Alexander Campbell a Pacifist?

So as I was doing some research for my upcoming Biblical Research paper I came across a book called "The Disciple of Peace: Alexander Campbell on Pacifism, Violence, and the State" by Craig M. Watts, and I thought to myself surely if Alexander Campbell, one of the founders of the Restoration Movement, had been a pacifist, and myself entering my senior year at a Restoration Movement school, then surely if he was a pacifist that would have been mentioned somewhere at somepoint...right? Well he was and it wasn't.

That being said I thought I would just give a few quotes from the book and show that maybe, just maybe those of us who have found ourselves as pacifists or to quote Mr. Axton "Aggressively non-violent" might be more inline with the Restoration Movement tradition than we thought.

"The sermon on the mount is an exponent on the Saviour's mind and will on the subject of war. If he would not have any of them to render evil for evil, and if he pronounced the highest honor and blessing on the peace-makers, who can imagine that he could be the patron of war!"

"War is not now, nor was it ever, a process of justice. It never was a test of truth- a criterion of right. It is either a mere game of chance or a violent outrage of the strong against the weak. Need we any more proof that a Christian people can in no way countenance a war as a proper means of redressing wrongs, of deciding justice, or of settling controversies among nations?"

After reading a poem on the horrors of war: " Yet even these say to the Christian, "How can you become a soldier? How countenance and aid this horrible work of death?"

"The precepts of Christianity positivley inhibit war- by showing that "wars and fightings come from men's lusts" and evil passions, and by commanding Christians to follow peace with all men."

And lastly: "The beatitudes of Christ are not pronounced on patriots, heroes, or conquerors but on peacemakers.

I have recommended this book to a few people and having now completed it I highly recommend it. It details an important part of Campbell's faith that has been swept under the rug and even though some of his policies I disagree with, he still supported the death penalty, all in all it was quite encouraging.

So I hope two posts in one day will improve my status as the "least prolific blogger on the internet" which was given to me by a good friend.