The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-31
An ENP4NSIFE GOSPEL.
Embraces Both the Greeks and tho Bar
bnriOns. the Mlse md InwIse.

4
| When the Master said. beginning at
| Jerusalem" no evidently meant 10 estab-
| llsh what the stratcgists call "a base"
| The beginning must be somewhere and
there Were obvious reasons for selecting
| Jerusalem as the point. But the same
| text which IS so often cited as authority
| for home missions, is just AZ good authOr-
~ for foreign missions. Luke XIV, a., is
| decisive on this point. Repentance and
remission Of sins were 10 be preached
I'm his name among all nations. beginning
at Jerusalem"
In none OF our Lords final directions,
IS there the least hint that Christianity
was 10 walt upon civilization; nor does
anything IN that missionary magazine, he
Acts of the Apostles give the least color
10 such view. The wise, according 10
this world, often tell Us that it is use
less to attempt TO eyangelze barbarians;
that We must first instruct them in at
least the rudlmeuts OF civilization, and
thus prepare them for the reception OF
the Gospel This view savOrs OF the
baldest ratiOnalism Does God care only
for civilized people? MOI Christianity
does not come 10 help man after hs has
helped himself but In his helplessness;
and IL IS quite easy 10 lay two much
stress upon what Is called the cOnnec-
ton between Christianity and civiliza-
ton" We know that not a few OF the
most cultivated men In ancient as well
as IN modern times. havo been very wick
ed. julius Caesar was one OF the most
ACCOMPLISHED mon that ever lived From
a moral point OF view, the boosted Greek
civilization was rotten 10 the core. Even
PlatO's Republic advocates the twin
villainies Of communism and free love.
it Is a sort OF combination Of Victoria
Woodruff and George Francis Train done
into philosophy
Tweed was an educated" man. Aaron
Burr was one or the most accomplished
men that ever figured In American his
tory His native talents were splendid.
He was well educated. He was an able
soldier under Washington. He was one
OF the most uniformly successful adVo-
Gates that ever pracuced AT any bar As
an orator. he stood in the very front
rank I'm an axe which produced Fisher
Ames and Patrick Henry. Ills cl0quence
was so overpowering as 60 melt his bit
terest enemies to tears, and make them
forget where they were. BE was. per
haps, the most magnetic man that has
lived since Julius Caesar. When the Of
ficers OF the law were hunting him from
State TO State. to arrest him on the
charge Of treason, the populations OF
large cities were turning out en- masse
To magnificent banqueu. and brilliant
balls given IN his honor Even tho pop
uarty Of JeffersOn's administration was
seriously imperiiled by Burrs arrest. His
arrest was accomplished with great diff
Guilty. His trial was almost an ovation.
Andrew Jackson, who had been summon
ed 10 Richmond as "a witness for the
prosecution. Is said o. have publicly ha-
rangued crowd on the Capitol Square in
his defence.
That extraordinary lawyer. Luther Mar
tin. Fcdcralist 10 the core as he was
volunteered 10 defend him without
fee. Wirts hligree fooIishness and hollow
rhetoric about Bienuerhasset, the native
OF Ireland" and the man Of letters
were swept away like q c0b-web as they
| deserved 10 hc. and Aaron Eurrs acQuit-
tai was a triumph. The only thing that
Burr lacked 10 make him one OF the first
statesmen of his time was moral charac-
ter. Even when he was under the frown
! Of Jefferson. and when his hands were
red with the blood OF Hamilton, Burr
| was one OF the most popular men in the
| United States. Barely missing the presi-
| dency. and easily first as Nicc-presiient.
| he spent most Of his life IN a blaze of
glory, and has LEFT 10 posterity a name
which Will be the synonym for infamy
| as long as American history is read. 0f
| American politics discussed among men.
| His life is instructive. and furnishes many
| a. warning lesson To the politician. who. in
| our own day, lectures us ON 1.-THE folly
| OF attempting 10 carry 1.-THE DecalOguo
and tho Sermons on the Mount into poll
tics No. civilization hath no relish Of
salvation in it.
Between Christianity and civilization
there is. indeed, AN autthesis which is
too frequently overlooked even hy
thoughtful men. Civilization Is mainly a
social force. operating upon a commu-
nifty. Christianity is a spiritual force,
operating upon the individual. ID IS about
as difficult 20 civilze am individual as il
is 20 convert State Rough people can
be converted.
Among the Greeks one and the same
word meant morals and "manncrs. "
The same linguistic phenomenon occurs
in Latin; and the reason rs that NOR
ais were manners. and nothing more.
However highly "cultNated' heather
people may be. they viii still be bar
harians morally. Christianity makes an
Immense difference between morals and
manners. Samuel Johnson was not so
elegant" as was Lord Chesterfield: but
he was a much better man than the poll
ished. licentious n0bleman Chesterfield
was the nobleman; Johnson was the no.
bio man.
Some critics would have rs believe that
the Sermon on the Mount is an right.
and that the morality OF the New Testa-
ment is Of a high order. but that the
old Testament is so fun OF barbarsms
that our cultivated age cannot accept IL
as authority. Bgt again. ask Does God
care only for people OF cUture2 DID not
faul preach at Lystra as we'll as NJ
Athens The Pentateuch presents marked
Internal evidence that much OF 10 was nd
dressed 10 people who had recently emerg-
ed from slavery. and were still I'm q semi
barbarous condition.
John Foster wrote the most splendid OF
MS ESSAYS 20 show why men or taste were
so generally opposed 10 evangelical re-
AglOn. and 10 now seems 10 be ira order
for some advanced" critic OF the Will
hansen school. 20 write an essay 20 show
why God cares nothing for barbariaus.
Paul evidently did not think that UNI
cultivated people were outside or the pale
OF Gods sympathy or Of Gospel work.
lie was debtor both 20 the Greeks and
the barbarians. 20 the wise and the UNI
wise. "The regions beyond" whether in
hahited by scholars or by ignOramuses.
were the regions which especially fired his
ambition and kndled his zeal. lie was
always anxious 10 90 10 some new place
where Christ rad never been preached. ana
he seems never 10 have asked whether
the place was cultivated" or whether
the people were civilized. Let any pastor
ask himself the question. Are my most
cultivated people my best peOple?" one
OF the very best Christians / ever knew
could barely spell his WAY. with many
bunders. through chapter OF the Bible:
and some OF the most troublesome church
members that ! have ever known were
highly cultivated.
The Gospel is. indeed. expansive II Is
addressed to people OF all grades OF Gull
ture, and TO those who have no cul-
ture. Greeks and harbarians are 10 be all
won uy Christ and one In Christ.
:. G. HIDEN.
Va