While earnestly professing this object, I desire again to exclude all question of self-defence, and to affirm the duty of upholding government, and maintaining the supremacy of the law, whether on land or sea. Admitting the necessity of Force for such purpose, _Christianity revolts at Force as the substitute for a judicial tribunal_. The example of the Great Teacher, the practice of the early disciples, the injunctions of self-denial, love, non-resistance to evil,--sometimes supposed to forbid Force in any exigency, even of self-defence,--all these must apply with unquestionable certainty to the established System of War. _Here, at least, there can be no doubt._ If the sword, in the hand of an assaulted individual, may become the instrument of sincere self-defence, if, under the sanction of a judicial tribunal, it may become the instrument of Justice also, _surely it can never be the Arbiter of Justice_. Here is a distinction vital to the cause of Peace, and never to be forgotten in presenting its claims. The cautious sword of the magistrate is unlike--oh, how unlike!--the ruthless sword of War. * * * * * The component parts of the War System may all be resolved into PREPARATIONS FOR WAR,--as court-house, jail, judges, sheriffs, constables, and _posse comitatus_ are _preparations_ for the administration of municipal justice. If justice were not to be administered, these would not exist. If War were not sanctioned by the Commonwealth of Nations, as the means of determining international controversies, then forts, navies, armies, military display, military chaplains, and military sermons would not exist. They would be useless and irrational, except for the rare occasions of a police,--as similar preparations would now be in Boston, for defence against our learned neighbor, Cambridge,--or in the County of Essex, for defence against its populous neighbor, the County of Middlesex,--or in the State of Massachusetts, for defence against its conterminous States, Rhode Island and New York. Only recently have men learned to question these preparations; for it is only recently that they have opened their eyes to the true character of the system, in which they are a part. _It will yet be seen, that, sustaining these, we sustain the system._ Still further, it will yet be seen, that, sustaining these, we wastefully offend against economy, and violate also the most precious sentiments of Human Brotherhood,--taking counsel of distrust, instead of love, and provoking to rivalry and enmity, instead of association and peace.