land of our nativity only as we love all other lands. The interests,
rights, liberties of American citizens, are no more dear to us than are
those of the whole human race. Hence we can allow no appeal to patriotism,
to revenge any national insult or injury. The PRINCE OF PEACE, under whose
stainless banner we rally, came not to destroy, but to save, even the
worst of enemies. He has left us an example, that we should follow his
steps. GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET
SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.
“We conceive that, if a nation has no right to defend itself against
foreign enemies, or to punish its invaders, no individual possesses that
right in his own case. The unit cannot be of greater importance than the
aggregate. If one man may take life, to obtain or defend his rights, the
same license must necessarily be granted to communities, states, and
nations. If _he_ may use a dagger or a pistol, _they_ may employ cannon,
bomb-shells, land and naval forces. The means of self-preservation must be
in proportion to the magnitude of interests at stake, and the number of
lives exposed to destruction. But if a rapacious and bloodthirsty
soldiery, thronging these shores from abroad, with intent to commit rapine
and destroy life, may not be resisted by the people or magistracy, then
ought no resistance to be offered to domestic troublers of the public
peace, or of private security. No obligations can rest upon Americans to
regard foreigners as more sacred in their persons than themselves, or to
give them a monopoly of wrong-doing with impunity.
“The dogma, that all the governments of the world are approvingly ordained
of God, and that THE POWERS THAT BE, in the United States, in Russia, in
Turkey, are in accordance with his will, is not less absurd than impious.
It makes the impartial Author of human freedom and equality unequal and
tyrannical. It cannot be affirmed that THE POWERS THAT BE, in any nation,
are actuated by the spirit, or guided by the example, of Christ, in the
treatment of enemies; therefore they cannot be agreeable to the will of
God; and, therefore, their overthrow, by a spiritual regeneration of their
subjects, is inevitable.
“We register our testimony, not only against all wars, whether offensive
or defensive, but all preparations for war; against every naval ship,
every arsenal, every fortification; against the militia system and a
standing army; against all military chieftains and soldiers; against all
monuments commemorative of victory over a foreign foe, all trophies won in
battle, all celebrations in honor of military or naval exploits; against
all appropriations for the defence of a nation by force and arms, on the
part of any legislative body; against every edict of government requiring
of its subjects military service. Hence we deem it unlawful to bear arms,
or to hold a military office.
“As every human government is upheld by physical strength, and its laws
are enforced virtually at the point of the bayonet, we cannot hold any
office which imposes upon its incumbent the obligation to compel men to do
right, on pain of imprisonment or death. We therefore voluntarily exclude
ourselves from every legislative and judicial body, and repudiate all
human politics, worldly honors, and stations of authority. If _we_ cannot
occupy a seat in the legislature, or on the bench, neither can we elect
_others_ to act as our substitutes in any such capacity.
“It follows that we cannot sue any man at law, to compel him by force to
restore any thing which he may have wrongfully taken from us or others;
but, if he has seized our coat, we shall surrender up our cloak rather
than subject him to punishment.
“We believe that the penal code of the old covenant, AN EYE FOR AN EYE,
AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH, has been abrogated by JESUS CHRIST; and that,
under the new covenant, the forgiveness, instead of the punishment, of
enemies has been enjoined upon all his disciples, in all cases whatsoever.
To extort money from enemies, or set them upon a pillory, or cast them
into prison or hang them upon a gallows, is obviously not to forgive, but
to take retribution. VENGEANCE IS MINE—I WILL REPAY, SAITH THE LORD.
“The history of mankind is crowded with evidences proving that physical
coërcion is not adapted to moral regeneration; that the sinful
dispositions of man can be subdued only by love; that evil can be
exterminated from the earth only by goodness; that it is not safe to rely
upon an arm of flesh, upon man, whose breath is in his nostrils, to
preserve us from harm; that there is great security in being gentle,
harmless, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy; that it is only the meek
who shall inherit the earth, for the violent, who resort to the sword, are
destined to perish with the sword. Hence, as a measure of sound policy,—of
safety to property, life, and liberty,—of public quietude and private
enjoyment,—as well as on the ground of allegiance to HIM who is KING OF
KINGS and LORD OF LORDS,—we cordially adopt the non-resistance principle;
being confident that it provides for all possible consequences, will
insure all things needful to us, is armed with omnipotent power, and must
ultimately triumph over every assailing force.
“We advocate no Jacobinical doctrines. The spirit of Jacobinism is the
spirit of retaliation, violence, and murder. It neither fears God nor
regards man. _We_ would be filled with the Spirit of CHRIST. If we abide
by our principles, it is impossible for us to be disorderly, or plot
treason, or participate in any evil work: we shall submit to every
ordinance of man, FOR THE LORD’S SAKE; obey all the requirements of
government, except such as we deem contrary to the commands of the gospel;
and in no case resist the operation of law, except by meekly submitting to
the penalty of disobedience.
“But while we shall adhere to the doctrine of non-resistance and passive
submission to enemies, we purpose, in a moral and spiritual sense, to
speak and act boldly in the cause of GOD; to assail iniquity in high
places and in low places; to apply our principles to all existing civil,
political, legal, and ecclesiastical institutions; and to hasten the time
when the kingdoms of this world will have become the kingdoms of our LORD
and of his CHRIST, and he shall reign forever.
“It appears to us a self-evident truth, that whatever the gospel is
designed to destroy at any period of the world, being contrary to it,
ought now to be abandoned. If, then, the time is predicted, when swords
shall be beaten into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks, and men
shall not learn the art of war any more, it follows that all who
manufacture, sell, or wield those deadly weapons, do thus array themselves
against the peaceful dominion of the SON OF GOD on earth.”
Having thus frankly stated their principles and purposes, they proceed to
specify the measures they propose to adopt, in carrying their object into
effect, as follows:—
“We expect to prevail through THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING, striving to
commend ourselves unto every man’s conscience, in the sight of GOD. From
the press, we shall promulgate our sentiments as widely as practicable. We
shall endeavor to secure the coöperation of all persons, of whatever name
or sect. The triumphant progress of the cause of TEMPERANCE and of
ABOLITION in our land, through the instrumentality of benevolent and
voluntary associations, encourages us to combine our own means and efforts
for the promotion of a still greater cause. Hence we shall employ
lecturers, circulate tracts and publications, form societies, and petition
our state and national governments, in relation to the subject of
UNIVERSAL PEACE. It will be our leading object to devise ways and means
for effecting a radical change in the views, feelings and practices of
society, respecting the sinfulness of war and the treatment of enemies.
“In entering upon the great work before us, we are not unmindful that, in
its prosecution, we may be called to test our sincerity, even as in a
fiery ordeal. It may subject us to insult, outrage, suffering, yea, even
death itself. We anticipate no small amount of misconception,
misrepresentation, calumny. Tumults may arise against us. The ungodly and
violent, the proud and Pharisaical, the ambitious and tyrannical,
principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places, may
combine to crush us. So they treated the MESSIAH, whose example we are
humbly striving to imitate. If we suffer with him, we know that we shall
reign with him. We shall not be afraid of their terror, neither be
troubled. Our confidence is in the LORD ALMIGHTY, not in man.
“Having withdrawn from human protection, what can sustain us but that
faith which overcomes the world? We shall not think it strange concerning
the fiery trial which is to try us, as though some strange thing had
happened unto us, but rejoice, inasmuch as we are partakers of CHRIST’S
sufferings. Wherefore we commit the keeping of our souls to GOD, in
well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. FOR EVERY ONE THAT FORSAKES
HOUSES, OR BRETHREN, OR SISTERS, OR FATHER, OR MOTHER, OR WIFE, OR
CHILDREN, OR LANDS FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, SHALL RECEIVE A HUNDRED FOLD, AND
SHALL INHERIT EVERLASTING LIFE.”
For entertaining these sentiments, they say that they “have been
stigmatized as no human government men,” and ranked among disorganizers
and anarchists. But they believe that the gospel requires men to suppress
every angry emotion, to forgive every injury, to revenge none; and they
ask, “Shall we forgive as individuals, and retaliate as communities? Shall
we turn the other cheek as individuals, and plunge a dagger into the heart
of our enemy as nations? We might as well be sober as individuals, and
drunk as nations. We might as well be merciful as individuals, and rob as
patriots.” They believe that the forgiveness of enemies, whether foreign
or domestic, is the essence, the chief virtue, the soul of the gospel;
that we should preach our Savior’s peace, even if it brings us to our
Savior’s cross; that Christians should not punish, either to amend those
who trespass against them, or to comfort themselves; for they do not amend
others by fines and imprisonments, nor do they need any better comfort
than that of their Savior, who, on the cross, not only prayed, but
apologized for his murderers; that, if the gospel is right in prescribing
pardon, the law is wrong in inflicting punishment; that, if a Christian
reigns, he reigns by love, not by force; that he cannot smile with frowns,
forgive with punishment, love with hatred, bless with the sword, do good
with evil, be humble with pride, love God and serve Mammon; that moral
power would govern men altogether cheaper and better than physical; that
the destruction of every kingdom that has heretofore existed, proves that
men will not, cannot be governed by physical force; that the refusal of
our Savior to govern, when he had the power of miracles, was his greatest
miracle; and that his obedience, forgiveness, sufferings, and death,
established the constitution of a government, in which peace on earth and
good-will to men will be maintained by the God of peace, the Prince of
peace, and the Spirit of peace. They believe that, when Jesus referred his
hearers to the law of retaliation, which law constituted the great
fundamental principle in the Jewish civil government, and when, in express
terms, he repealed that law, he laid the axe at the root of that
government, and virtually repealed or abrogated the whole of it; for of
what force can any civil government be, which cannot enforce its laws by
inflicting evil upon its violators? When Jesus took from the Jewish civil
ruler the right to inflict punishment, he declared the only civil
government, which God had ever instituted, and recognized as of any
rightful authority, to be null and void forever. They think it will be
admitted, by all who receive the plain declarations of Scripture as truth,
that no man, as an individual, has the right to render evil for evil, or
to enforce even his lawful claims, by his fist, the club, or the sword.
But if a man has no such right as an individual, he has none as a member
of a family, or as the inhabitant of a town, county, state, or nation;
hence he cannot delegate any such right to others, called legislators,
magistrates, judges, sheriffs, &c. If no man has the right to retaliate
with the fist, or club, or sword, it is equally and immutably true that he
has no right to render evil for evil, by using laws, or magistrates, or
judges, or sheriffs, as the clubs, or swords, or the instruments of such
retaliation. When men “resist evil,” either by the use of the club, or of
human law, the principle upon which they act is the same in both cases;
the only difference is in the instruments employed.
SOUTHCOTTERS.
Dr. Evans gives the following account of the religious views and opinions
of Joanna Southcott, who made considerable noise in England, towards the
close of the last century:—
“The mission of this prophetess commenced in the year 1792, and the number
of people who have joined with her from that period to the present time,
as believing her to be divinely inspired, was considerable. It was
asserted that she was the instrument, under the direction of Christ, to
announce the establishment of his kingdom on earth, as a fulfilment of all
the promises in the Scriptures, and of that prayer which he himself gave
to his followers; and more particularly of the promise made to the woman
in the fall, through which the human race is to be redeemed from all the
effects of it in the end. We are taught by the communication of the Spirit
of truth to her, that the seven days of the creation were types of the two
periods in which the reign of Satan and of Christ are to be proved and
contrasted. Satan was conditionally to have his reign tried for six
thousand years, shadowed by the six days in which the Lord worked, as his
Spirit has striven with man while under the powers of darkness; but
Satan’s reign is to be shortened, for the sake of the elect, as declared
in the gospel; and Satan is to have a further trial at the expiration of
the thousand years, for a time equal to the number of the days shortened.
At the close of the seven thousand years, the judgment is to take place,
and the whole human race will collectively bring forward the testimony of
the evil they suffered under the reign of Satan, and of the good they
enjoyed under the spiritual reign of Christ. These two testimonies will be
evidence, before the whole creation of God, that the pride of Satan was
the cause of his rebellion in heaven, and that he was the root of evil
upon earth; and, consequently, when those two great proofs have been
brought forward, that part of the human race that has fallen under his
power, to be tormented by being in the society of Satan and his angels,
will revolt from him in that great day, will mourn that they have been
deluded, will repent, and the Savior of all will hold out his hand to them
in mercy, and will then prepare a new earth for them to work
righteousness, and prepare them ultimately to join his saints, who have
fought the good fight in this world, while under the reign of Satan.
“The mission of Joanna is to be accomplished by a perfect obedience to the
Spirit that directs her, and so to be made to claim the promise of
‘bruising the head of the serpent;’ and which promise was made to the
woman on her casting the blame upon Satan, whom she unwittingly obeyed,
and thus man became dead to the knowledge of the good; and so he blamed
his Creator for giving him the woman, who was pronounced his helpmate for
good. To fulfil the attribute of justice, Christ took upon himself that
blame, and assumed his humanity, to suffer on the cross for it, that he
might justly bring the cross upon Satan, and rid him from the earth, and
then complete the creation of man, so as to be after his own image. It is
declared that ‘the seed of the woman’ are those who in faith shall join
with her in claiming the promise made in the fall; and they are to
subscribe with their hands unto the Lord that they do thus join with her,
praying for the destruction of the powers of darkness, and for the
establishment of the kingdom of Christ. Those who thus come forward in
this spiritual war, are to have the seal of the Lord’s protection; and if
they remain faithful soldiers, death and hell shall not have power over
them; and these are to make up the sealed number of one hundred and
forty-four thousand, to stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion. The fall of
Satan’s kingdom will be a second deluge over the earth; so that, from his
having brought the human race under his power, a great part of them will
fall with him; for the Lord will pluck out of his kingdom all that offend
and do wickedly. The voice which announces the coming of the Messiah is
accompanied with judgments, and the nations must be shaken and brought low
before they will lay these things to heart. When all these things are
accomplished, then the desire of nations will come in glory, so that
‘every eye shall see him,’ and he will give his kingdom to his saints.
“It is represented that in the Bible is recorded every event by which the
Deity will work the ultimate happiness of the human race, but that the
great plan is, for the most part, represented by types and shadows, and
otherwise so wrapped up in mysteries, as to be inscrutable to human
wisdom. As the Lord pronounced that man should become dead to knowledge if
he ate the forbidden fruit, so the Lord must prove his words true. He
therefore selected a peculiar people as depositaries of the records of
that knowledge; and he appeared among them, and they proved themselves
dead to every knowledge of him, by crucifying him. He will, in like
manner, put the wild olive to the same test; and the result will be, that
he will be now crucified in the spirit.
“The mission of Joanna began in 1792, at which time she had prophecies
given her, showing how the whole was to be accomplished. Among other
things, the Lord said he should visit the surrounding nations with various
calamities for fifteen years, as a warning to _this_ land; and that then
he should bring about events here which should more clearly manifest the
truth of her mission, by judgment and otherwise; so that this should be
the happy nation to be the first redeemed from its troubles, and be the
instrument for awakening the rest of the world to a sense of what is
coming upon all, and for destroying _the Beast_, and those who worship his
image.
“Joanna Southcott died of a protracted illness. It Was given out that she
was to be the mother of a _Second Shiloh_. Presents were accordingly made
her for the _Babe_, especially a superb cradle, with a Hebrew inscription
in poetry. But she expired, and no child appeared on the occasion. A stone
placed over her remains in the New Burial-ground, Mary-le-bone, has this
mystic inscription:—
In Memory Of
Joanna Southcott.
Who departed this life December 27th, 1814,
Aged 60 years.
While, through all thy wondrous days,
Heaven and earth enraptured gaze,—
While vain sages think they know
Secrets thou alone canst show,—
Time alone will tell what hour
Thou’lt appear in greater power.”
FAMILY OF LOVE.
A sect that arose in Holland, in the sixteenth century, founded by Henry
Nicholas, a Westphalian. He maintained that he had a commission from
Heaven to teach men that the essence of religion consisted in the feelings
of divine love; that all other theological tenets, whether they related to
objects of faith or modes of worship, were of no sort of moment, and,
consequently, that it was a matter of the most perfect indifference what
opinions Christians entertained concerning the divine nature, provided
their hearts burned with the pure and sacred flame of piety and love.
HUTCHINSONIANS.
Hutchinsonians, the followers of John Hutchinson, born in Yorkshire, 1674,
and who, in the early part of his life, served the duke of Somerset in the
capacity of steward. The Hebrew Scriptures, he says, comprise a perfect
system of natural philosophy, theology, and religion. In opposition to Dr.
Woodward’s “Natural History of the Earth,” Mr. Hutchinson, in 1724,
published the first part of his curious book, called “Moses’ Principia.”
Its second part was presented to the public in 1727, which contains, as he
apprehends, the principles of the Scripture philosophy, which are a plenum
and the air. So high an opinion did he entertain of the Hebrew language,
that he thought the Almighty must have employed it to communicate every
species of knowledge, and that, accordingly, every species of knowledge is
to be found in the Old Testament. Of his mode of philosophizing, the
following specimen is brought forward to the reader’s attention:—“The air,
he supposes, exists in three conditions,—fire, light, and spirit;—the two
latter are the finer and grosser parts of the air in motion; from the
earth to the sun, the air is finer and finer, till it becomes pure light
near the confines of the sun, and fire in the orb of the sun, or solar
focus. From the earth towards the circumference of this system, in which
he includes the fixed stars, the air becomes grosser and grosser, till it
becomes stagnant, in which condition it is at the utmost verge of this
system, from whence, in his opinion, the expression of _outer darkness_,
and _blackness of darkness_, used in the New Testament, seems to be
taken.”
The followers of Mr. Hutchinson are numerous, and among others the Rev.
Mr. Romaine, Lord Duncan Forbes, of Culloden, and the late amiable Dr.
Horne, bishop of Norwich.
MORMONITES, OR THE CHURCH OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
In a little work entitled _Religious Creeds and Statistics_, published in
1836, we gave some account of the origin and faith of the Mormonites, or
_Latter-Day Saints_, as they prefer being called. Since that time, we have
received an additional stock of the publications of this people, and are
now enabled to tell their story in their own words.
In a letter dated Nauvoo, Illinois, March 1, 1842, Prophet Joseph Smith
says:—
“On the evening of the 21st of September, A. D. 1823, while I was
praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the
precious promises of Scripture, on a sudden a light like that of
day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance and
brightness, burst into the room; indeed, the first sight was as
though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance
produced a shock that affected the whole body In a moment, a
personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than
that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger
proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful
tidings, that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was
at hand to be fulfilled; that the preparatory work for the second
coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was
at hand for the gospel, in all its fulness, to be preached, in
power, unto all nations, that a people might be prepared for the
millennial reign.
“I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands
of God to bring about some of his purposes in this glorious
dispensation.
“I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this
country, and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a
brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws,
governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the
blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people,
was made known unto me. I was also told where there were deposited
some plates, on which was engraven an abridgment of the records of
the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel
appeared to me three times the same night, and unfolded the same
things. After having received many visits from the angels of God,
unfolding the majesty and glory of the events that should
transpire in the last days, on the morning of the 22d of
September, A. D 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered the records
into my hands.