The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-23
THAT'S WHAT THE CORRIrP-
TIONISTS AND THEIR TOOLS
WOULD DO.
WHO WOULD WELCOME HIN Now7
The Little Children, the Good Women and
''The Common People" Would Gladly
Receive Him as They Did Nine
teen Centuries Ago.
(1lhe New Times.)


Every age has it's special vices as it's
| special religious developments. The past
| centuries were often marked by great
fame, and sometimes great fortunes &C
quired by military triumphs. But there
| at least was this redeeming feature that
| the despoileTs had the manhood to risk
! their lives and person on the battle
| field. This age is marked by the accum-
ulation of still vaster fortunes, but il
Us done without personal risk, without
herOism, by the wholesale deprivation
| and sp0ilation of the masses Of the
people-the creators of this wealth-in
the interest of a few combinations of
capstal.
| Do You think that if Christ came to-
day He would be better received in
this so called christian age and land
than he was in Judea nineteen centuries
ago? Remember that He was a car
penter and His apostles were poor la
tborers and fishermen. Suppose some
obscure carpenter, in this day and gem
Grafton, accompanied by such cOmpan-
ions, should go about the country de-
nouncing the robbelies Of the rich and
corruption in high places; suppose
he should say salvation could only be
had by believing in him and that it was
more possible for a camel to pass through
the eye of a needle than for rich man
to enter the kingdom of God; suppose
such a one should enter your rich
churches, where the preacher, reclining
on soft cushions, offers incense and
! adulation to the millionaire bondholders,
gorged with the wealth they. have il
sEgally wrung from the people,, and
with his knotted cord should scourge
those ministers and those worshipers of
Mammon from these temples erected to
God, how would he fare? Suppose he
should teach the naked gospel as Christ
taught lit, that wealth confers no privi-
lege; but imposes great duties and great
responsibilities. Suppose further, that
when these men who daily rob a, whole
people OF their just earnings had been
wont to give a hundred dollars here
a thousand yondeT a million ito this
hospital, two millions to yonder college,
and every time they thus give back a
part OF their stealings they should
cause every newspaper in the land to
proclaim their magnificent generosity,
and that this obscure carpenter, with
his barefooted followers, should de-
reth did those in his day. who. in like
manner, when they gave their aims, had
n trumpet blown before them; and sup
pose that obscure man who was no re-
specter of persons had aroused their
hate by his miracles, which should
cause the common people to hear him
gladly. and what, ask would this gen.
Grafton do to such a man? If it did not
cruelty him, it would be only because
Of the influence OF his teaching, which
in the lapse Of nineteen centuries have
given the masses a power they did not
have in Judea.
The millionaires and their tools, the
preachers that worship them; the pa
pers, whether church of secular, that
defy them, and all the other followers
of Mammon would hate Christ. as those
of other rich men hated Him in the
coasts of Jordan and Galilee nineteen
centuries ago and as they today really
hate everyone who truly teaches His
sayings in their purity. If the rich
syndicates and trusts and other robbers
of the people of this day and their
toadies and beneficiaries were not al
lowed to cruelty Christ they would wish
to do it. They would surely hale him
into prison and denounce Him and His
followers as anarchists, socialists, and
communists.
Is not this true, men and brethren?
If Christ came today, who would re-
ceive, and who would cruelty Him?
Have you ever thought about it? The
pure minded little children would re-
ceive Him. They did so when he came
nineteen centuries ago. Suffer little
children to come unto me for of such is
the kingdom of heaven" Then the good
women of this land would gladly receive
Him. And so they did nineteen CEN
turtles ago.
''Not she with traitorous kiss her Mas
ter stung,
| Not she denied him with unfaithful
tongue
She. when apostles fed could danger
brave,
Last at His cross and first at His
grave"
There are dancing daughters of He
rodian and other women wrapped up in
| self and deceitfuIness Of riches now as
| then, but now as then all good women
| would gladly follow him. And then
among the men He would recruit His
| followers just as of old, for "the com
mon people heard Him gladly" They
whose faces are darkened by the search
| ing glances of the sun and their hands
! hardened by the toll would figure large
| ~ among His followers. And so would
! the honest men of whatever profession
and whatever calling who are striving
| for modest competence and in whose
| hearts the greed of gold has not burnt
l oil a Of h,rYx fuir
! ing, and that of that divinity which
should be within u.s." But not many
| mighty nor many rich shall be called 1t
i unnn On Of old Thn,r ,,,hn farm trrnn4