The thing now preached to soldiers by some, that heroic death on the battlefield gives absolution from sin and makes peace with God, comes perilously near to what the word of God states in 2 Thess. 2:10, 11, " Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved-for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie." And that this delusion may wax "strong " is in the trend of men's mind at the present day.

So long as this outrageous doctrine was advocated by notorious infidels and freethinkers like Mr. Bottomley, Mr. Maxse and other representatives of English national heresy, it might call for no more than passing pity from Christians; but when the professing Church sanctions such awful teaching, when professing ministers of Christ utter it from their pulpits, when congregations have their sense of righteousness and reverence for truth corrupted by these utterances, then it is high time to follow the injunction of Ephesians 5:11 and 14.

The Spirit of God alone is able to estimate the spiritual darkness of those who advocate the heresy of an atonement by death on the battlefield. The atonement by the Son of God on Calvary is the only answer to Job's question:" How should a man be just with God ?"

But let history tell the shameful story of the doctrine of atonement by man's self-sacrifice.

Toward the close of the sixth century the gradual rise of Mahomet to unprecedented claims gave to the world the remarkable spectacle of one professing to be a prophet of God, in the new dispensation, enforcing his doctrines by the sword.

The Christians of Europe alarmed at the extraordinary success of this hitherto obscure and indigent adventurer, were more excited when it was learned that the reason for the invincible courage and inflexible determination of the pagan hordes were due to the prospect of Paradise which the impostor had, with blasphemous confidence, promised all who were killed in his service.

The story is thus related by Gibbon:"The religion of the Koran might have perished in its cradle had not Medina embraced with faith and reverence the holy outcasts of Mecca (Mahomet and Abubeker) . . . Seventy-three men and two women held a solemn conference with Mahomet, and pledged themselves to each other by a mutual oath of fidelity. After asseveration of esteem and devotion, the new disciples asked, If we are killed in your service what will be our reward ?'' Paradise,' replied the Prophet."

This promise was afterwards extended to the whole army in the following Oriental ecstacy:" The sword is the key of heaven and of hell. A drop of blood shed in the cause of God, a night spent in arms, is of more avail than two months of fasting or prayer:whoever falls in battle, his sins are forgiven:at the day of Judgment his wounds shall be resplendent as vermillion and odoriferous as musk:and the loss of his limbs shall be supplied by the wings of angels and cherubim." "The intrepid souls of the Arabs were fired with enthusiasm:the picture of the invisible world was strongly painted on their imagination, and the death which they had always despised became an object of hope and desire."

Over four hundred years later this abominable doctrine is detected in the mountains of Asia. Hume, in his History of England, tells us of the "Old Man of the Mountains." He who had acquired this sinister title was "a petty prince of Asia, who had acquired such an ascendancy over his fanatical subjects that they paid the most implicit deference to his commands; esteemed assassination meritorious, when sanctioned by his mandate; courted danger, and even certain death in the execution of his orders, and fancied that when they sacrificed their lives for his sake, the highest joys of Paradise were the infallible reward of their devoted obedience."

Two of these thugs murdered Conrad of Austria:"They rejoiced in the midst of the cruel tortures to which they were subjected, and triumphed that they were destined by heaven to suffer for their master."

Such is the origin of a doctrine that to-day is heard from the mouths of professing ministers of Christ! Is it too much to assert that the teaching is not only subversive, but Satanic, and that there should be no hesitation in denouncing its expositors in the words of Galatians i:8, 9. "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Modified forms of this Satanic doctrine are found elsewhere. Titus, the Roman general, encouraged his soldiers during the siege of Jerusalem, by telling them that all who fell would be exalted to the heavens and shine as stars. In the Council of Clermont, plenary indulgence was proclaimed by " His Holiness Pope Urban to all who should enlist under the banner of the Cross:the absolution of all sins and complete discharge for all that was due of penance."

But what say the Scriptures ? " Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth nothing" (i Cor. 13:3). Yes, indeed! The soul unsheltered by the atonement made by the Son of God on Calvary, shall receive nothing but judgment, whether such soul dies on a battlefield or elsewhere. "When I see THE blood I will pass over you;" God shall never change it to,' 'When I see your blood I will pass over you." Soldiers of any flag shall share with those of Mahomet and the Old Man of the Mountain if they die out of Christ.
H. C. Christie