id of getting killed when he knows he's right. It may be
just as honorable to perish with the sword as to be crucified."

This statement, savoring of the heresy that was introduced into American
thought both by soldiers returning from the Civil War and by men
returning from the lawless life of the West, rather shocked the
minister, who was a good and sincere man. But he only said:

"Surely, you are a Christian?"

"Well," replied the Californian, "I don't know. If Jesus Christ said
self-defense is wrong, then He was mistaken."

Here the argument ended. But the theme is a fruitful one; and every
thoughtful man and woman in Reedsville was bound to consider it. Dead
men tell no tales and make no arguments. Will Cummins slept peacefully
on. But the facts of the case were too plain to be ignored; and the
Californian's doubt of Christ's infallibility was widely discussed.

It was indeed a great issue, involving the fundamental principles of
Christianity. A brave man, who is not a scoffer, attacks the doctrine of
non-resistance, and lays down his life for the faith that is in him. A
martyr, then. Martyrdom in itself cannot establish a principle; but we
respect martyrdom. Turn the argument around: the martyrdom of Christ did
not establish the correctness of His teaching.

But this leads to a further question, namely, the nature of Christ--was
Christ human or divine? We may honestly say He was both; for if ever man
was inspired He was. But He might have made mistakes, as other inspired
teachers have done. And what did He really teach? Not one word of
Scripture was written by His hand. The spirit of Christ--this is the
important thing. The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life. Did He not
caution us to look not to Himself but to God? "Why callest thou me good?
One there is who is good, even God" ... "Not those who say, 'Lord,
Lord,' but those who do the will of My Father which is in heaven."

Self-defense is a duty which civilized man owes to civilization. Will
you tell me that the hundreds of thousands of Armenians who, making no
resistance, have perished like sheep at the hands of the Turks, were
better men than the four thousand who fled to the mountains and fought
off their persecutors till help arrived? Read of the heroic defense,
when for fifty-three days the men of that gallant band, with a few
rifles, saved their women and children from worse than death. I say
these men performed a duty to God and man--to the Turk h