Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-14

Itself. Nothing Is more certain IMAM tnat
We are entering upon one of the greatest
eras in human history. Problems of the
profoundest meaning are waiting for their
true solution: questions of widest reach are
demanding immediate answers. Was the
recent peace conference at The Hague en-
tirely in vain? The two great branches of
the AnElO-SaXon race are now engaged In
deadly warfare. Is the time when all inter-
national difficulties are to be settled by in
teruatonal arbitration Indefinitely postpon-
ed? Does this Easter find the Prince of
Peace less gioriously dominant in that
character among the nations than He was O
decade or a millennium ago? Let us not be
too haSty to answer these questions with
an affirmative. Gods time is often long
time: to God a year is as thousand years
and they sometimes are n day. There
are no clocks in eternity Hour glasses do
rot stand on tile throne of God. We are
hasty. impatient, impetuous and sometimes
pctuiant. God moves in majestic circles;
He takes step and centuries pass. He
speaks and empires rise and fall. and ma
tions wax strong and then grow weak. God
is king. The pierced hand of the risen
and omntic Christ is on the helm of the
universe.
The Spirit of AItruism.
The time is coming when nations will not
think of settling their disputes by war any
more than educated men would now think
of settling personal difficulties by personal
encounters. The trend of the best thought
of the hoCr is in this direction. The spirit
of altruism is in the air. This term was
first employed by the Positivists follow
erS of the French philosopher Comte 1t is
a good word. 1t signifies devotion to others,
and thus stands sharply opposed to selfish
ness. 1t is. if one may SO say, "OtheriSm."
We are following apostolic teaching and eX-
ample, and 50 are learning not to look SIM
ply on OR own things. but also on the
things of others. This is a difficult accom-
plishment: it is an attainment involving
many of the nohlest elements of character.
To many persons their ''own things" are
virtually the whole world of things.
When our Lord said. He that fndeth his
life shall lose it; and he that Ioseth his life
for My sake shall find it," He formulated
one of the greatest laws ever promulgated
among men. This statement is not true
simply because Christ uttered it; but He ut
tered it because it is eternally true. 1t is
law universal as gravitation; 1t is law
eternal as God. All noble lives find their
true inspiration in their obedience to this
law. The law of SeIf-Sacrifice dominates all
worthy life. Our Lords words here strike
at all forms of selfishness. The man who
loses his outward. secular. selfish life finds
the inward. spiritual, eternal life. Selfish
ness is death: -abnegation is life and
peace. Jesus Christ is now the worlds
prophet, priest and king, because once He
died as the worlds sacrifice. Here is the
divine altruiSm.
This thought is found in many of the
great fraternal organizations of the hour.
Even though outside of the church. many
of these bodies of workingmen are illus
llatlHS some OF the nODit ST principles OF
true religion. What is true religion? 1t IL
the life of God in the soul of man. How was
that life most fully illustra ted? In the life,
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All
these great truths Easter beautifully repre-
sents.
Humanism.
Closely allied TO altruism is humanism.
Once humanisn meant simply polite learn
ing: and humanist was a man versed in
the humanitics, in classical learning and
polite literature generally. We have now
b-oadened our definitions a humanist now
IS a man versed in the study of human ma
ture, a man possessing a disposition be
longing to man as such, man who labOrs
to humaniZe and to diviniZe his fellow men.
The changed meanings of words of this
class indicate the progress of the race to-
ward a nohler manhood. For all this pro-
sTess Easter today stands. Long ago
when these words of Terence. Il am a
man, and | deem nothing common to man
foreign 10 me-, We're spoken in a Roman
theatcr, they evoked thunders of applause
They evoke hearticr enthusiasm today.
Easter has given them deeper meaning.
Al! men are now our brothers We touch not
only elbows but hearts. around the globe.
Railways. ships, tclegraphs and telephones
have made the world a whispering gallery,
and we are filling it with noble thought,
and diviner inspiration than ever before. If
there be too much evil still remaining 10
allow us to indulge in unlimited optimism
there Is at the same time too much of
good to permit us to sigh in hopeless pessi-
mism- We can at least cherish cheerful
meliorism. believing in the constant better
ment of the world in all that relates to the
best interests of the human race The
diapason, that Is the pervasive. dominant.
uniuNe, concordant note. today in the ora
tcrio of humanity Is brotherhood. This is
the peculiar thought of the hour. Some
times II breaks out in unrestraincd forms
OF socialistic theories, but the thought Is
present, the thought which challenges the
attention and rejoiccs the heart of all low
ers of their race. These great lessons Eas-
ter teaches. cnnobies and glorifies. Thus
Easter teaches that intolerance illiteracy
bigotry and tyranny must be destroyed, and
that altruism, liberty and humanity must
triumph
America and Liberty.
Today America stands, in some measure,
for these great principles. Today no throne
OF car, kaiser or queen is higher than the
presidential chair in Washington Today
no voice issuing from any palace in Europe
or Asia is. more potent in the councils of
the nations than the voice which issues
from the White House Today Arnorica
SITS crowned as queen in the congress of
nations. Today Iiberty's Te Deum is
cLhnted on the Cuban shore, with the music
OF the Caribbean sea as its sublime accom-
panlment, one day it's diapasou will he
heard over the Philippines. and eventually
over spain herself its 'HalIelrifah Cborus:,
Will roll to the music of celestial choirs
God Is on the throne Right justice truth
love shall one day triumph. The white
morse of peace will follow the red horse of
war: modernism will replace mediaevalism.
civilization barbarism and 4 blessed naa,s
rule cruel war P~"ee
Easter sings again rhe song CT the angels
Whlch echoed over the pllins of Bethlehem
che hlghi Shrist was horn: GLORY to God
in the highest. and on earth peace good
VIZ toward men This is the sweetest
noLe IN the heavenly music of the Easter
bells of 1899 et
ROBERT STUART MacARTHI-R
calvary Study, Eastertide, 1900.
Iced Pinenppie Pndiinu