An inquiry into the accordancy of war with the principles of Christianity; and an examination of the philosophical reasoning by which it is defended. With observations on some of the causes of war and on some of its effects

Jonathan Dymond

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• War
• Evil

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• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 6
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 10 Mo

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V^AjPCa^ ^oifyvoLHA, -^.''Ji^
AN INQUIRY
INTO
THE ACCORDANCY OF WAR
WITH THE
PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY,
AND
AN EXAMINATION OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL REASONING BY WHICH
IS DEFENDED.IT
WITH
CAUSESOBSERVATIONS ON SOME OP THE OF WAR AND ON
SOME OF ITS EFFECTS.
j
BY JONATHAN DYMOND
Contempt prior examination, toto however comfortable the mind wliich entertains it.
or however natural to great parts, is extremely dangerous and
; more apt than almost
any other disposition, to produce erroneousjudgments both of persons and opinions.
Palet.
FOURTH EDITION, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED.
PHILADELPHIA .
WILLIAM BROWN, PRINTER.
18?5.-i-
^AN INQUIRY
INTO
THE ACCORDANCY OF WAR
WITH THE
PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY,
AND
AN EXAMINATION OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL REASONING BY WHICH
IT IS DEFENDED.
WITH
OBSSRVATIONS SOMEON OP THE CAUSES OF WAR AND ON
SOME OP ITS EFFECTS.
BY JONATHAN DYMOND
Contempt prior to examination, however comfortable to the mind which entertains it,
or however natural to great parts, is extremely dangerous; and more apt than almost
any other disposition, to produce erroneousjudgments both ofpersons and opinions.
Paley.
FOURTH EDITION, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED.
PHILADELPHIA:
[
WILLUM BROWN, PRINTER.
18S5.—
CONTENTS.
..-----Preface 5
I.—CAUSES OF WAR.
- - - -Original causes—Present multiplicity 9
—Want inquiry subjects - 10of ^This want not manifested on parallel
- - - - - -National irritability -13
" Balance powtr"^^-------ISof
Pecuniary interest - 18—Employment for the higher ranks of society
- -- -Amhition—Private purposes of state policy 20-------24Military glory
Foundation of military glory—Skill—Bravery—Patriotism
Patriotism not a motive to the soldier.
— — ------Books Historians Poets 3^
Writers who promote war sometimes assert its unlawfulness.
II.—AN INQUIRY, &c.----- .Palpableferocity war 40ofReasonableness the inquiry 41of
- - -Revealed will God the sole standard decision 42of of
- -Declarations great men that Christianity prohibits war 43of
- ------45Christianity -----General character Christianityof 47
- - -Precepts and declarations Jesus Christ - 48of
-Arguments that the precepts are figurative only - 51
- - -Precepts and declarations -the apostles 57of
Objections to theadvocate peace passages the Christian Scripturesof from of 60
peace - -Prophecies the Old Testament respecting an era 67of of
Early Christians—Their belief—Their practice—Early Christian--------69writers -------77Mosaic institutions
- - - • - -Example men piety 8Cof of
Objections to the advocate peace the distinction between the dutiesof from------private andpublic SSof life
this distinction from theMode of proving the rectitude of
- -absence arbitratoramongst nations 8*ofa common
- -principles expediency StMode of T^ro\ing it on the of
85Examination of the principles of expediency as applied to war
- -- 87of the mode of its application
- -- - . g[>Universality Christian obligationof
3Page
^^Dr. Paley's Moral and Political Philosophy^''—Chapter "on War."
Mode of discussing the question of its - -lawfulness 91
This mode inconsistent with the professed principles of the
-Moral Philosophy with— the usual practice of the author 93
Inapplicability of the principles proposed by the Moral Phi-
losophy to the - 95purposes of life - - -
Dr. Paley's >' Evidences Christianity'' - - - - 96of
Inconsistency of its statements with the principles of the
- - - - - -Moral Philosophy 98
.Argument infavour icar the excess male births - - 100of from of
the lawfulness coercion on the part the civil magistrate 101from of of
Right self-defence—Mode of maintaining the right from the in-of -------stincts of nature 104
Attack of an assassin—Principles on which killing an assas-
sin is defended - - - - - - 106
.
Consequences of these principles . - - « HO
Unconditional reliance upon Providence on the subject defence -of 113
Safety of tliis reliance—Evidence by experience in private
life— national experience - - - - 114by
- - - -General observations - - -119^
III.—EFFECTS OF WAR.-------Social consequences 129Political 131-----Opinions of Dr. Johnson 132Moral conscque7ices 133
UPON THE MILITARY CHARACTER.
Familiarity with plunder - - 133with human destruction—
—Incapacity pursuits - - - 135for rp[^ular " half-pay"
Implicit submission to superiors.
Its effects oh the independence of the mind - - 138
oil the mornl character - _ - . 140
Resignation of moral - - - -agency 141
Military -----power despotic 143
UPON THE COMMUNITY.
Peculiar cortr.gioiisncss of military depravity - - 146
Animosity of party—Spirit of resentment - - - 149rivateering—Its peculiar atrocity 150
Mercenaries ------] —Loan of armies 153
*raycrs - -for the success war - - - - 153of
Vie duty a subject who believes that all war is incompatible withof --.-».-Christianity 155----..-•'onclusiun 157PREFACE.
The object of the following pages is, to give a view of the
principal arguments which maintain the indefensibility and im-
policy of war, and to examine the reasoning which is advanced
in its favour.
The author has not found, either in those works which treat
exclusively of war, or in those which refer to it as part of a
general system, any examination of the question that embraced
it in all its bearings. In these pages, therefore, he has attempted,
not only to inquire into its accordancy with Christian principles,
and to enforce the obligation of these principles, but to discuss
those objections to the advocate ofpeace which are advanced by
philosophy, and to examine into the authority of those which are
enforced by the power of habit, and by popular opinion.
Perhaps no other apology is necessary fgr the intrusion of this
essay upon the public, than that its subject is, in a very high
degree, important. Upon such a subject as the slaughter of
mankind, if there be a doubt, however indeterminate, whether
Christianity does not prohibit it—if there be a possibility, how-
ever remote, that the happiness and security of a nation can be
maintained without it, an examination of such possibility or
doubt, may reasonably obtain attention.—Theour advocate of
peace is, however, not obliged to avail himself of such consider-
ations ; at least, if the author had not believed that much more
than doubt and possibility advancedcan be in support of his
opinions, this inquiry would not have been offered to the public.
He is far from amusing himself with the expectation of a
general assent to will pro»the truth of his conclusions. Some
5bably dispute the rectitude of the principles ofdecision, and some
will dissent from the legitimacy of their application. Never-
theless, he believes that the number of those whose opinions will
accord with his own is increasing, and will yet much more
increase and this belief is sufficiently confident to induce him;
will probably be the subjectto publish an essay which of con-
and of ridicule to others. But ridicule andtempt to some men,
contempt are not potent reasoners.
" Christianity can only operate as an alterative. By the mild
diffusion of its light and influence, the minds ofmen are insensi-
bly prepared to perceive and correct the enormities, which folly,
accident intoor wickedness, or have introduced their public
It is in the hope of contributing,establishments."* in a degree
or remote, to the diffusion ofhowever unimportant this light
that the followingand influence, pages have been written.
For the principles of this little volume, or for its conclusions,
one is responsible but the writer : they areno unconnected with
society, benevolent or religious. He hasany not written it for
occasion, or with any view toa present the present political
state of Europe. A question like this does not concern itself
with the quarrels of the day.
It will perhaps be thought by some readers, that there is con-
tained, in the following pages, greater severity of animadversion
"than becomes an advocate of peace. But, let it be remembered,
that to bestow good names on bad things, is to givethem a pass-
port in the world under a delusive disguise."t The writer
believes that wars are often supported, because the system itself,
and the actions of its agents, are veiled in glittering fictions. He
has therefore attempted to exhibit the nature of these fictions
and of that which they conceal ; and to state, freely and honestly,
both what they are not, and what they are. In this attempt it
has been difficult perhaps it has not been possible—to avoid—
*
Palc)!'s Moral and Political Philosophy. Knox's Essays, No. 34.f