And Jeff Davis and the other
criminals ought to have been hanged, just as those stage-robbers ought
to be."
"Don't you see, my friend," replied the minister, "that violence breeds
violence?"
"Then," rather scornfully, "you think Will Cummins did wrong to defend
his property?"
"He would have been alive to-day if he hadn't."
"But that's not the point. Will Cummins died for a principle. He
believed in self-defense, and was not afraid to risk his life."
"Of course," said the minister, "I admit that he was a brave man. But
Christ said, 'if any man take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak
also'--'turn the other cheek'--'resist not evil'--'they that take the
sword shall perish with the sword.'"
"Well," said the Californian, "I don't dispute the fact that people who
carry weapons are likely to get killed. What I say is, I admire a man
who is not afraid of getting killed when he knows he's right. It may be
just as honorable to perish with the sword as to be crucified."
This statement, savoring of the heresy that was introduced into American
thought both by soldiers returning from the Civil War and by men
returning from the lawless life of the West, rather shocked the
minister, who was a good and sincere man.
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