CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS. [TO THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR."] Sin,—As
the case of the conscientious objector skims for argument the verbal surface of the parabolical sayings of Jesus Christ, it may be worth while, for the sake of a younger generation, to retell the following very old story. "You see that burly fellow sitting at the table yonder," said a friend to his companion. "Well, he is what they call a Quaker. Go and give him a hard slap on the right cheek—the right, mind you—and he will calmly, without saying a word, turn the other cheek for you to slap that also." The Quaker was put to the test, and stood it faithfully. Ho did not resist, but let the coward have free play. Then, rising deliberately and taking off his coat, he said : "Friend, I have kept one law, but there is another." And, without stint, he administered to the delinquent a chastening which, for the present, seemeth not joyous, but grievous, which, nevertheless, afterward yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. For those who would not ponder things in their hearts and who kept their minds closed against anything bettor than tho mechanical keeping of rules, the teaching of Jesus Christ was such that, seeing, men might see and not perceive, and hearing, they might hear and not understand. If He said : "From him that taketh away thy cloke, withhold not thy coat also," He said also : "He that hath none, let him sell his clo'se and buy a sword." Although Ho said : "Resist not him that is evil," yet Ho Himself made a scourge of cords and drove the traffickers from the Temple. He said "To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other " ; nevertheless, when He Himself was smitten, He answered : "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil ; but if well, why smitest thou Mo ? " If the figure of the lamb in your correspondent's quotation from the Old Testament applies to Jesus Christ, so also does the New Testament figure of the good shepherd who, beholding the wolf coming, laid down his life for the sheep. Your correspondent says, very truly : "Respect is due to those who arc prepared to follow His example to the end." But who are so prepared ? Only the men who are saving themselves by a lamb-like passivity, or those also who are now laying down their lives to save humanity from the
foul spirit of Freesia ?—I am, Sir, &c., FRED E. Coaanr. White Lodge, Meads, Eastbourne.
Previous page
