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.