The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-12

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INITIATING CHRIST.

INITIATING CHRIST.
Master, 1 will follow Thee."-Matt
viii:19.
We are told that it is practically inn
possible to immitate Christ, that any
attempt to do so would render US la
BILE to the charge of fanaticism and
bring us into ridicuIe. The spirit of
the age in which we live, it is said,
is so opposed to some of the injunc-
lions of the New Testament that if
we literally took no thought Tor the
morrow, or if we really loved our
neighbor as ourselves, we should over
turn the whole system of society. In
word, we are assured that While the
gospels contain very beautiful theory
of life it cannot be applied to exist
ing affairs without producing disaster.
1 have no doubt that society as at
present constituted is in many impor-
tant respects Structurally weak, and
that we shall sometime, though by
slow degrees, adopt the principles of
Christ. This weakness is the despair
of the philanthropist, who sees the
wrong but does not know how to right
it. The great aggregation of men and
women which we call society Is greedy
and selfish. Those who have plenty
give slender heed to those who have
nothing, and though there is infinite
suffering from cold and hunger there
is hardly ripple of sympathy, and
small effort to remedy the evil. We
care so much for ourselves that we
have no room for pity for others. The
spirit of the age is not the spirit of
brotherly love or of helprulness. In
the competition for wealth 1t matters
little what happens to our neIghbor
if only we have what we seek. Hearts
are being crushed everywhere, and
even religion takes no note of the
fact but breaches tamely as though
we were on the highway to the MIL
lennium.
If Christ were to come again, he
would meet with no better reception
than was accorded Him in Jerusalem.
We should also call Him dreamer,
an enthusiast, an impractical tneor1St,
and the sermon on the mount would be
listened to with the wonder which
changes to sarcasm. We are not yet
ready for Him or for His doctrines, be-
cause what we call society is based
on principles which He denounced
But He planted the seed to the new
life, the life of brotherhood and JUS
tice and mercy and love, and IN due
time we shall reap the crop. He IS
, master of the situation, and though
we rebel, we shall at last surrender.
In the meantime we can initiate Him
in very many respects and find profit
therein. Indeed, there is already "a
multitude of ChriSt-like men and
women scattered throughout all class
es of society, and the sweetness and
heroism of their lives, their charity OF
judgment, their self-sacrifice, theil
resignation in sorrow, and their hope
fulness in bereavement, give US q
glimpse of what the world would be
if such people were not the exception
but the rule. I have known martyrs
in humble as we'll as in high life
! bowling their heads to the inevitable
bearing a heavy cross in sanity fash.
ion no one knowing their burden pu'
God and themselves. They make. Us
all better by the subtle influence OF {
holy character.
! Christ was always conscious of The
presence of God and of the angels, AND
we can initiate Him in that. He hat
the companionship of those who in
habit the unseen world, and depended
7 on them with supreme faith in tim,
of desolation and sorrow This worl(
/, has very little sympathy to offer us
. but if we have Jacobs ladder ou
dear ones, their interest in US as vita
as ever, will come down with help ant
, go up bearing our prayers.
Again, We can initiate Him In thu
spirit which controlled every word an,
action. There were no revenges to b.
many hated Him He hated no one
, and was as ready to do a. service to al
enemy as to. friend. He understood
: as we might easily do if we were wiser
the almost irresistible force of temp
tation, and had nothing but pity 70
the man who yielded to it. We thinl
it beneath our dignity to hold convers
;, with woman who has fallen from he
high estate, We treat her with I'm
charity and contumely, and so depriv
her of her last hope for a better life
but he had only scorn for the men VIII
scorned her, and held out the helpin
hand. We heap obstacles in the wa
of the criminal. Having once gon
!. wrong we make reform we'll nigh I'm
possible, but He was the sinner
friend.
) Yes. the world is hard place 10
, many, and it is our fault that it is Sc
y We must get down to the root of tn
matter and become more Christ -lik
;, before we can touch the ideal either a
society or as individuals. Christ's doc
trine is the most practical of a
things, and most encouraging to tn
good men and the bad, the most help
. full, the most unselfisn. The neare
q we approach to Him the nobler w
8 are, the gentlier, the kindlier. He rep
u resents the truth which makes lif
v glorious and heaven bright So ia
from admitting that we cannot folloy
3 Him, l declare that we must folio,
I Him, and that we shall never be a
: we can be until we do follow Him.
3 George H. Hepworth in New Yor
8 Herald.