Tolbert Fanning — Advocate For Peace in 1861 (Part X)
After printing the questions of some of his critics and then responding to them, Fanning counsels his readers about “suitable labor for Christians in these perilous times” (Gospel Advocate 7.9 [September 1861] 281-286).
What is a Christian to do in these trying times? Fanning laments that the disciples who have long “maintained that the word of God alone is” sufficient for life and union have “in a twinkling of an eye” unsheathed the “sword against each other, and cry loudly, ‘revenge or death’.” He fears 1/4 of northern and 1/3 of southern disciples are now warriors.
No one can mandate what another must do, Fanning writes. But he asked for advice. As the elder statesman of southern disciples, he offers some. Pray for workers in the present harvest; the kingdom of God needs peacemakers among the combatants. Disciples have an “important part to perform in the present war. If God has not called us to sue the sword of man, he evidently has to employ the sword of the Spirit.” This is the time for Christians “to unfurl the banner of the cross, and cry aloud to armies, ‘fear God,’ and ‘give him glory and honor‘.”
Fanning, in essence, wants to send workers “into the army, into presdient’s house, into cabinets and amongst the vilest of enemies, and urge the claims of Jesus of Nazareth.” He wants to supply soldiers with Bibles. Christians must take care of the widows and orphans this war will produce and to supply suffering soldiers”with all comforts at their command” and “to bind up their wounds.” In other words, in the midst of wars, Christians make peace, heal the hurting and care for the suffering as they “point” everyone to the Lamb of God. “The care of destitute widows whose husbands, though slain by the sword, the sustenance and education of their children, are the peculiar work of Christians.” And the disciples of Christ should open and conduct hospitals for the wounded and sick soldiers–and such was the use Fanning made of Franklin College facilities in Nashville, TN. “What a vast amount of suffering might be relieved by united Christian benevolence,” Fanning writes, about North and South.
Pray that God will send peacemakers into the vineyard of the kingdom of God.
While sectarianism has run mad, would it not be expedient to call the attention of even the heads of departments publicly, privately and in every manner in our power, to the spirit’s lessons of peace. If the talent and influence of the brotherhood could be brought on a world in strife, the triumphs would be astonishing in our eyes. The fields are fully ripe for the harvest, but the laborers are few. Let us pray the Lord to send out more and better workers into his vineyard.
****Fanning’s Article****
It is scarcely possible to realize the difficulties under which the people of God are laboring. When troubles are at a distance it is quite easy for us to speculate,–to decide as to the right of parties,–and we are almost sure to say that “if we were such and such persons we would not do so and so,” not reflecting that we cannot appreciate all the causes which influence others, and we known not how we would act in different circumstances. But now we are in unanticipated troubles that must, in their very nature, over whelm many, and whilst we are blaming the North, and not yet justifying all that is done in the South, we remind our friends that it is a delicate matter to find fault when we have no remedy to offer—no sovereign balm to heal the wound. National, and certainly religious blindness has seized upon many of our people. When we see a people that have lived in peace and prosperity together for eighty years, break into a thousand fragments, and what we have supposed, the best human government of the world trampled in the dust, we may well ponder as to the meaning; but when we see former friends lift the sword against each other, we should not be surprised at the stout-hearted fearing and trembling. Worse still, when we witness men of one parentage, one blood, nursed by the same mother, greedily seeking each other’s blood, we may well ask, has an incurable madness possessed their hearts? But when we find denominations of religionists, that have long rejoiced together as brethren in the spirit, traveling in the same pathway to a world of bliss, rise in vengeance to take away each others lives, we may well ask ourselves the solemn question, are these the servants of God? Or does Satan rule their hearts and lives? Yet there is, if possible, a darker part of the picture to be unveiled.
When we find a people who have long rejoiced together as brethren on a platform not their own, but from above, who have maintained that the word of God alone is not only a sufficient rule of life for all good men, but amply competent to bind the whole race of man in one universal brotherhood, almost in a moment, in the twinkling of the eye, unsheathe the sword against each other, and cry loudly, “revenge or death,” and yet they know not about what; grave men and seniors may well begin to enquire, has God forsaken the earth, an given over even the wise and prudent to work out their own destruction in their one way? Do we intimate too much in reference to Christians?
Whilst the denominations are as one man crying for each other’s blood, the people known as the disciples of Christ are not all in the conflict. As we stated in a previous number of our paper, perhaps one-fourth of the professed Christians North cry for blood; some who have not taken up arms—preachers among them—say, “This great rebellion must be put down, peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must.” Possibly one-third of the brethren in the South are fully harnessed for the conflict. They cry, however, for no vengeance, want nothing from the North, but maintain, as they suppose, a divine right to protect their country, their homes,–the property that has cost them a life’s labor—their families, and above all, to defend the right of self-government. We have said, and repeat that if Christians in any circumstances are authorized by Heaven to bear the sword, it occurs to us, that this is the time to unsheathe it and throw the scabbard away. But most of the brotherhood are staggered, shrink back, and ask what does God mean? All they want is to know his will, and they will perform it with alacrity. So far, they have acted under the conviction that strife is mainly of the world; and as they have vowed allegiance to the Prince of peace, and are members of a kingdom “not of this world,” and not to be promoted by violence, they content themselves to give all due respect to the rulers of the world, pay their taxes like all other good and loyal citizens, and they prefer waiting a little longer for developments before engaging in the strife. We repeat, that from the best information we can command, from two-thirds to three-fourths of the professed four or five hundred thousand disciples North and South occupy this ground, and look alone to God for guidance.
No one says to his brother do this or do that, go to war or abstain from blood, but let each act upon his own conviction of duty to God and his country, and let no one interfere. Each must account to Heaven for himself.
But there is another view of the matter to which we desire very respectfully to call the attention of the brethren. We are not to be idle spectators, fold our arms, stand aloof and do nothing. If there is a sin more heinous than all others, it is the sin of idleness. Are we told that if Christians are no disposed to shed blood, there is no work for them to do. Must they go into the caves and dens of the earth to conceal themselves from responsibility? Far from it. Some ask, “What can we do?” We will attempt a bird’s eye view of the field of Christian labor.
When our Saviour found the world in wickedness, he said to his disciples, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few, pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth into his vineyard laborers.” If Christians find themselves surrounded with the wicked, their labor is imperiously demanded. If the hundreds of thousands who hesitate to take up arms to conquer, or otherwise gain a peace, tell us that war is wrong, and the inaugurators and conductors of the present war are mad, and sinners above all others, it is no argument fortheir idleness or want of interest. Admit that wars exist only in the absence of Christian influence, we ask what amount of Christian influence has been brought to bear, by professed Christians in the past four months, in order to put an end to it? Are those who anticipate a cessation of arms by Christian peace measures making any formidable efforts to accomplish so desirable an end? It will not answer for us to conclude that those engaged in the war are not in a condition to receive the truth, and yet we do nothing to change their belligerent relations. We would solemnly impress upon the brethren that certainly we have some important part to perform in the present war. If God has not called us to sue the sword of man, he evidently has to employ the sword of the spirit. We imagine there has never been in our country so favorable an opportunity to unfurl the banner of the cross, and cry aloud to armies, “fear God,” and “give him glory and honor.” Christianity was not always intended to put down evils by direct attacks, but by so engaging men otherwise that they could not practice sin. Hence, it the world could be stimulated to a pure life, to pratise [sis] godliness, there would be no time nor disposition with men to cut each other’s throats. But we repeat, if Christians are not called of Heaven to take an important part in the present struggle, we are greatly mistaken.
At present, however, we wish not to discuss any doubtful question, but would respectfully call the attention of the brotherhood to matters in reference to which we consider our duty plainly revealed.
1st. Under the authority to preach the Gospel in all the world, it is the duty of Christians to go every where, into the army, into president’s houses, into cabinets, and amongst the vilest of enemies, and urge the claims of Jesus of Nazareth. Thousands and tens of thousands of men who enlisted in the army merely in frolic, or with the idea that it was a small matter, have been perfectly revolutionized by camp life. Many, after staring death fully in the face, are disposed to turn their thoughts up to God, and evince a willingness to learn wisdom that is divine, surely good and humble men could preach profitably to the multiplied thousands in camp, and yet not merely become movers of men to shed blood.
2nd. We learn, that but few in the army are supplied with Bibles—the very word of life—and there are but few who would not delight at times to read. Men necessarily become tired of bloody thoughts and deeds, and in such times many would likely rejoice to look at the sacred oracles. Should not then Christians labor, by all means in their power, to furnish their kindred and countrymen in the tented field, Bibles and books that might direct their hearts to God and Heaven.
3rd. if it is “pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father to take care of the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep ourselves unspotted from the world,” we may find a wide field of labor in protecting orphans and widows left destitute by thousands who fell in battle and by disease the army. We may be told, if ward is unchristian, we would become particips criminis by even supporting the destitute widow whose husband fell in the battle field. It would be quite as good logic to say that the poor and destitute who have been degraded by the dissipation of husbands and fathers, are, on this account to go unprotected by Christians. When we find human beings sinful, degraded and miserable, we are not to inquire which of their ancestors sinned, but at once employ our powers to relieve them. Hence, we doubt not, it is the duty of Christians to watch the sufferings of their countryman in camp, to supply them with all comforts at their command, bind up their wounds, and above all, to point them to “the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.” The care of destitute widows whose husbands, though slain by the sword, the sustenance and education of their children, are the peculiar work of Christians.
4th. We would be delighted to learn that the disciples of Christ, North and South, who consider not themselves parties to this fratricidal war, were opening and conducting hospitals for the wounded and sick soldiers. What a vast amount of suffering might be relieved by united Christian benevolence. Many noble youths are now crying to us for help, and Christians should not harden their hearts,–it is legitimately our labor, to be foremost in every good work. How would it answer to convert the school and college edifices, which must remain destitute of students to the end of the struggle, into asylums for the poor and afflicted, and especially for suffering soldiers.
Whilst we are sincere in our conclusions, we flatter ourselves that we have not transcended our authority, and yet we have found ample employment for Christians in the army without requiring them to slay a single fellow being. We believe ether is a better field of labor than that of deadly strife, and we should cheerfully occupy it.
In conclusion, we suggest to the brethren that if we are disposed to labor in any of the departments we have mentioned in connection with the war, the work would not only be legitimately Christian in all its bearings, but we might exert an influence for good innalculable [sic] in its consequences, not only on the distressed widows and orphans, the care-worn, heart-broken and suffering soldier, but a still more beneficial influence might be exerted over the bloody men who are urging on this most horried war. Florence Nightengale won bright laurels by her devotion to the sick and dying in the Crimea, and Augusta J. Evans, author of Beulah, a still brighter star, is destined to win a richer reward in Virginia hospitals than the bravest general on the tented field. Our appeal is to truly Christian men and women not to let this favorable opportunity to do good pass without improving it. Who will enlist as soldiers to point the erring to God, and relieve the distressed?
Whilst Christians are so doubtful as to the effect of passing events, it will be well for us to turn our thoughts more to the future. There is nothing of earth enduring, and hence, in addition to any labor we may perform in connection with the present revolution and disastrous war, we may confidently anticipate a growing interest in the world with reference to the religion of the Bible. Our position is most advantageous. We have no political or religious creed to defend, but it is our high mission to call the attention of our despondent countrymen to a cause that is not only divine, but promises eternal rest. Possibly we lack cooperative effort and greater energy. More earnestness, zeal and humility in the advocation of the claims of the Messiah would well become us. While sectarianism has run mad, would it not be expedient to call the attention of even the heads of departments publicly, privately and in every manner in our power, to the spirit’s lessons of peace. If the talent and influence of the brotherhood could be brought on a world in strife, the triumphs would be astonishing in our eyes. The fields are fully ripe for the harvest, but the laborers are few. Let us pray the Lord to send out more and better workers into his vineyard.