SOLDIERS OF VIOLENCE v. SOLDIERS OF THE SPIRIT ]_Q9

Khidmatgars their course of action has been determined*
They have to become a living wall of protection to their
neighbours.

" A small body of determined spirits fired by an un-
quenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of
Mstory. It has happened before and it may again happen
if the non-violence of the Khudai Khidmatgars is un-
alloyed gold, not mere glittering tinsel/7

In his usual talk to the Khudai Khidmatgars, Gandhiji
chose for his text, what a local Mussulman notable had
told him and which Gandhiji himself later recorded : *
4i If in your heart of hearts there is the slightest inclina-
tion to regard non-violence as a mere cloak for or a step-
ping stone to greater violence as suggested by this friend/'
lie told the Khudai Khidmatgars, " nay, unless you are
prepared to carry your non-violence to its ultimate logical
conclusion and to pray for forgiveness even for a baby-
killer and a child-murderer, you cannot sign your Khudai
Khidrnatgar's pledge of non-violence. To sign that pledge
•with mental reservations would only bring disgrace upon
you and your organization and hurt him whom you might
•delight to call Fakhar-i-Afghan — the Pride of the
Afghans."

Next, discussing the classical imaginary case of an
innocent girl being in danger of being molested by a
ruffian he explained to them how non-violent self-immo-
lation provided a better and more efficacious way for
saving the girl from her threatened fate than the method
of violence : " ' But what about the classical instance of the
defenceless sister or mother who is threatened with
molestation by an evil-minded ruffian ? ? you will ask.
"* Is the ruffian in question to be allowed to work his will ?
Would not the use of violence be permissible even in such
a case ?' My reply is, ' No \ You will entreat the ruffian.
The odds are that in his intoxication he will*not listen.
You will then interpose yourself between him and his
intended victim. Very probably you will be killed but

*See Chapter IX.