"Ye have heard it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." And so on and on. How could a man believing in this, grasp the sword to take away the lives of others. The Germans were Christians just as we were; Germany was the home of the Reformation, the home of religious liberty. Was it not Luther who, standing before the greatest tribunal the world had ever known, and having to choose between conscience and death, cried out: "It is neither safe nor wise for any man to do aught against his own conscience. Here stand I; I can do no other, God help me!"? No, no, he simply could not. Though he were boycotted, scorned, held up to derision, he could not change. He must be true to his conscience. But Nancy! Yes, he must lose Nancy, and the very thought of it made him groan in agony; but he must sacrifice his love rather than his Lord. He heard his mother come in, and, although he dreaded her coming, he steeled his heart to tell her the truth. She, too, was full of war news; it had been the common talk at the houses where she had called. "Bob," she said; and her face was pale, her lips tremulous. "Bob, the thought of it is terrible; but you'll have to go. It is your duty--your country needs you." She, too, had been fighting a hard battle. A battle between love for her only boy, fear for his safety, and what she believed her duty to her country. The struggle had been hard, but she had determined to make her sacrifice. "No, I'm not going, mother." "What, you are going to allow those Germans to crush France and Belgium, and finally conquer and crush us, and never lift a hand in defence?" Bob was silent. "You can't mean it, my dear. It's like tearing my heartstrings out to let you go, but you must. I know; you are thinking of me; but I shall be all right. You must do your duty." "Would _he_ have me go?" and Bob nodded towards his father's picture. "Your father was a Quaker," she said. "He was a Christian," and Bob's voice was very low. "That was why he hated war, and denounced it. That is why I am not going to fight." "Then every brave, true Englishman will despise you." "That's nothing," replied Bob; and his voice sounded as though he were weary. "And what of Nancy?" "Yes, what of her?" "I know what she feels, I know that----" "Mother," Bob interrupted, "I can't bear any more just now; and it's no use talking, my mind's made up."