BAPTISTS AND CONSCIENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22261, 8 November 1935, Page 15

BAPTISTS AND CONSCIENCE

Sir, —Dr. Hodge declines to accept my definition of terms; if the Baptist definition of disloyalty is to be different from that generally accepted it makes it very difficult to reason with them. My complaint was that Dr. Hodge rather disingenuously altered the premises in my syllogism in order to arrive at a conclusion agreeable to himself. I had hoped that further reference to history would be unnecessary but if Dr. Hodge' will investigate ho will find numerous instances of the overthrow of nations who were either unwilling or unable to defend themselves, but I think it will be difficult to find a single instance of war being prevented by the passing of pious resolutions. Another misapprehension under which pacifists are labouring is that none hut themselves detest war. I have as great an abhorrence of war as any pacifist, but believe that their activities are more likely to bring about war by encouraging some envious nation to think that we are too pacifist to defend our possessions, and so attack us at a moment convenient to_ itself. Alternatively if we are well armed and resolute, no nation is likely to attack us. W.M. Sir —lf all on the side of the allies, previous to the late war, had been or Dr. Alexander Hodge's mind, Britain as well as Franco and Belgium would have been overrun, many thousands ot lives would have been sacrificed and frightful horrors would have been perpetrated. But Britain did only what, any right-minded nation could have done. He says: "It is high time that this talk of a war of defence was stopped." But that is impossible so long as so many nations are ready to take the offensive. We all long for the time when wars shall cease, but meanwhile we have to deal with conditions as they are, and we are responsible to meet our obligations as loyal citizens. Should we be called to defend our homes and our civilisation, we must answer the call. If we failed, and skulk behind a biassed conscience, we shall not only dishonour ourselves but lay a heavier burden upon the shoulders or others. If God is behind our civilisation, as we believe He is, then it is a sacred trust, and we are responsible to defend it. Christian Loyalist.