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Religion and Non-Violence
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than those who go into the fields to fight for them. We do not indeed fight under him although he requires it; but we fight on his behalf forming a special army—an army of piety, by offering our prayers to God.... Christians are benefactors of their country more than others. For they train up citizens, and inculcate piety to the Supreme Being; and they promote those whose lives in the smallest cities have bcen good and worthy, to a divine and heavenly city. . . And it is not for the purpose of escaping public duties that Christians decline public offices, but that they may reserve themselves for a divine and more necessary service in the Church of God for the salvation of men."
The emperors, however, were not convinced by this argument. They convicted those who refused conscription. One of the best known examples of the Christians' refusal to serve as a soldier in the army and consequent death is that of Maximilian, the young Numidian in AD 295. He was brought before the proconsul of Africa for induction into the army. He refused induction and the military uniform, saying: “I cannot serve as a soldier; I cannot do evil; I am a Christian.” When told that his refusal would mean death, he replied; “I shall not perish, but when I shall have forsaken this world my soul shall live with Christ, my lord.” He was then put to death at the age of twenty-one and his father 'returned home giving thanks to God that he had been able to bring such a present to the God.' Throughout the church there was much sympathy for the stand which Maximilian had taken and in course of time he was recognized as one of the heroes of the Church.
Then in AD 313, a startling thing happened. Constantine the Roman emperor, declared himself a Christian and recognized Christianity as a legal religion. Constantine was the first Christian to occupy the Roman throne. Before going into battle against a powerful enemy in AD 312, he prayed to the God of the Christians for victory. It is said that in the bright afternoon he suddenly saw a fiaming cross in the sky, and above it the inscription in words of fire. 'In hoc higno vinces' (In this sign thou wilt conquer). That night he believed he heard a voice from heaven telling him to place on his banner the Cross of Christ instead of the Roman eagle. He did accordingly and
* Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vs. 4, 668 (Origen Vs. Celsus 8: 73-75).
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