance of their bounty and wages are magnified; the lightness of the duty and opportunities for amus.e.m.e.nts and recreation are held out; and probably one half have the a.s.surances of being noncommissioned officers, with a flattering prospect of a speedy advancement; and prospects of plunder are also held out to their cupidity. These deceptive motives are daily urged under the stimulating power of ardent spirits and the fascinating charms of martial music and military finery. Many a young man who has entered the rendezvous from curiosity or for the sake of a dram, without the least idea of joining the army, has been entrapped into intoxication, and his hand then grasped the pen to seal his fate.
Recruits after joining the army find from experience that most of the allurements held out to them to enlist were but a deception, and from l.u.s.t and want they often become petty thieves and plunderers to repay them for their great privations, fatigues, and sufferings.
War occasions drunkenness,--one of the greatest evils and most destructive to morality, as a mult.i.tude of other vices necessarily follow in its train. Many a young man has entered the military ranks _temperate_, and has returned from them a _sot_. All the enticements of liquor are exhibited in the most inviting forms to youth in the streets by the recruiting officer, to tempt them to enlist; and while those who have enrolled themselves remain at the rendezvous, they are probably every day intoxicated with the inebriating poison, soul and body, and soon the habit becomes confirmed. While in actual service their fatigues are so great that they greedily lay hold on the destroying liquor wherever they can find it to exhilarate their languid frames, even if they had not before acquired an insatiable thirst; and soon this detestable evil will become so enchanting that they will not only barter away their wages for it but their necessary clothing. If they survive the campaign and return to their homes, they are often the visitors of grogshops and taverns, and by their marvelous stories attract the populace around them, who must join them in circulating the cup; and thus they spread this destroying evil all around.
War occasions profaneness. Profaneness is an abomination in the sight of G.o.d: ”For the Lord will not hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain.” Profaneness draws down the judgments of heaven, ”for because of swearing the land mourneth.”
That soldiers are generally considered more profane than other men is evident, because it has become a proverb that ”such a person is as profane as a soldier, or a man-of-war's man.” Young men who have been taught to revere the name of the G.o.d of their fathers may shudder at the awful profanations that fill their ears when they first enter an army; but if dest.i.tute of grace in the heart, the sound will soon cease to offend, and they will eagerly inhale the blasphemous breath and become champions in impiety. For want of habit they may not swear with so easy a grace as the older soldiers; they will for that reason make great exertions and invent new oaths, which will stimulate their fellows again to exceed in daring impiety. Seldom does a soldier return from the camp without the foul mouth of profanity. Astonis.h.i.+ng to think that those who are most exposed to death should be most daring in wickedness!
War occasions gambling. A great proportion of the amus.e.m.e.nts of the camp are petty plays at chance, and the stake usually a drink of grog. The play is fascinating. Mult.i.tudes of soldiers become established gamblers to the extent of their ability, and often, if they return to society, spread the evil among their neighbors.
War begets a spirit of quarreling, boxing, and dueling; and no wonder that it should, for the whole business of war is nothing else but quarreling and fighting. The soldier's ambition is to be a bully, a hero, and to be careless of his own life and the lives of others. He is therefore impatient in contradiction, receives an insult where none was intended, and is ready to redress the supposed injury with the valor of his own arms; for it will not do for soldiers to shrink from the contest and be cowards.
War destroys the habits of industry and produces idleness. Industry is necessary to good morals as well as to the wealth and happiness of a country, and every wise government will take all laudable means to encourage it; but a large proportion of common soldiers who may return from the armies have lost the relish and habits of manual labor and are often found loitering about in public places, and if they engage in any kinds of labor, it is with a heavy hand and generally to little purpose.
They therefore make bad husbands, unhappy neighbors, and are worse than a dead weight in society. Their children are badly educated and provided for, and trained up to demoralizing habits, which are handed down from generation to generation.
These immoralities, and many more that might be named, are not confined to soldiers in time of war, but they are diffused more or less through the whole ma.s.s of community; and war produces a general corruption in a nation, and is therefore unwise, even in a temporal point of view. But when we consider the natural effects of these immoralities on the souls of men, all temporal advantages are in comparison annihilated. In this school of vice millions are ripening for eternal woe. The destroying influence will spread and diffuse itself through the whole ma.s.s of society unless the spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against it.
The state of morals, so much depressed by the American Revolution, was only raised by the blessed effusions of G.o.d's holy spirit.
If war does actually demoralize a people, then no wise person can consistently engage in it.
VII. WAR IS UNWISE, AS IT IS HAZARDING ETERNAL THINGS FOR ONLY THE CHANCE OF DEFENDING TEMPORAL THINGS
Says our blessed Saviour: ”For what is a man profited, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
The loss of a soul infinitely exceeds all finite calculations. It is not only deprived forever and ever of all good but is plunged into misery inexpressible and everlasting. All temporal things dwindle to nothing when placed in comparison with eternal realities. The rights, liberties, and wealth of nations are of little value compared with one immortal soul. But astonis.h.i.+ng to think that millions and millions have been put at everlasting hazard only for the chance of defending temporal things!
The habits and manners of a soldier's life are calculated, as we have already seen, to demoralize them, to obliterate all early serious impressions, to introduce and confirm them in the most daring wickedness and fit them for everlasting destruction. And notwithstanding G.o.d may have occasionally, to display his sovereign power, s.n.a.t.c.hed some soldiers from the ranks of rebellion and made them the heirs of his grace, yet no sober Christian will say that the army is a likely place to promote their salvation; but, on the contrary, must acknowledge that it is a dangerous place for the souls of men. It may be a.s.sumed as an undeniable fact that the great ma.s.s of soldiers are notoriously depraved and wicked. With but few exceptions their impiety grows more daring the longer they practice war; and when it is considered that thousands and thousands of such are hurried by war prematurely into eternity, with all their sins unpardoned, what an amazing sacrifice appears only for some supposed temporal good. But when it is remembered that this infinite sacrifice is made merely for the chance of obtaining some temporal advantage, the folly of war appears in more glaring colors, as the battle is not always to the strong. Those who are contending for their rights, and are least in the wrong, are about as often unsuccessful as otherwise, and then they very much increase their evils in a temporal point of view. A wise man would not engage in a lawsuit to recover a cent, admitting that it was his just due, if the trial put to the hazard his whole estate. But this bears no comparison with _one soul_ in compet.i.tion with all temporal things; and yet men, professing to be _wise_, not only put one soul at hazard but millions, not for the _chance_ of defending all temporal good, but often for a mere bubble, the hollow sound of honor; and many of those who are watching for souls, and must give an account, instead of sounding the alarm, approve of it.
All who engage in war, either in the field or otherwise, practically regard _time_ more than eternity, and _temporal_ more than _eternal_ things.
If souls are of more value than temporal things, and eternity of more consequence than time, it must be _unwise_ to engage in a war and put souls to immediate hazard of everlasting ruin, and totally wrong for Christians to engage in it.
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