The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-12-28

American drama frequently presents
scenes, which are altogether I'M
worthy of cultivated taste and
high standard Of morals al d manners.
It is true that the coarse slang of the
street corner is too often imported in
to the drawing room and that men
and women who tread on velvet car
pets, converse sometimes in the lang
uage of the Sums These facts are
often cited to prove that at the end
of the century Christian morals are
losing their hold upon the public
mind But two things should be
borne in mind before we make rash
and hasty judgement. The first is
that the world is vastly more crowd
ed than it was century ago. Its
population has enormously increased
and there are more people, mean and
bad as we'll as good and noble to be
found in it. If, therefore, there is
more Of vice, there is certainly more
of virtue Another fact to be remem-
bered is this that the free press of
this century brings to the light OF day
the deeds of evil which otherwise
would not be made manifest. This
has been century of revelation of
the hidden things which belong to
vice ana crime the next century will
be century, when the disease hav-
ing been properly diagnosed, the
remedy may be suitably applied.
With regard to the religious progress
of the century, we may note firstof ali
its great missionary activity. 1t was
at its beginning that William Carey
in England and the pioneers of the
American Board Of Missions in this
country started on their crusade of
world wide conquest for the cause and
the Kingdom of Christ. And at its
close, we find thousands of Chris
tian missionaries preaching the gos-
pei to the heather in all lands and in
many tongues and an innumerable
company of converts rising up to call
them blessed and to unite with the
people of Christendom in singing
Christmas hymns.
Another feature concerning the re-
ligious progress of mankind during
the past three generations which
make up this century. is one which is
connected with the progress of phil
osophical thought and with the adj
vancement in the study and applica-
tion of sociology to the varied necessi-
ties of our race. Religion is less
corporate and more individual than
formerly. Not that it is less organ
lied, for organization is now pushed
in some quarters almost too far, but
men have come to realize throughout
Christendom, more and more that re-
ligion is personal matter. 1t is not
vested simply in the Visible Church
it does not speak simply with the au-
thority of priest or parson, but it
comes to men in a variety of ways
The press, the platform, the book,
the school, all minister as never be-
fore to the highest needs of man,
and men are coming to realize that
the call Of God is personal call to
the individual soul. OF course, there
is certain danger in the pushing to
it's extreme limit of this modern
theory The intense individualism
Of the writings of Herbert Spencer,
in some respects the most influential
scientific teacher of the century has
al along been chargeable with fatal
flaws. Men can never get along with
put the old Bible. and, however much
5he authority of the human reason
and the laws of modern science may
be invoked, we must yet look to the
Church of God and to the collective
wisdom of its duly authorized teachers
'or the best expression of what is right
and true and good in morals and re-
Iigion.