Tiy them, in fact, the old pagan war spirit is repressed, and a wal' policy discouraged. The main pursuits of their life arc to be found in the tillage of the soil. A standing army was unknown among them. ,var was not to be encouraged by an indis- criminate le,y of men, nor was it to lie pursued at the cost either of the industrial pursuits or of the domesticities and sanctities of life. If even in those days the war spirit. was to be kept in subjection, mnch more should it be so now I 'l'he preacher may at appropriate times and seasons develop herefrom Dible principles respecting war. 1. ,,, ar itself, in any form, is regarded in the Word of God as but an accompaniment of a trnnsition state of things. It is not to last always (Ps. xlvi.; Isa. ii.; Luke ii.). Hence all should desire and pray that it may speedily come to an end. 2. Aggressive and unpro,okcd war for the mere purposes of conquest, finds no sanction whatever in the ,, ord of God. Israel's wars of conquest were to be limited within assigned bounds. 3. ,Yar should never be resorted to except in a case of stern necessity. Israel was to make the effort to avoid war, if possible. 4. Supremacy in war should never be the chief care of a people. It should at all times regard war as but an occasional and awful necessity, and should see more glory in avoiding it than in conquest. 5. When war is engage,! in simply from sheer necessity, its horrors should be mitigated by a humane regard for the enemy's welfare. There is more honour in kindly con- siderat.ion for an enemy than there is in crushing him. T() deprive him of the means of livelihood is a barbarity infinitely to be condemned. 6. When war becomes a stern necessity, so that it cannot righteously be avoided, it may then be invested with religious sanctions, and the blessing and help of God may be expected, asked for, and relied upon; then a people may say," In the Name of our God we will set up uur banners" (Ps. xx.). For success in such a war, a united people may look up to their God, and they will find that Jehovah bears. There can be no finer instance uf this than the one recorded in 2 Chron. xx. 'l'he prayer of Jehoshaphat is sublime. The answer came. 7. ,vhen thus a people can confidingly look up to the Most High, and in the full assurance of being right can ask his blessing, there should be no faint-heartedness known among thtm. They may be strong and of a good courage, The Lord God goeth with their armies, and he will give them success.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-5.- War. The wars of the world form a large part of its history. Savage natious delight in war, revel in its bloodshed and barbarities. Their heaven is a Yalhalla. Civilized communities, while averse from having wars waged on them, are not always so averse from waging war on others. Military ambition, lust of conquest, hope of enrichment by pillage, the wiping out of old grudges, may instigate them to this course. Wherever or however waged, wars are a source of incalculable misery. It may be said of them, "It must needs be that wars come, but woe to tba.t man by whom the war cometh!" War is not to be sought, it is to be by every legitimate means avoided, but it may become a nEcessity. In this ca.se it must be bravely undertaken, and our trust placed in God for his help. I. RELIGIOUS COURAGE 1''EEDED IN WAR. It is a not uncommon idea that the influence of Teligion is adverse to the hardier elements in character. 'l'he Christian faith in particular is thought to inculcate a meek passivity of disposition, which, if not absolutely incol15istent with patriotism, courage, and other soldierly virtues, is at least unfavourable to their development. The man of spirit and the devout man are supposed to represent two opposite and incompatible types of character. This idea. is strange, when we remember how largely the images and illustrations of the Christian life in Scripture are drawn from warfare. But it is sufficiently refuted by reference to facts. The meekness and unwearied forgivingness which is to cba.ractllrize the Christian in his private relations is perfectly compatible with the most unflinching heroism in the discharge of public duty, and in the service of his country in her appeal io the God of battles. Christian meekness is not softness or effeminacy. On the contrary, it is an aspect of the highest courage, and develops moral qualities which make it easier to act courageously in any circumstances in which the individual may be placed. Civil liberty bas aeldom fared better than in the bands of God-fearing err. XL 1-20.] THE BOOK OF DEUTEltONOMY. 338