The Russellville Democrat., 1893-06-22
would be done by if the relative po-
sitions Of the doors were reversed.

would pc done Dy IL iHo tci"eif0 ~
sitions of the doors were reversed.
The application Of these divine
rules of conduct to social life is the
positive outcome of revealed religion
and the normal exercise of private
judgment. To study and promote
il is the urgent business of every
Christian, The study itself is a
charming occupation, the subject
studied one of the richest vouchsate.
ments of Providence and humanity.
To promote it is to take on the
Christ character and to share IN the
bliss of the divine nature. Nothing
is of greater Importance to society
What is more winsome and beautl-
full than typical American house
hold, a family distinguished by the
Masters life and spiritR 1t can
not be that its women are
pure, sweet, sunny, gentle
and gracious; its men strong,
manly, courteous and beneficent; its
| children vivacious, piquant, loving
and beloved. Each sex COM
plements the other, converts
domestic society into type and
prophecy of Heaven, and consti-
tutes the real unit in the in
destructible fabric of American
nationality. The reform of every
| family in this polyglot land on this
model is surely the pet project OF
phiIanthropist and patriot. In
achieving such reform each and
every one of the major and minor
Christian ethics is called into active
play. Outside the family circle
Christian ethics should not be less
operati e. What is, not what
ought 70 be, is the theme Of polili-
cal economy. Therein Ii
its radical defect, the default that
necessarily brands it as the "dismal
science. 1t afirms warfare to be
the natural condition Of society,
each individual, firm, corporation
and community avarieiously holding
its own and covetously seizing, or
attempting to seize, what is
possessed by others; and that with
out reg ,rd to revealed ethics, which
it scornfully rejects as Sunday
school politics" or as the iridescent
dream of fanatical doctlinaires.
Were this postulate true the bitter
dictum of pessimism that society
is not worth saving" would lie UNI
deniably correct. Sach society
and there is too much of it in
existence-badly needs reform; nor
are courageous souls, full OF faith
and hope in the higher possibilities
Of human nature, wanting who are
not only willing 10 undertake the
task, but are slowly though surely
accomplishing it.
1t is better to deserve success
than TO achieve IT, There is some
thing that mep call chance, luck or
fate that frequently decides what
shall be sucee and what failure.
Enlightened men reverently call it
providence. 1t is impossible to
eliminate God from human affairs.
Still, such is the bene6oent, contin
uous power of Cristian ethics in
secular matters that prescient men
cannot fsil to recommend and re
joice in their apple ttion. Thorough
study of commercial exchanges,
banks and trust companies Jews
and Gentiles, Roman Catholics and
Protestants-in this and other cities
brings into vivid relief upon the
background of intense social activ-
tiles the worth Of applied Christian
ethics, the demonstrated fact that
goodness is profitable unto all
things, having promise of the life that |
now is, and of that which is to
come" { Tim. iv. 81. Selishness
is stupidity. Altruism, as when the
disciples distributed the loaves and |
gshes among the hungry multitude
augments its store of blessings in
proportion to the magnitude of those !
gifts with which it lovingly parts.
Intelligent and fearless application !
of Christian ethics to the needs OF |
women and children, to the educa-
ton of the rising generation, to the |
instruction of the ignorant, to the
family constitution, to the relations |
existing between capital aud labor,
to private aud public corporations,
to the functions of civil govern
ments, to Sabbath legislation. &C.
clesiastical controversies and many |
other burning questions, is duty and |
pleasure to patriot and humanitarian.
Methodist Review for May June. /