Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-08-25
"a PULPIT FOR TO-DAY"

AeOf' ils llJ man SlUUOUu uuo al
article in the Aug. Century under
the above heading, which we would
like to reproduce in whole, but for
its length. The great want of the
country newspaper is space, mater
ial and labor. City papers have
everything at their command, and
lay before their readers pages and
pages of good things. Their in,
come is thousands of times greater
than ours. We must be content
with our lot.
The article reviews the makeup
Of our population and our
resources ;-men from all races,
climes and nations, of all tongues
and religions; and in wealth every
thing almost that grows under the
sun or is produced by the hand of
man. He quotes Isaiah TX. 10, II,
as applying to this country.
The condition of American society
is unknown in history,-all thrown
together on the same level,-all
hopeful and ambitious,-the same
chances to rise open to all; in other
countries poverty is the lot of the
majority, accepted as such, and
nothing else expected. Church,
State and Society have for ages
drawn the lines sharp at birth,
wealth and poverty, and class dis.
tinction was more imperative de-
nand as a religious and social OBJ
servance than the law OF God or the
King.
Into this continent God has
thrown this heterogeneous people,
in this effervescent and seething
mass, that in the struggle they may
learn the laws of social life. Afri-
can, Malay, Anglo-Saxon, and Celt,
ignorant and cultivated, rich and
poor, he filings us together under
institutions which inextricably inter.
mix us, that he may teach us by ex,
perience the meaning of the brother.
hood of man.
When mobiles and ecclesiastics
ruled the world wars were fought
on theological questions,-whether
God is One or Three whether the
Son proceeded from the Father or
was created by Him whether right
eousness was imputed or impaired
and for these questions mon died as
fighting for the Lord. To-day men
believe if they will, and what they
will and there is no necessity or
need of "dying for the faith" II
goes hard enough to live for it. Our
highest teachers in religion live for
life and enjoy the blessings of the
world. The questions that divide
men and cause war in this age are,
Slavery, Temperance, Labor, Capt,
tai, Tariff, Education, and in these
the Church and Clergy must inter.
est them selves.
If the church does not interest it.
self in what concerns humanity, it
cannot hope that humanity will in.
terest itself in what concerns the
Church.
"Every political question is rapid.
ly becoming social question. and
every social question a religious
question. "-Mdzzini.
The religion of to- day is a religion
Of Observation-Disclosures to live and get
along together wars Of perpetual.
ton, not of determination. The
people are the powers that be. Pub.
lie opinion is the power behind the
throne. Education is the leader.
Away with Towers and Bastiles,
Courts and Inquisitions, Racks and
Tortures,-Liberty Is King,-the lib
erty of the law,-liberty of intelli-
gence and independence, the liber.
ty of voluntary subiection,-the
freedom of the Son,-the law that
went out of Zion. 1t is the authori-
ty of the land that must be obeyed,
respected and enforced.
In olden times he who plundered
others was knighted, and he who
labored was a slave and low. born.
1t was disgraceful to work but to
command and rule was the dstinc.
ton OF the distinguished. Work has
built up America, her systems and
Neutrality-suspicious. in which wealth
and poverty, high and low, Joined
together. But the professions are
becoming the modern order of no.
bility. The safety Of America de.
ponds upon the recognition of Labor
as u science, and as the order ofthings
between the old and the new has
been reversed, so must the nobility
OF labor take the place of the uobili-
/ n Ix,a