The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-19
COMMON WEALTH.
THE AIMS OF A GEORGIA COMMU-
NIFTY
Anniversarys

President Eliot once remarked that
Bostonians were Considerably evolved
Puritans." The same ambiguous terms
Of qualification might be applied to most
bf the modern followers of Christ. We
are considerably evolved" Christians,
in some instances varying as widely
from the primitive Christian type as the
final Significance of a word varies from
its meaning when first coined. AS some
words have acquired new values while
others have lost nearly all of their orig
inal ones, so have the human counters
Of Christianity both lost and gained
something in the silently effaeing and
re-marking centuries.
But while the average Christian sell
dom casts his glance over eighteen CEN
turtles to compare the texture and pat
tern of his own Christianity with that
of the earlier character type, there are
a few-and there have been such in all
ages-who have made such comparisons,
and in consequence have had sore mis-
givings concerning the modern elastic
Interpretations of the life and precepts
of Jesus Christ. Many such a dissatis-
fled Christian, finding no solution for
the problems that grow out of the con-
flicting principles of Christianity and
the world have committed moral sui
eide by hiding in a monastery or con-
vent. Another class, whose considera-
ton is the purpose of this article, have
tried to rejuvenate Christianity by
founding in some secluded spot colony
whose rule of conduct should square it.
self literally with the original princi-
- Jetio NV q c
1.-THE Christian Commonwealth" at
Commonwealth, Ga. (started with
membership of thirty-three)
An extract from the constitution of
this society will perhaps define it's prin-
ciples better than anything else:
"The Christian commonwealth Is a soci-
ETY. whose purpose is to obey the teach
ings of Jesus Christ in all matters of
life and labor, and an the use of proper
ty. The society is Incorporated to estap-
lish community of people on co-ope-
rative basis, with the purpose of de-
monstrating to the world the practica-
bility and desirabiIity of Christian CO.
operation as the best method of earning
a livelihood of developing nobility of
character and promoting all the ends of
a true Christian civilization"
The condition for membership in this
society make very interesting reading,
especially when mentally annotated by
THE bylaws of the gilded societies of
Mammon: Neither the possession nor
the lack of money or property shall con-
stitute a reason for the acceptance or
rejection of any person who loves his
neighbor as himself The only tests
made shall be tests of life, motive and
character" New members may be re-
ceived into the Christian commonwealth
upon fulfilling the following conditions:
First. They are to come to us in the
spirit of love, unselfishness and true
fellowship, proving their sympathy
with our principles Second. They
shall consecrate all their labor and
property, without reserve, to the service
and obedience Of Christ, and shall fully
and freely use and dispose of the same
In such a manner as shall satisfy this
society as to their eligibility and fitness
for membership"
Y 1t was. of course, to be expected that
the world, or at least that small part of
it which has known anything about this
colony, would take the usual attitude OF
the world and make the usual COM !
ments, half wise, half foolish that are
made whenever any enterprise is under
taken which discounts the almighty
dollar and rests so largely as this one
does upon ideal principles. According |
w critics of the new Georgia common
wealth., consistent with the teachings |
and traditions of the world, have eX
claimed: "Oh, they are probably a lot |
of cranks," or ut won't last long"
But crank" as any philosopher will |
tell you, is term of relative signifi-
canoe, varying in value in direct cores
pondence with the amount of wisdom Of |
the man who applies it. We have good |
biblical authority for believing that |
"crank'' and somewhat stronger epithets
were generously bestowed upon the |
Founder of Christianity. The dam
aging import, therefore of the word
''crank' is in many cases chiefly retro
active, as 1t commentaries the man who
usees it. Whether the members of this |
new colony merit such designation is
beyond the knowledge of the present
writer. But there is strong presump
ton behind the surmse that the per-
,entage of cranks in this society is not
arger than in any other community of
LIE SdIIl6 SlHG, LilC OAly Ileiiih SAilCi
ance being one of kind rather than
quantity.
Described by their former relations to
he world they have left the prime
movers of the Christian commonwealth
we're a clergyman from Ohio, college
professor from California, an editor
rom Nebraska, and a civil engineer
rom Florida. All of these men have
made a.study of social problems, and
hough widely separated in residence,
1ad discovered their affinity through
he public press, incidentally furnishing
In interesting and beautiful exception
o the law of spatial propnquity, which
Usually governs or misgoverns friend
ship and love.
When one considers that these men
Ind those who Joined them knew very
we'll what the world, and even some of
heir best friends would say, knew also
hat with not enough capital ahead to
leep them in food for three months,
hey were running a risk that might
Entail very serious consequences upon
their wives and children,
With all this to be remembered, who can
,e absolutely sure that his ethical bal
noes are so nicely adjusted that he can
accurately weigh the conduct of these
,o1op;StSo yNbatavar one NAV aI ITSi |