before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.  And it shall turn to you for a testimony.”  (Luke 21:12,13) Literally did these Scriptures have fulfillment in the years 1917, 1918, and 1919.  The World War furnished the excuse for the world-wide persecution of humble and honest and faithful Christians.

[435]The Christian truly consecrated to the Lord believes and follows the Lord’s teaching:  “Thou shalt not kill”. (Matthew 5:21) And again:  “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal”. (2 Corinthians 10:3,4) During the World War many of the nations passed laws to govern conscientious objectors, that is, those who object to taking human life.  The officers of the present evil order upon whom devolved the duty and obligation of construing and enforcing this law, disregarded it; and at the instance of an apostate and dishonest clergy, truly consecrated Christians, particularly those known as Bible Students, were, in fulfillment of Jesus’ utterances, hated, beaten, persecuted, haled into the courts and imprisoned, and some of them killed.  But the Lord’s protecting care has been about them through it all.

[436]In Germany they were persecuted, some put in the front ranks of the assaulting army.  One Christian man, for instance, who refused to take human life because of his faith in the Lord, was placed in the front line of attack during a battle.  A soldier was placed on either side of him with gun and bayonet and instructed to kill him if he attempted to escape.  He went through the battle.  Most of his regiment was annihilated, including the two guards by his side.  When the battle was over this Christian brother had not a scratch.  Again he was put in a similar position; and again he went through another battle without injury.  He was then charged with being insane because he would not fight and placed in an insane asylum and kept there for a period of time, until he was turned out; and then he proceeded with proclaiming the message of the Lord’s presence and his glorious incoming kingdom.

[437]The persecution in Great Britain of the same class of Christians, and in Canada, and in the United States—­long boasted of as the land of the free and the home of the brave—­was so terrible that words are inadequate to describe it.  Number 27 of the GOLDEN AGE magazine, issued September 29, 1920, gives a detailed description of many of these wicked persecutions, which mark a clear fulfillment of these prophetic utterances of the Lord.  The ones who had the privilege of passing through them and who had the many evidences of the Lord’s blessings, rejoice because accounted worthy to suffer as our Lord had suffered, remembering his words:  “The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you".—­John 15:20.