The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-03-23

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The Christianity of Jesus is as universal
as the human race. 1t is the only unver-
sal religion. All other religions, like the
Hebrew, has an "Abraham'' for its
father. Jesus recognized God as the All
Father and God is universal.
1t should be common brotherhood
movement. If Jesus did not teach and
live the common brotherhood life, then he
taught and lived nothing.
Others saw "publicans and pharisees, :"
Jesus saw in every man ''the man only"
The only principle that can ever bring
''peace and good will'' to all the earth is
this common brotherhood, the divine
magnet which drew a company of disci-
piles to Jesus. Every figure lie used
suggested brotherhood-' branches of
one vine" sheep of one fold, "mem-
bers Of one body Paul)
1t should be a democratic movement
Jesus lived a pure democracy. His
''model prayer was "Our Father,'' not
''my Father His whole manner of life
was protest against the ecclesiasticism
! of His day. The only aristocracy with a
promise is the aristocracy of character.
/ blessed are the meek for they shall
inherit the EARTH What right have we
/ 10 say one position is greater than another
in the kingdom of God, since Jesus did
not recognize "a greater in humanity?
Who We're lis ''bishops,'' ''elders' and
''high pTiests?'' What titles did he give
or receive except the title of ''friend?''
Religion is not the robe man wears nor
the ''crucifix in his hand, nor the Bible in
bis head, nor the vestibule 'haud shake, -
nor the handle that adorns his name
''afore or aft" 1t is the treatment of
his fellow man as a brother 1t is the
overflow of love from the soul.
1t should be this life movement.
Religious people have spent most of
their energy singing and dreaming of the
''lite to come" | turn to the gospels
and read them carefully to find how
little Jesus said about the next life; how
much about this life. Learn from the
Scriptures. John the Baptist began his
kingdom of heaven is at hand,' not in
the far future, but here now. Jesus
taught the people not to live for even
the next day, much less for the next life
Live for day Ii is the burden OF
tomorrow" that brushes men. Strength
is always given for the problems of to-
day. To do one world at time is
about all the average mortal can do and
do we'll. The church has "swItched"
Jesus too far into the future. His message
was for this life, Ego and speak all the
words OF this life A man is left "half
dead by the wayside. The priest"
and ''Levite' ''passed by on the other
side" They must perhaps hasten to
Jerusalem to pray for his soul in the
next life The good Samaritan
dsmounted from his horse to save the
man in ''lhis life $50 thou and do like
wise. "
Once, at least, Jesus touched on the life
/ to come in very strong terms. The ''re
wards and punishments, however,
were not based upon mans belief, nor
profession" but upon his words - 81
was an hungered and ye gave me meat; l
was thirsty and ye gave me drink; l was a
stranger and we took me in; naked and ye
clothed me; | was sick and We visited me );
| was in prison and ye came unto me. :"
This was Jesus idea of creed To him it
was the gateway to ''life eternal Is it
not time that this became the creed of
humanity? Certainly all men could unite
in such a work as this. A work which
should not stop this side of the great cir
Gle of the sun 1t is not necessary to put
Literal Interpretation upon this. The
''spirit'' which Jesus gave it from his
own example should be sufficient to unite
all humanity for humanity.
This movement should be independent
in belief To find our belief in another
mans creed is to look in mirror dark
ly." God gives every seriously thinking
person vision different from that which
is given any other. Having made each
mind after its own pattern he ''destroys
the mould In a free world there must
! be as great variety of belief as there are
minds to believe. Since God never made
even two leaves upon the same tree ex-
actly alike, how can we expect to make
two minds almost unlimited in scope to
think exactly alike. The religious move
ment of the future instead of asking OF
each individual, edo you believe as do?'
will rather ask, in the words ofits found
er, ''are you willing to drink the cup
that | drink?'' 1t has been said that there
! is not a belief held by any one great de-
nomination as essential to Christian char
acter that is not held by each other de-
nomination. All christian humanity could
unite on what all hold as essential to
| character. Why should non essential be-
lefs keep us apart? Why should We place
| barriers to the church which Jesus did not
place at the door of the kingdom? Why
place ''yoke' upon our fellow men
| which our fathers were not able to bear?
What difference should it make to one
person what view another holds as to
| "Adam's fall, ''original SIM "perse-
verance of saiats,' or thousand other
harmless ''isms' that Jesus never taught?
Should those minor differences stand in
the way of the union of Christians? Not
| if we half have our senses.
Humanity has always interpreted Jesus
in the narrow sense. ''Call down fire to
destroy those who do not agree with us. -
! Forbid those who least out devils in
different way from ours. The protest of
Jesus has ever been forbid them not,
for whoever is not against me is for me.'
The man with vision cannot be narrow
man. Let every man hold his individual
belief as sacred to himself. But let all
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