Jonas Smucker Hartzler

“ As a young man, life and its hopes and freedom and opportunities for service are sweet to me. I want to go out into the world and do my work and make use of what little talent I may have acquired by long and laborious study. ”

“ I directed Alexander Morrison to take a detail of men over to the Base Hospital, and there wait for me. I got there and met the detail and found out the work that was to be done by them, and the work that was to be required, see that they were to rake some ground there in the forepart of the ground of the Hospital, in the rear of the Base Hospital, rake the ground to receive grass seed. This accused was in the detail. First, we gave them rakes and told them to get busy raking the ground; about half of the number of the detail went to raking, and obeyed the order. ”

“ The position that I take towards the government and the officers of this camp is one of obedience do what I possibly can for them, and hesitate to obey when they com mand something that I can not do in accordance with the teachings of my Church, and the New Testament, as I understand them. We ought to obey God rather than man. ”

“ They must give ground for a charge of disobeying orders. Where this was planned, a noncommissioned officer would give a command (at Camp Taylor, Ky., that was usually to rake the ground preparatory to sow ing grass seed) , then the young man would explain that he could not conscientiously do that, giving his reasons, but the officer would not take that for an answer. He would repeat the command and then say, "Will you do it?" If the young man continued to explain, he was stopped and told to answer, "Yes," or "No." ”

“ That we are also to pray to the Lord earnestly for the government and its wel fare, and in behalf of our county, so that we may live under its protection, maintain ourselves, and lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. ”

“ If those in authority now see fit to change those fundamental documents, and take away our privileges of living in accordance with the teachings of the Scriptures of God, then we have no course but to endure persecution as true soldiers of Christ. If I have committed anything worthy of bonds or of death, I do not refuse to suffer or to die. ”

“ P. "You can ask him any question you want to or later on you will be given an opportunity to make any statement that you want to."
A. "I do not think the question of dates will have any bearing on the case."
Corp. Alexander Morrison was sworn and answered a few preliminary questions then proceeded as follows:
P. "Do you know the accused; if so state who he is?" ”

“ In that Private Allen Christophel, 159th Conscientious Objector Detachment, having received a lawful command from 2nd Lt. Robert L. Maddox, Inf. N. A., his superior officer, to take a rake and rake the ground, in preparation for sowing grass seed, within the area occupied by the Base Hospital, Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., on or about the 2nd day of May, 1918, wilfully disobeyed the same. Charge II: Violation of the 65th Article of War. Specification I In that Allen Christophel, 159th Conscientious Objector Detachment having received a lawful order from Corp. ”