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| source title = | | source title = London Spiritualist | ||
| source details = | | source details = No. 305, June 28, 1878, p. 301 | ||
| publication date = 1878-06-28 | | publication date = 1878-06-28 | ||
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... | {{Style S-Small capitals|Every}} few years England and two or three European nations are threatened with war because of our possession of India, therefore it may be well to inquire into the religious and moral aspects of the conquest and retention of that country, to discover whether we are at any time justified in bathing several nations in blood to sustain our present position in the East. The Church of England, being in the service of the secular powers, never interferes in the attempt to prevent bloodshed at critical times. Nonconformists act in a more religious way, but do go from doctrinal and abstract reasons, rather than from full knowledge of the merits of the case. They enforce principles under which striking is never possible, yet there are moments in human existence when unfortunately it is necessary and right' to strike, and the world gains by such decisive action. Materialists, who have no religion but “Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” of course approve the holding of India, and the grasping of every kind of material advantage everywhere. Therefore the investigation of the religious aspect of a position which may result in great wars between nations, falls naturally to the lot of Spiritualists. Some military men hold that religion and morals should not interfere in such matters, that alleged “British interests” are paramount to everything else; the same plea is urged in relation to their daily work by Birmingham manufacturers of sham jewellery, and by American manufacturers of wooden nutmegs. Is the hand to rule the head? Is the body to rule the soul? | ||
All the means exist in connection with ''The Spiritualist ''for investigating this question. Among its readers are'' ''many “Old Indians” at home, and “Young Indians” in'' ''Hindostan. There are also intelligent natives of India,'' ''and Kussian military authorities; moreover, there is an I'' ''audience of unprejudiced listeners, all united by the bond of Spiritualism. | |||
What right had we to India, in the first place? What right have we there now? Were cruelties practised ingaining India? Are the bulk of the natives better or worse off under our rule? Would they prefer to be worse off under a native ruler? Are the native princes better or worse off under English domination? Are we improving India, whether the natives like it or not? Are we a coarse, flesh-eating people, ruling by brute force delicate, metaphysical, fine-brained Indian saints? Or are we the saints, setting the example to unlimited liars of telling the truth? Can anything better be done with India than retaining it? Is the cry of danger from Russia well founded, or a scarecrow for periodically increasing military expenditure? Do the Mohammedans in India care enough for their brethren in the faith in Turkey to even take the trouble to keep up correspondence with them? | |||
As there are some few old Indians who wish that India no longer belonged to England, it would be well to ascertain what is the moral right to a possession which brings about constant war-panics with accompanying expenditure, and may at any time involve two or more great European nations in horrible bloodshed. What are the religious and moral principles at the root of the chronically dangerous position? | |||
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<gallery widths=300px heights=300px> | |||
london_spiritualist_n.305_1878-06-28.pdf|page=3|London Spiritualist, No. 305, June 28, 1878, p. 301 | |||
</gallery> | |||