The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-09-10
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT
The Christianity Of the Single Tax.
ONWARD G. RHOADS.


EDWARD G. RHoADs.
Whenever a truth, new or old, takes
fresh root in the minds OF people, ana
grows into a movement of social reform,
It encounters certain institutions al
ready existing which help or hinder its
growth and development One OF these
institutions in our part OF the world is
the organized Christian church.
1t seems strange that upward and on
ward movements should be opposed by
an institution whose proper function is
to foster the upward and onward tend
encies of the human mind and soul, yet
it is an historical fact that there has
scarcely ever been reform movement
in middle ages or modern times which
has not met with opposition or even
persecution from churches or church.
men. The fact is too generally known
to need illustration. It's to be found in
the fixity of creeds and in the vested
interests which cling like branches to
almost every old and powerful institu-
ton. Wisely did Gen. Booth resolve not
to add another to the already large
number of ecclesiastical corpses," but
to found an organization which would
fall to pieces of its own weight when
ever it ceased to work.
There are some of us who have deep
and strong attachments to the religious
societies to which we belong, and who
have an abiding faith in Christianity,
who look with shame and humiliation
at the hostility of the church to the
single tax, feeling that our belief in the
doctrine of Henry George is fruit of
Christianity as we know it. There are
others whose faith in Christianity has
gone out with their faith in the churches
of to-day. Well said Prof. Drummond
that the greatest need of the world is
a perfected life. The mental attitude
of great many thinking men was well
stated by VIM. T. Stead, of the Pail
Mall Gazette, when he said that the
world is tired of Christians but wants
Christs.
There are, however, hopeful signs
that Christians within the churches are
acquiring more liberal and enlarged
views of the purpose and scope of
Christianity. In illustration, l would
again quote Prof. Drummond, who says
in his little phanph1et on 'The Pro-
gramme of Christianity" II shall mis-
lead no one, hope, if say-for I wish
to put the social side of Christianity in
its strongest hght-that Christ did not
come into the world to give men relig-
ion. He never mentioned the word re-
| 1igion. Religion was in the world be-
fore Christ came, and lives to-day in a
| million souls, who have never heard his
name. What God does all day is not to
sit waiting in churches for the people
to come and worship Him. 1t is true
that God is in churches, and in all kinds
of churches. and is found by many in
churches more Immediately than any
where else. 1t is also true that, while
Christ did not give men religion, He
gave a new direction to The religious
| aspiration bursting forth, then and
now, and always from the whole worlds
heart. But it was his purpose to enlist
these aspirations on behalf of some
definite, practical good. That tendency
of the religions of all times has been to
care more for religion than for humani-
| ty. Christ cared more for humanity
than for religion-rather, his care for
humanity was the chief expression Of
his religion"
Such expressions as these, and the
| lives of such churchmen as Cardinal
Manning and Father Huntington, are,
! it seems to me, indications Of most
hopeful import to the church and to
of
the true purpose of Christ's mission to
| Garth
What was it in Christianity which
made it spread SO rapidly among the
people in its early days? The pro-
| gramme of Christianity in Scripture
| language was in part as follows:
To preach good tidings unto the
meek; to bind up the brolxen-hearted;
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that
are bound.
| Paul, the Apostle, calls Christ's law
1.-THE perfect law of liberty" Christs
| teaching was a most exalted individual
ism, an individualism far beyond what
can be obtained by means of human
| law. The economic or legislative
basis of Christianity was the JEWS law,
in which the idea of justice and retri-
button was prominent Christ added to
this moral code the quality of mercy
and the virtue of unselfishness. and the
result was the golden rule. But it was
no part of Christ's plan to nullify the
Mosaic law of morals, except as it was
supplanted by more perfect rule of
conduct written in the individual
human heart.
We may take it for a certainty that
nothing which Christ commanded His
disciples contravened the command
ment, Thou shalt not steal; This
eighth commandment of the Decalogue
is as binding now as it ever was, and
Christians recognize it as such theoret-
ically; yet it seems to me that more
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