The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-12
CHRISTIANITY AS A SOLVENT OF
SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

candid and intelligent thinker who Is
familiar with the precepts Of Christ will
distinguish between those that were of
transient, secondary consequences and local
timeliness and those that stood for the
fundamental principles on which all his
etchicai teaching rests. An able writer
has recently argued that the literal appli-
cation of even the Sermon on the Mount
to everyday life would be impracticable.
lie points out that the world rs Christ
knew it and society IS We know IL has
outgrown former Conditions, has other
and different ethied laws.
or these secondaf9 cprecepts OF Jesus
this writer. Mf. Bonham, says that if they
ever were applicable 10 human society,
they ase not nov, for men have q standard
OF morals and OF conduct inconsistent with
and contrary to that of Jesus. Mr.. Bon
ham points out that modern society is not
a. proper field for the practice of
non-resistance 10 evil: of indiscrIm-
mate giving ito him that asketh
OF thes,'i or Of indifference to the
future of food aud raiment. An
erratic man OF genins. Count ToIstoi. has
attempted to literally put IN practice all
the precebts of Jesus, both those which
are secondary and of transient force and
local coior. and those which are funda-
mental, like the Golden Rule. But men
quite as deyout Christians az Count
Tolstoi know that human society and its
present civilization wonld die by It's own
! hand II it did not resist evil and smite
/ the wrong doer; il il dad not provide
fcod aAd raiment, lay up wealth and
/ guard il carefully against those who seek
/ TO rob their fellow men by Appropriatias
lAwlessly the fruits OF honest industry and
forethoughL
/ Mr.. Bonham 10 correct In his new that
| IL would he sheer madness To attemns to
/ FolstosiEe modern society. Nevertheless
in the largest sense Of the word Christian.
ity, 81 far as it rests on the principle Of
the Golden Rule and the command glove
ones neighbor as ones self. has thus far
been the only thing that has made modern
life worth living. aud on IL rests the only
hope Of humane and successful solution
Of all the great problems that still yax
modern society. Moaern legal equiv.
social justice. family affection; public
aud private generosity, charity and phi
lanthropy we're never 50 potential with the
world as they are today, and their spirit
runs straight back 20 these fundamental
ethics Of the founder o. the Christina
faith.
Ii is tras that society may seem 20
realize the 6slaea Rule IN practice some
times but slowly and imperfeosiy. bat il
We compare the practical humanity OF
France, England or the United States
/ With what ia was = century ago ne shall
see that not only the Golden Rule has been
actually adopted and realized 10 consia-
cradle extent in the government Of modern
life. bat even that higher Hfs OF the
CArlssian ideal OF love % ones nelghbor.
on sais point the Springfield Eepablicaa
saws;
ssThe brotherhood Of man was never 80
I much q fact As TO-DAY. TIE interests 81
she whole world were never 80 mutual the
xAue OF international friendship never 80
hsEhly ApPge slated. Ihe idea that society
ia unH a boay Of members hereof 4
one uaeuabeF suffers ali sQilsr together. WEs
never 80 hrmtY grasped as nov. Men
never before have scea 80 plainly TIA, they
must IL some degree toSs tse9 nslghooF
as them selves & they Wop.d secure their
own good. Washer Il wflt or no society
= moving In The line af this i1sA which
sAors-s gated students psonouncs sIzs-
1 prarslcRhls. ana = h&ea has DeVeE been 50
traly and grxn4ly stated as in the SerF.oa
On ths Mount In a. ages individuals
/ have tested tbs ideal q liRlnE and found
IL not only PFscuc4sla, bas Joyous, and
thurs Nsre probably B4xer - many Chris
tlsas of this fFaast gYEM. 81 al names and
VFeeas As nos. ard Ire simple procsSs -
increasing thelx n1IsSeE ss lie sere way n