WHEN I apprehended clearly the words " Re-
sist not evil" my conception of the doctrine
of Jesus was entirely changed ; and I was astounded,
not that I had failed to understand it before, but
that I had misunderstood it so strangely. I knew,
as we all know, that the true significance of the
doctrine of Jesus was comprised in the injunction to
love one's neighbor. "When we say, " Turn the
other cheek," '■'■Love •your enemies," we express the
very essence of Christianity. I knew aU that from
my childhood ; but why had I failed to understand
aright these simple words? Why had I always
sought for some ulterior meaning? '■^Resist not
ewT' means, never resist, never oppose violence;
or, in other words, never do anjthing contrary to
the law of love. If anyone takes advantage of this
disposition and affronts you, bear the affront, and
do not, above all, have recourse to violence. This
Jesus said in words so clear and simple that it
would be impossible to express the idea more clearlj-.
How was it then, that believing or trying to believe
these to be the words of God, I still maintained the
impossibility of obeying them? If my master says
to me, " Go ; cut some wood," and I reply, " It is
beyond my strength," I say one of two things :
either I do not believe what my master says, or I do



14 MY RELIGION.
