Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-25
TWELVE PAGES.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25 1900.
THE LAST CHRISTMAS OF THE
CENTURY.

AS this is the last Christmas of the
century 1t is natural to glance briefly
at the part played in the worlds prog
ress during the century by the religion
of which Christ was the founder, or. if
you please, of that great body of eth
zeal principles sprung from His teach
ings.
1t is pertinent to observe, in the first
place, that the power of those teach
ings as a world influence is by no
means to be Guaged by any mere cen
sus of church membership, however
convincing such census as that might
be. To make that the sole test would
be to eliminate much of what the hui
manitarian must regard with supreme
satisfaction in any survey of the
worlds progress in the century now
closing. 1t is not alone III the devotee
that the power and beneficence Of the
Christian idea. finds exemplifcation, but
in the mellowng influence 1t has OK
erted upon siciety as q whole. soften
ing the rigors of individualism as the
basis of present progress and bringing
even the unbeliever to a recognition OF
the essential fact that he is in n sense
his brothers keeper
There are those within and without
the church who will contend that with
In the century there has been a de-
cline in the devoutness OF attachment
to the religion Of which Christmas is a
fest1v8f Day. Judgeo by sUTT1g styTTIJt=
ards this may seem to be true. but. if
true, 1t is more than overbalanced by
its tremendous gain in practicability.
What found expression one hundred
years ago in an enthusiasm of faith to-
day finds expression rather in the
works, without which faith is vain.
While the faith of today may find
less demonstrative expression it may
we'll be doubted that it is less consist
ent, or that it is not more abundantly
justified to itself. Christian tenets
have within the century been subjected
to the most terrific pressure from with
out that any creed in the worlds his
tory has ever withstood or encountered.
The so-called clash OF science and re-
ligion has come and gone and the lib
eral minded observer is apt to conclude
that each is the better for 1t. Science
has learned that ii cannot penetrate
beyond the protoplasm to the mystery
of life and that faith must there take
up the burden that knowledge lays
down. Religion has been brought into
closer touch with the everyday life and
needs of man. and has come to regard
man not merely as the beneficiary OF
an act of divine sacrifice, but as a
creature of development. Struggling
onward with need OF help at every
step.
The contention seems justified that
the progress of the century has not
been more intellectual than moral, or
more practical than ethical. The oc-
casional note OF despair that has been
sounded has found it's inspira ton in a
failure to grasp the immensely signih-
cant fact that change i'm outward
manifestations does not necessarily
mean a diminution of faith as an in
ward force. We may all go, therefore
to the celebration of the last Christmas
of the century with the assurance that
in all the 1900 years of the Christian
era no anniversary of the birth OF
Christ has seen the essential truths
which He taught so near to world wlde
predominance.
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