The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-09
HEATHENISM AND CULTURE
The One Does Not Necessarily Involve
the Observance OF the Other.

the Observance OF the Other.
The Foreign Mission Journal a monthly
magazine, published under the auspices
OF the Southern Baptist Convention has
in the December number fhe following
article from Rev. d. j. Q. Hidden. OF
Richmond.
Most OF students OF language are aware
that a great many Df 0ur words originally
grew out of the environment. and not out
OF the essence, of tle Things 20 which
the words are applied Iul. we are told
that when the Spanish advcnturcrs IN
Florida first saw tnat ugly creature
which we call alligator" iHcv were ar
once struck with its remarkable rcsemb-
lance 20 a lizard. and 500 they named it
Eel lagarto." which s Spanish for Tho
lizard Compare the Latin "hcortus.
from which the Spanish gets fs "ilsar-
TO-"
The etymoiogy ~ Tho word "neathen'
is said TO be based upon the historical
fact that ln the spreM OF tha Gospel in
Europe tho dwellcrs upon taa outlying
heaths were the nardes. people t0 reach,
and thus remained Psans after tne rest
Of the people had been evang ..z.i. but
we are not here concerned With tle origin
Of the word "helthcn.' we wish rather
90 point out the essence of lle thing
which we call "heath uism. and d. boa
the course OF this discussion 60 shall DO
made to appear that tho word heather
is quite frequently m.snfnrurefe thIt
the word as popularity used is often mis-
understood and mIsappled tho result
may be lesson that .s worth learning.
great many people when they see
or hear the word "helthcn. think at
once Of a savage. or of barbarian.
Such people seem 90 imagine heather
10 be the raw material of humanity.
This idea is not essentially false; but
historically DO involves serious and
mischievOus error.
Heathenism does not necessarily nor
does II historically. involve the absence on
what we commonly call culture
heather may be-and MANY a heather
has been-a very highly cultivated man.
julius Caesar was "a heather. and hi5 is
one OF the very Few names in a.l the
history Of the world almost equally emil
nent for military genius ana skin. for
craftsmanship for oratOry for scholar
ship. and for literary power As
general. he has. perhaps never been eX-
celled. as a statesman 30 is questionable
II the world has ever produced bis equal;
as am orator. he stood next 10 Cicero.
He was one OF the most accomplished
he has never been surpassed in hIs own
department-military history.
The truth u.s.. that what we cali our
culture is mostly heather. John F0s-
ter. IN ono % the most splendid and
elaborate Of all his essays. complained
that every college ln Chr.stend0m WAS
teaching heathenism. Plato. Aristotle,
Aeschylus. Sophocles. EuripIdes, ArIsto-
phanes Demosthenes. Homer Horace.
Iivy Virgil. Tactus-m "a word. au The
classical authors-were heather.
When Dr. William II. u. Mciuney WAS
delivering bis admirable lectures 90
Rhetoric at the University OF virginia
he used English textbooks in his depart
ment Lord Kames. Whately Campbell
O. co. We're our authorities. But tho
famous professor in commenting upon
them. told us one day. Gentlemen. they
are. an dllufions OF Aristotle. and 20 you
could read Greek. and understand 90 1913
readily as you do English. then Aristotle
would bo The only textbook which Z
should put into your hands. and you
would need ne other
Burke was q Christian. and Longinus 70
heather: but Burke ron tho Sublime" is
dead and burel while Ione.nus con
the Sublime IS immortal
As a mater OF fact there IS no necos-
sary connection between hcatheulsm aui
barbarism. nor is there any such cone
ucction between Christianity and "cu'-
tureT Some Of the best Christians r
ever knew could not read chapter in
the Bible without making many ana most
ignorant bunders. and some of the mpst
dangerous men Of ancient and of mol.rl
times have been men of splendid culture
The Dialogue of Plato were scarcely
more hcathcuish cham Irc J0hn Stuart
Anlrs "Thrce Essays on Religion"
Tho simple trIfh .s tnlt Dee esseuc. nc
hoathenism is e0d'essncss. All men ire
naturally heather. and it requires fha
power % Gods grace go make anything
better than heather out OF any human
being We sometimes imagine thar ~
excuse ourselves from the guilt of wrong
doing or of wrong feeling. when wc sly.
1T was natural for me 20 act thus" or
eft is natural Tor me fo feel s1" Uut
tho very essence ~ the difference between
hathenism and Christianity is naf the
first Dis natural and the laet is spiritual
II YOU always allow yourself t1 DO what
it is natural for you t0 DO. and fO FEEL
what &c Is natural Tor you % feel you
may become highly cultivated man.
but YOU will live and die a heather
When the heather nature within You is
su1dued under the grace % God. and
brought urfer "the law OF the Spirit -
Life IN Christ Jesus" then and then only
can You ever De rescued from hc1tncn-
ism
To imagine that we can make 4 chris-
tian out ~ a Ch.naman hy porsu1diug
him 70 conform 10 our ideas ~ dress.
personal habits. views OF education"
civilization" and what not. is not only
wild-lt Is fearfu'iv mischieyOus 10
teaches men 70 believe that little ~.
ternal polish. a llUlo OF what We arc
uieased 20 call culture" is part and
parcel OF the religion OF Jesus Christ
There IS no veueerins in the work of
Cod THE Kings daughter is an slo-
rious within"
When the Roman Consul. Mummius
was sacklng C0rin,h. he saw some Of bis
rough soldiers carelcss'y haniilng
magnificent Greek statue TIE warned
them 90 be- more carcful 'f1r." e7ld no.
40 Won break g.. you shall replace it'
Think 81 GO, An avn carved h' phi1.17
broken and "resto-ei" hy "a hewer ~
milest0nes on q Roman road, Tho fhi1-.
however. Is no more absurd than rs me
substitution Of some clumsy work %,
modern "calture' for that grandost ~ an
statues-Christ formed in YOU the hope
Of glory.
Richmond. Va.
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