After Prayer, the Rifle Range

● A former clergyman recommends that church members follow their prayers with rifle practice. Reporting on the former clergyman’s views, which were expressed in a letter, the Houston Post of August 5, 1950, said: “Dr. E. C. Nance, president of the University of Tampa, advised leaders of groups interested in peace, including churches, to ‘launch a campaign of instruction in the use of firearms, civil defense, guerrilla warfare and so forth to every man, woman and child in the United States.’ Dr. Nance, 50-year-old veteran of two world wars and former pastor in several Christian churches, said if he occupied a pulpit today he would tell his congregation not to be too high-minded even in their prayers. ‘I would tell them that religion is not, at least in our day, to help them escape the realities of life, but to help face them. I would say it is better to be a live sinner than a dead saint. After leading my congregation in prayer services I would invite them to the rifle range for practice in firearms. I believe we should have total preparedness based on the laws of the jungle—that we should learn every art and science of killing.’” How unlike Christ Jesus!