FIGHTING CHRISTIANS. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6385, 31 July 1882, Page 3

FIGHTING CHRISTIANS. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, —I was much pleased with the mild and Christian rebuke, administered by your correspondent "Peace" to that pugnacious preacher of the Gospol, Mr Torlong. Here is a gentleman professing—and ho doubt sincerely—to be a disciple of the Prince of Peace, calling on us day after day to be prepared to tight and destroy our enemies when they approach our shores, in opposition to tho command —" I say unto you that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, tuni to him the other also, And if any man will sue thee at the Jaw and take away thy coat, let him. have thy cloak also. And whosover shall compel theo to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of theo turn not away." These words are plain,- and thera can be no doubt as to their meaning. They teach us that it is our duty, in the event of the Russians appearing off the Ocean Beach as enemies, to treat thera kindly ; give them what they ask; bless them, and lot them depart in peace. No, no, says Mr Forlong, we'll do nothing of the kind; on tho contrary, we will erect batteries, mount them with cannon, and, under the command of our Christian friend Captain Scott, blow the invaders to "smithereens," every soul of them, before we lot them put a foot on New Zealand, even though they bo not prepared to meet their Maker. Alas, alas! this is the language of unregenerated man, and we all know that such lauguage indicates a heart that is dreadfully wicked.

Mr Forlong declares that he was at one time a Deist, but, happily for him, he ,has long been converted to Christianity. 'I am somewhat afraid, however, that a

little of the leaven of the natural man clings to him yet, and that the example of Tom Paine has more influence over him than that of the peaceful .Tesus. Tom was a dreadful old sinner in the way of fighting, for not only did he shoulder a musket himself, but he did all he could by his pen to stimulate the Americans to resist that Christian King, George 111, and establish by tho sword their liberty and independence. In conclusion, let mo implore Mr Forlongf to become a man of peace, and to. remember that "all they that take tho sword shall perish with the sword."—l am, &c, Consistency. July 29th.