The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-28

IWOnQer lndI the great masses OF men de QIlFeH away HOm
all religion, when such a gospel is preached to them ?
Thousands of men in the world to-day are longing for aid
and relief from hard and grinding conditions of life. They
desire relief they need relief if they are ever to fulfil
their duties toward God and men. How often are such
men told that religion has to do with the spiritual which is
in heaven, and not at all with the material which is on
this earth. They are told that, if their souls are but saved
in a few short years they will be in heaven; so that it is a
matter of little concern what their conditions are on this
earth. Oh how utterly empty is such a religion to worn
and toll laden humanity How utterly false is such
teaching to the gospel of the ncarnation-whic is
God on this earth, putting an end to sin and OPP
preston, enabling every man to develope himself,
more and more, in a life ever truer, better, more god
like. Little wonder that men, to whom such a gospel
is preached, finding this future world so far away and Wis
ionary-inding this present world so real and pressing,
turn away with disgust from a religion that can't meet
the needs and wants of this daily life. A devoted member
of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew writing from a South
ern CITY says ''Some time ago l had an experience here
much like that related by Bishop Potter, in his Washington
address on The City and Nation The street car men
were working seventeen hours a day, with no rest on Sun
day. They struck, and a bitter struggle followed. In the
midst of the struggle, l sent a printed letter to every clergy
man in the city whose address I could get, setting forth the
facts, and among others the fact that these men could not
go to church if they wanted to. Yet no word was heard
from any of the %clergymen in support of the men. The
printers in the office where the letter was set up were
much interested. AS | looked over the proof several gath
cred around me and all, without exception, declared that
none of the clergy would do anything. | an glad to say
that the men, nevertheless, won their righteous cause" Why
were these ]clergymen Indifferent !? Was it not that they
considered this struggle between the street car men and
their employers as being a worldly question with which re-
ligion had nothing to do? L suppose that they thought
that, as ministers of religion, no duty devolved upon them
to interpose in this worldly and business matter, that such
action on their part would have been improper and unbe-
coming. Had an invitation, however, been extended to
these ministers to preach to these car men, to set before
them the powers and glories of the future, and to exhort
than to he in q DrODerS Diritual condition to gain that fu-
ture, l suppose that they would gladly have availed them
selves of the opportunity. But as to this matter of right
and justice - all such questions as that have to
work themselves out to a conclusion. Such, in sub
stance, would doubtless have been the answer of these
ministers had they been asked why they left these
car men to fight their own battles unassisted. And why did
these %clergymen take such a position &? Because they had no
grasp of the gospel as an incarnation-the bringing of God
into the world-the bringing the holy city, the heavenly
Jerusalem down from heaven and establishing it on this
earth. Because they wished to point men to heaven they
did not understand a religion that brings God and heaven
to men on this earth; brings God on this earth by making
this world and all of its affairs righteous, godlike. Alas
then for a christianity that stands by in silence when men
are being oppressed, and denied their rights! Its false to
the Incarnate life of its Founder. Alas for a Christianity
that, unable to conquer the world for Christ, worsted in its
conflict with sin, seeing around it nothing but lust and oP-
preston and grasping covetousness, folds its hands and
with a pious sigh looks away from this earth to heaven!
Alas for it because it is a sham and a failure!
Lastly, in what direction is your religion turning your
thoughts and energies, my friend? Towards a holy city, a
new Jerusalem ? 1t ought to be doing that. But where is
that city and kingdom of God? Is it in the future only d?
Have you been weaned away from earth , are you living in
the future? 1t is true that we are told mot to love the
world, neither the things in the world" We are told that IF
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in
him." We are commanded not to be conformed to this
world, but we are to conform it to the ideals and purposes
of God. Christianity is the power of God to change and
inform and shape this world until, in the language of St.
John, cit shall become a new earth. My friend, is this Cos
pei of Christ, this incarnation of God, working in you to
make you a new creature ? Through you is it spreading
out to the world to make it a new earth and this, here
and now, and not in the future? land John saw the holy
city, new jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven.