New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-02


eminent place in the history Of the race who do
not accept all the teachings OF dogmatic tbeol-
ocv. What would be- their explanation Of His
power over the heart and conscience OF the
world-a power which 1t would be both foolish
md dishonest to deny? First. then, 1t would
nppear that He claimed some sort Of klngly au
thorIty There was nothing material IN me
kingshlp that he assumed. Once. indeed lie
entered Jerusalem In triumph, but lie suDlnitted
to The homage OF tho populace more to please
Ills admirers than with the purpose of heading
nm insurrcction II was passing incident, not
n vital fact, In His career. His real kingship
was through His teaching. emphasized by Ills
death and resurrection. The scarlet thread OF
royalty runs all through His career 1t was
Ills aim to reign only In the heart ana CON
science Of men, His reign was moral. or In the
language of theology spiritual, and only so far
us theology emphasizes and safeguards that
fundamental fact IL It OF any value 10 the fol
lowers of Christ.
But It may be asked Is the klngshp which
Christ thus claimed n vital fact In the world
to-day? There are many voices declaring that
II is not There are two Numerically opposite
conceptions of the universe which are strug-
Cling for pre-eminence in the modern world.
One Is that of the matcralst, who recognizes
only three th!ngs-matter. force and law. Ac-
cOrdlng TO this view the universe was never
created and will never cease 10 be. II Is merely
subject 10 certain changes Of form under the
operation Of memorable laws and forces. The
universe, rs we see II today, came INTO shape
through the Ouworking Of blind forces, ana
mans existence on the earth Is due to the same
cause. In all It's mitless spaces there Is not
the fanteSt glimmer of intelligence or design
There Is no king but law God Is n dream. ana
Providence Is a figment Of ancient superstition
This is the material theory of the visible uni
verse and ii is claiming as proving witness all
the latest conclusions Of scientific investigations
Into such n conception the idea of Christ could
never cntcr For there would be no sin to be
saved from. no guilt to be pardoned and no
hope Of any life after death
The other conception Of the universe Is that
II Is the outcome Of 4 supreme intelligence. Be
sides matter, force and law there Is n Being in
initely greater than all Of them combined. who
originally caused them to be. In His relation
to the universe that Being is called God; ia His
relation TO man He Is called Father. and II He
Is q Father He will In some way reveal llilnSelr
To His children He will not leave them 10 de-
structon. hut VIII save them even from them
selves and bring them back TO their home from
which they have strayed. That IL the whole phi
losophy of Christianity. and upon II Is built the
atoning work Of Christ Who regns not because
of an arbitrary decree Of God. but because His
royal rule springs ont Of the very nature of
things. Christianity thus considered Is Gods
answer to the cry Of His children for salvation
and life.
For nearly nineteen centuries the world
has had II surfrlt Of theories concerning the mis-
sion Of Christ and yet we have not been able 10
get much beyond the simple symbolical state
ments of the New Testament. Nevertheless
there has ut no time been lacking profound in
tuition of the real significance of that mission.
Explanations without number Of the Rcdemp
ton and Atoncment have arisen and dsap-
peared in the sweep Of the centuries. But be-
hind them all. and greater than them all. has
ever stood The wondrous personality of the man
Christ Jesus. Who freely offered His life Il
ransom for many The joyous notes of the first
Palm Sunday were soon turned into Il mSerere.
In the chronicles Of the day the events of Holy
Week and that first Easter had small prOmi-
ncnCe. religious squabble between two fac
lions Of the Jews, ending in the death of a
peasant who had claimed some sort of king
shp--that wns'all. Yet the events of that week
meant more 10 the race than anything that ever
happened before or since, and even though we
must admit that Christianity has not been able
completely to dominate modern civilization il is
The only force far as men can see that gives
promise of lifting the race above the deadcnlng
selfshncsS Of matcrialiSm and inspiring it with
high ideals Of duty and service.