On the Military Question
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has bestowed upon them liberal blessings, and surrounded them with
everything needful, yet they have bowed to images of wood and stone,
silver and gold, which their own hands have made. They teach their
children that these are the Gods that give them life and health, and
make their lands fruitful, and give them riches and honor. They scorn
the God of Israel. They despise His people, because their works are
righteous. “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are
corrupt, they have done abominable works” (
Psalm 14:1
). God has
borne with them until they filled up the measure of their iniquity, and
then He has brought upon them swift destruction. He has used His
people as instruments of His wrath, to punish wicked nations, who
have vexed them, and seduced them into idolatry.
A family picture was presented before me. A part of the children
seem anxious to learn and obey the requirements of the father, while
the others trample upon his authority, and seem to exult in showing
contempt of his family government. They share the benefits of their
father’s house, and are constantly receiving of his bounty. They are
wholly dependent upon him for all they receive, yet are not grateful, but
conduct themselves proudly, as though all the favors they received of
their indulgent parent were supplied by themselves. The father notices
all the disrespectful acts of his disobedient, ungrateful children, yet he
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bears with them.
At length, these rebellious children go still further, and seek to
influence and lead to rebellion those members of their father’s family
who have hitherto been faithful. Then all the dignity and authority
of the father is called into action, and he expels from his house the
rebellious children, who have not only abused his love and blessings
themselves, but tried to subvert the remaining few who had submitted
to the wise and judicious laws of their father’s household.
For the sake of the few who are loyal, whose happiness was ex-
posed to the seditious influence of the rebellious members of his
household, he separates from his family his undutiful children, while
at the same time he labors to bring closer to himself the remaining
faithful and loyal ones. All would honor the wise and just course of
such a parent, in punishing most severely his undutiful, rebellious
children.
God has dealt thus with His children. But man, in his blindness,
will overlook the abominations of the ungodly, and pass by unnoticed