The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-01

OF the SdVlOuT Vi 1uo NoAAN
Prince of Peace-and his name has
been honored in song and prayer,
in exhortation and address. But
there is something incongruous In
the thought that this Saviour is, ac-
cording to the written principles
and public teaching of this church,
except where liberal thought has
exercised its influence. defeated
conqueror, an uncrowned king. For
nineteen hundred years he has, &C
cording to the popular theological
thought, saved only a few OF the
many. Especially must the Christ
mas celebration seem farcical to the
student of ethics, when he looks back
over the year 1895, to see its history.
In spite of the great gift of arbitra
ton there has been much war in the
earth and the war spirit prevails to
an alarming degree. There has been
war between China and Japan, be-
tween the French and Hovas in
Madagascar, between Italy and Abys-
sinia, between the Turks and Mace
domains. between Great Britain and
the Bedouins at Mecca. There has
been rebellion in Morocco and mas
sacres many On different parts of the
eastern continent; and now with the
Turks and Kurds numbering the Ar
menians, and riots and strikes and
the call of soldiers to settle various
disturbances in our own country, it
surely does not look as though the
Prince of Peace had yet assembled
his throne.
We are beginning the new year
with talk of war between Great Brit
ain and the United States; which OF
course is nothing but talk; with &C.
tual war between Spain and Cuba;
with war in the Transvaal; with war
between some of the countries of
South America; with the Armenian
massacres still in existence; with
threatening labor troubles in our
own country and the hand of OPP
preston upon many of the social en-
terprises of our own as well as OF
other lands.
In our own country the social con-
ditions alone constitute problem
which suggests that more Christian
work is needed before the millennium
will have come. It is stated on good
authority that last year there was
more than one million people out of
work in our country; forty-fi thous-
and women buried in potter's field;
tens of thousands of children who
could not find seats in the public
school if they desired, or were COM
PEELED to attend. Women making
twelve shirts for seventy-five cents in
Chicago and in Boston. Children
who work twelve hours day for
dollar a week, and in like manner the
story might be prolonged almost in
definitely. All this is far from be-
ing pleasant reading and it suggests
that the Christian world has not yet
discovered the heart of the Christ. 1t
confirms the statement that Christi
anity is character and that salvation
is love. That whoever belongs to the
Christ has within him, as an evidence
of such ownership, the desire to help
some one, to improve the conditions
of human living, to make happy some
human heart, to do justly, to love
mercy and to walk humbly with God.
The world will one day learn that
the mission of the Church of Christ
is diviner and higher than that OF
granting passports to heaven. 1t will
find its noblest work in lettering the
condition of human lives-thus obey
ing the commandment and initiating
the life of its founder.
But the worst social conditions
and the most authentic rumors of
wars, lamentable as they are, do not
compare with the massacres in Ar
menia, reports of which chill the
blood in every human hearth Has
God deserted his people there9 Is
the Christian church utterly power
less to stop this terrible slaughter of
innocent men, women and childrens
If it cannot stop it, then it is not
what it has claimed to be. If it can
do it, then it ought. There certainly
seems to be an opportunity for mis-
sionary work on a magnificent scale
in Turkey at the present time.
1t is reported that at least 100000
innocent human beings have been
cruelty slain and there are, today,
probably half million people freez-
ing and starving as the fruit of recent
massacres in Armenia. Has the
Christian church nothing to say
about thisi Has our American civil
ization nothing to say7 l invite your