The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-20

| III NHlC0 humanity tndiultats It's tiittuttttH
/ from Coda Kingdom OF darkness which
| is the organized totality OF lifc apart from
J God II IN the order of disorder the sum
| OF all antagonism to righteousness. the
| moral government OF God and the re-
| dcmptUn OF Jesus Christ. IL is n spiritual
force hostile to Christianity and dcstruc-
| tive OF all the modest, sweetest, highest
qualities OF the soul. The world in this
sense is today, and has been since sin
| blighted the heart OF man, six thousand
years ago, supremely and inherently sell
fish. History bears incontrovertible tes-
timony to this sad fact. The struggle oil
these ages has been q struggle for SUI
premacy-self seeking its throne, its do
minion and sccpter of power. II we should
now pause to realize this truth we need
only to enter a single sphcre--the bust
ness world reproached and dishonored
by failure. The selfish idea of business Is
| to get the largest returns from the least
/ outlay, though Integrity be sacrificed on
the altar of money, and society be robbed
! of its just heritage. The Christian idea
| makes live the law of life. And business
| is not an attempt to make society con-
| tribute TO tho individual, but the effort
| OF the individual to contribute something
| to the general good All efforts to crcate
| artificial values and keep prices out OF the
| reach of the natural laws of trade by the
| organization of trusts and m0nopolies; or
| to force men to work beyond reasonable
| time for the value they receive, Is TO enl-
| ploy the most reprehensible means OF gam
| and so become a crime against society.
| The selfish principle, however, unworthy,
| 1t seems when the golden light of Chris
| tianity falls upon 1t. Is the very essence
of the Egotistic world This IL the world
cursed by sin which Jesus has undertaken
| to overthrow. He has introduced new
gospel OF peace. whose doctrines can
change the whole current of human life
n cd tho golden rule
--Christ's law intended to regulate the
relations and transactions of men-Niil
end forever the conflict that has ragged
for these centuries between the egousm
Of the world and the Saviors idea of UNI
selfish devotion to the pure good of others.
This brings us to our second proposition:
The altruism OF Christ In bringing mes
sage from heaven to this world something
more than salvation was taken into ac-
count. The central idea of Christs preach
ing clashed with the selfish feelings OF
men and shattered the conventionalities OF
His age Christs plan for the regenera-
ton Of the world as expressed in the phil
| osophy of the gospel was to make real the
equality of our race. The forces oil CHRIS
tianity operating in the elevation oil man
first strikes the shackles from every limo
The gospel OF Christ marching in conquest
across the realms OF ages has not con-
cealed the fact that il is designed TO over
turn the present order of the world and
readjust all relations on the broad basis
II righteousness and love. And so far-
reaching have been the results that, stand
ing in the morning dawn of the Twentieth
century. we can say with our own Long
fellow: "Out of the shadow of the night
the world moves into light, 1t is day
break everywhere. F" Since the world has
exhausted its resources and is coming to
recognize the gospel of Christ as the SUI
preme remedy for all our ills 1t Is peril
nent TO ask what is the peculiar type OF
religion that is to meet the wants of our
day. ca 1t must be practical. TINS Is
distinctively practical age IL asks oil
everything its practical worth. Religion
must be practical. 1t must be religion
for the human heart. 1t must have the
power to touch the secret springs of the
soul and purify the whole current of life,
In our day religion has been challenged
into the open and required 10 show what II
can make OF men in the ordinary ways of
life. Does it make employers and em-
ployed more just and generous, more trust
worthy and honorabie' Does IL sweeten
the life. ennoble the character and engage
all the energies for the common good?
These 6r0 the tests by which Christianity
is tried today. C2) II must be fraternal
or brotherly. The great Master instituted
His religion on the basis of the absolute
brotherhood of all men He recognized no
distinctions Rmong men, God has no
favorites. But in every nation he that
Te2retn tGu ana Workeln TlSnLeOUEUcsS Is
accepted OF Him. " Ours is a philanthropic |
age made so by the diffusion of the senti-
ments of Jesus which emphasize the rights |
and dignity OF all men. Jesus has taught |
the world by the most touching example |
that the truest vocation of man is TO serve |
man This age needs the glow of Christian |
sentiment emanating from the great |
Founder of Christianity himself We need |
n Christian brotherhood standing back of |
those customs of society and lifting men |
out CT those practices in trade that grind !
the faces of the poor and enrich the few |
ont Of the toll and suffering of the many |
We need churches where the common
masses can meet and worship. We want |
to bring all men TO Christ and let them |
feel the Masters magic touch. 1T is said |
that once Mendelssohn came to see the
great Freiburg organ. The old custodian
refused him permission TO play upon the
instrument not knowing who he was. At
length however, he reluctantly granted
him leave to play few notes. Mendels-
sohn took his seat, and soon he most
wonderful music was breaking forth from
the organ. The custodian was spelbound.
He came up to the great musician and
asked his name. Learning It. he stood hu-
inflated. self-condemned, saying: And !
refused you permission 30 play upon my |
organ! There comes One to us and de-
sires to take our lives and play upon
them" But we withhold ourselves from
MIN when If we should yield he would
bring music from our souls as sweet as the
melody of heaven and harmonious as the
song of the morning stars. And man him
self would attain divine harmnoy of
thought and feeling and plan with God and
men, This would then be the golden
age of the world bnrds have dreamed and
prophets spoken;
When. all mems coed shall be each mans
rule.
And universal peacc lie like shaft of
light
Across tho land and like a lane OF beams
athwart the sea
Through all the circle of the golden years"
ts) II must be attractive and reslful.
Men are hungering for happiness and peace
and are pursuing 1t over land and sea
The soul struggles with vagrant restless
ness which evidences It's unsatisiied long
me-. Oh, the treadmili existence, tho toll
and unrest OF ife Aspirations aud dis
appointments make restful religion at
ractive TO tired brain and weary heart
9hrist's remedy for all human ills is The /
I'D gospel of unselnsh love. And down I
hese ages has rung the words that charm
he heart from its cares and its sorrows, I
Come unto me and | win give YOU regt - d