The maxim, that in order to preserve peace, mankind must be prepared for
war, has become so common, and sanctioned by such high authority, that
few question its wisdom or policy; but if stripped of its specious garb,
it may appear to proceed not from that wisdom which came down from
above, which is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and
without hypocrisy"; and if it is not the wisdom from above, then it must
be the wisdom from beneath.
Are not pride, avarice, and revenge the seeds of all kinds of carnal
warfare? From these grow all the quarreling among children, the discord
among families, the bickerings, law suits, and broils among neighbors,
the boxing among bullies, the dueling among modern gentlemen, and wars
among nations. They all originate from one and the same spirit.
Now, is the mild, meek, and peaceable man, unarmed, more liable to
inspire jealousy in others that he is about to insult and abuse them
than the high-toned duelist who constantly carries with him deathly
weapons? Does he, in fact, so often get into difficulty, quarreling and
fighting? The respectable Society of Friends stands a living monument to
answer the question.
On the principles of self-defense, as they are styled, if one man
suspects an injury from another, unless he is naturally a more powerful
man, he must take a cane, as the principles of self-defense require a
superior power in your own hand, either by art or muscular strength.
When the other learns the suspicions and sees the preparation, he in his
turn must take a bludgeon to preserve the balance of power and proclaim
a threatening to awe his antagonist, who must now take a sword and
return a threatening in order to maintain his dignity; for it will not
do for men of honor to retract, however much they may be in the wrong.
The other, again, must take a deathly weapon for his defense, and
nothing is now wanting but an unhappy meeting to set each other's blood
a flowing.
Much in the same way do nations often get into desperate warfare. One
nation is busily increasing its military strength on the plausible maxim
of preserving peace and maintaining its rights. Another nation views the
preparations with a jealous eye, and also goes to work on the same
principle to make formidable preparations. All the nations around take
the alarm, and on the same principle begin active preparations, all
vying with each other to become the most formidable. If one sends an
ambassador to inquire the cause of the great preparations, the answer
always is, let the motive be what it may, _For their own defense_. Then
the other makes new exertions and begins to fortify towns on the
confines of his neighbor, who must not only do the same but march a
large army for the defense of his frontier; and the other must do
likewise. By this time, if no old quarrel remained unsettled, perhaps
one charges the other with encroachment on territory; the other denies
the charge, and contends sharply for his pretended rights. Ministers may
be interchanged, and while negotiations are pending a high tone must be
taken by both parties, for this is an essential principle in the
doctrine of self-defense; the contrary would betray weakness and fear.
Newspapers must be ushered forth with flaming pieces to rouse, as it is
called, the spirit of the countries, so as to impress upon the populace
the idea that the approaching war is just and necessary, for all wars
must be just and necessary on both sides. In the meantime envoys
extraordinary may be sent to other powers by each party to enlist their
aid,--most of whom are already prepared for war,--and each one selects
his side according to his interests and feelings. At length the
_ultimatum_ is given and refused, and the dreadful conflict commences.
Few wars, however, begin in this slow and progressive mode; a trifling
aggression is sufficient to blow up the flame with nations already
prepared.
Thus, we see, nations resemble bulldogs who happen to meet. They will
first raise their hairs, show their teeth, then growl, and then seize
upon each other with all their strength and fury; and bulldogs have
something of the same kind of honor, for they scorn to retreat.
Hence we see that the acknowledged principles of defensive war are the
vital springs of most of the wars that agitate and desolate our world.
The pretended distinction between offensive and defensive war is but a
name. All parties engaged in war proclaim to the world that they only
are fighting in defense of their rights, and that their enemies are the
aggressors; while it may be impossible for man to decide which are most
in the wrong.
The popular maxim of being prepared for war in order to be at peace may
be seen to be erroneous in fact, for the history of nations abundantly
shows that few nations ever made great preparations for war and remained
long in peace. When nations prepare for war they actually go to war, and
tell the world that their preparations were not a mere show.
Thus we may see that the principles and preparations of war actually
engender war instead of promoting peace; and of course they are unwise,
and, if unwise, then it is folly for Christians to engage in them.