The sun., 1880-12-05

make Of mankind GoD's human family, each
loving the other, and all united In love and
obedience to Him as the Divine Father. To
be good from loveof goodness aud love to
GoD is the Christian theory. The sum OF
CHRIsT's religion, or religious philosophy,
is found in these words from the Gospel OF
MATTHEW. chapter "a, verses 81, SO, 80, and 40:
"Js.vs said unite him. Thou shsl, love the Lord thy
Con with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with
all thy mind This Ia the nrst and great commandment
And the second IL like unto It Thou shalt love thy
neighbor a. thyssn On these two commandments hang
all the law and the prophsu"
These are tho fundamental principles OF
the teachings OF CHRIST. They are also
found In the earlier teachings OF judaism
and In the system Of GAuTAMA BUDDHA. II
Mr. BETz will read the records OF the four
Evangelists, as they are called, he will find
how JESUS applied them practically. The
idea is that earth and life are o heritage
from COP, whom we should love as our
Divine Father. while, as His children,
brothers all, we should Join hands and work
together, SO that each might best enjoy and
profit by the Inheritance.
That theory Of individual duty and con-
ception OF human society were at war with
the existing order. The Roman empire was
tolerant OF all sorts OF religions. 1t was
ready to put in the Pantheon at Rome
statues OF the gods OF the countries 1t con-
quered Even the one GoD Of the jews was
not intolersble to 1t; but CHRIsTs teachings
proposed and rendered necessary social
reformation which would uproot it's nstitu-
tions. The Jews themselves liked 1t no
better. 1t was preached among them,
NlA,, knI Nx,L I,NftN
for belief in CHRIST as tho Messiah pre-
vailed among his disciples; and the Chris
tian movement was one directed against
their religious and social conservatism.
They therefore regarded 1t as fanatical and
| revolutionary. And as for the Roman Gov
ernor, though he probably took super
cilious view of the agitation, he was ready
| to put CHRIST out OF the way as pestilent
socialist, or Communist
But the war against the Christian theory
as it is in its simplicity Is as bitter now as
| 1t was then. That theory conflicts with our
present society just as it did with the So
ciety Of the first years OF our era. II we
| should set about realizing it in strict ac-
cordance with the teachings OF CHRIST, we
should have to commence complete social
revolution, for now, as from the first, selfish
ness rules society. Every man, whether
calling himself q Christian or an infdel.
stands guard over his own, and laws
and public opinion come to his support.
1t is among the races OF men as it is
among the lower orders Of animals, the
strongest survive and the weakest go
| to the wall. The accumulation OF riches,
for instance, was expressly condemned by
CHRIST; and yet when was the greed for
money greater than 1t Is now. and where 10
| 1t o stronger passion than in tho countries
that pretend to be Christian
But we doubt not that Mr.. BETZ will agree
with us in admiration for the ideal society
pictured by the CHRIST. He may say that it
was not original with Him; that it can never
be realized; that the world is an arena in
which men must always struggle with each
other for the mastery; that this is a law OF
our being against which we cannot rebel ;
and that any radical and serious attempt to
reduce to practice Christianity as we have
described it would bring about social chaos.
And yet In the dreams OF poets and proph-
cts, and OF all good men, the perfectly de-
veloped world takes on very much the ap-
| sweet Galilean vision.
| InA VIII tnat oeNeiopneHt coIne hS tne
final victory Of inexorable scientific laws
governing society; through the subordina-
tion OF selfshness2 Or will it be brought
about by the antagonistic laws OF Chris
tianiLy alone; by the power OF love? Inf
deity gives one answer, and faith another
But faith must justify itself in its works
and truly Christian works, Mr. BETZ, are
what we mean by genuine practical Chris.
tianity such as CHRIST taught.