The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-19
IN HIS STEPS
Continued from Page 81


Another implication Of this book IS
that an enterprise which may have in
it elements Of evil should be instantly
fOrsaken or entirely changed. In some
cases the way may be clear to do this.
In other cases it may not. when sud
den and serious complications arise.
The teaching Of Christ inclines 20 ev-
oIution. not 10 sudden revolution. 1t
trusts to the gradual diffusion OF llgnt
by Christian lives.
BY \ READER AND HEARER.
AS a preface to this article the wri-
ter earnestly asks his readers not
to consider him an iconoclast ready
and anxious to destroy all that Is
good in the religious life that is, nor
to class him ranting skeptic who
sees little or no good in religion,
Christian or nOn-christian.
For every God Of the imagination
pictured to Natures children he ack-
nowledges a lasting debt; for every
real prophet who has left to us a
spark of Divine Truth he would rear
a monument of love and admiration in
the memories of men.
Among thinking men and women to-
day the conviction is rapidly growing
that the world needs more of the
Christianity of Christ; less of the in
depreciation of Christ and man-made
creeds.
To many earnest thinkers after
truth this question presents itself:
Why do not men and women flock TO
the standard of that greatest of Tea
cheers by the thousands yearly? After
a test of two thousand years why does
such vast percentage of intelligent
men and women refuse to accept His
teachings? Must it be said that the
what is for his own best good? Is it
true that men and women with open
eyes deliberately throw aside that
which is for their own best welfare
iJOUn Il IilS WOElu anu III Jne w VI III "
come? Rather, is it not possible that
something is seriously wrong with the
Christianity of to-day? Is there not
some vital force, the presence of
which would cause the spirit of the
Master to blossom in the hearts of
the common multitude?
Let us look about us. We see one
hundred representative business men;
men whose daily lives tend TO make
us purer in thought, more honest in
word. nobler in deed. Conscientious
men these; ready to speak the kind
word, TO do the generous act. Accord
ing TO the popular meaning OF the
word they are not Christian.
Let us look again. We see another
hundred representative business men.
These also are men whose daily lives
tend to make us purer, kinder, nobler
These too are conscientious, fair deal
ing men. According to the popular
meaning of the word they are denomi-
mated Christians.
In our daily walks of life is there a
something that uncon-
sciously and indelibly stamps one Of
these a Christian, the other not? If
so. what is it, where is it?
What does "Christian" mean?
When a man takes upon himself the
yoke of Christ and publicly pledges UNI
support TO His doctrines
what significance is there in it? Are
we to understand it means a slight mo-
dification of ones ethical ideas? Is it
a readjustment of certain formalities
Of life? Does it mean Evolution in the
Christians conception of what Jesus
would do?" Are we to understand
that He would have a member Of His
body accept His teachings in part?
True. every Christian, as we'll as every
man in this world, will and must be-
come purer, nobler and more spiri-
rual by and through Evolution, but
Would the Savior say: Be careful,
don't try all at once to do as you be
.ieve 1 would do" THE burden will
be heavy enough as it is. Go slow,
take a section Of my Gross at once.
Evolute."
When the Savior said: Follow Me,
did He mean that His disciples should
DO His will at any cost regardless of
results? If the teachings Of
the Galuean were right at the time he
taught them they are right now. If
His principles were practicable then
they are surely practicable now. If
lot practicable now they must as sure
Y have been false when they fell from
the lips of the Master.
Let US picture to ourselves what