The Advocate and news., 1898-12-07

existing order and is so dependent on It's
money that 1t cannot examine the social
titles of organized wealth, nor get at
the national situation to set 1t right nor
cry aloud and spare not against the pO-
litical and economic crimes that affront
the skies, nor make holy war against
the system that begets and hOnors these
crimes, then the scepter Of redemption
will pass from 1t and new redemptive
organ will arise. It must call this civil
ization to the judgment seat Of Jesus,
or It will itself recede and a new form OF
Christianity take its place.
REVOLUTION MAY COME THROUGH
FORCE.
The religious movement for which
we hope will not be hostile to the
church; indeed, 1t will probably move on
almost in ignorance of the church's ex-
istence. It will be a distinctly human
revival, drawing its motives and support
from human needs and learnings. If
there is not in the people a spiritual re-
serve sufficient to bring forth such re-
ligious movement, then the social rev.
olution will doubtless come through
force instead Of love. 1 thoroughly be-
lieve and advocate Jesus doctrine of
non-resistance. 1 am opposed to war
In every form, military industrial or
theological. But mere conservatism
always compels progress to make its way
through conflict and tragedy. We Amer
leans have got to learn from Jesus that
love alone is the fulfilling Of liberty;
that the social service. not the material
gain, of the individual is the end Of free
dom.
Whether we would have it so or not,
Jesus holds the key to the social situa-
tion and the initiative is his. But let us
not seek the living among the dead, as
many devout souls would have us do.
The Christ we need is not in the tomb OF
metaphysics, where theology has stood
guard these many ages, obedient to am
bition in the church, agreeable to craft
in the state. The Messianic idea is risen
and goes before us in the sons Of men
committed to the social redemption, to
lead ON to the holy society. Not back,
but on, to Christ, is the divine meaning
Of the social cry.
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP A CHRISTIAN
THEORY.
In another lecture, which, like the pre-
ceding, was delivered at Willard Hall,
Chicago, before a large audience, DR..
Heron spoke on christian Doctrine
and Private Property" He said in part
The common ownership Of natural re-
sources follows clear line Of Christian
teaching from the beginning OF that
teaching with Jesus Christ. Nearly all
his statements Of religious principles are
in terms Of human relations; and his
idea was altogether more communistic
than we care to discover.
No man can read the Gospels honestly
without seeing that Jesus regarded indi-
vidual wealth as q moral fall and as
social violence He believed social ine-
quality to be the manifestation Of the
religious apostasy and spiritual disorder
that rooted in cOvetOusness. When he
declared that it was hard for rich man
to enter the kingdom Of God 1t Is clear
that he meant that it was hard for him
to yield to the essential thing In his
case, which was the giving up Of his
property to the common good; because
he was not able to do this, the rich young
man went away sorrOwful. When he
said that man must renounce all he
had to become his disciple he was not
speaking vaguely-he meant exactly
what he said. Jesus could see nothing
more irreligious, more defiant toward
God or wicked toward man, than that
men should use superior ability as a mere
instrument for exploiting their brothers,
making human need and ignorance their
prey. From his point Of view, the power
to serve is not only the sacredest gift,
but Is in itself, in its intrinsic worth,
the highest human reward The Idea
that serving power is something to be
rewarded by things other than itself,
something to be sold and paid for in the
market, was to him frightful protana-
ton of life. The harmony OF the most
fn ond cOoiol faafa with