Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-08-16
cBRIsTENDoM NOT CHRISTIAN
Some Of the Filings ThGH Would Hap
PEN II Il Were so-A Great
Transformation.

~ Nhl sIldhlJy. SnrlStendOm has the
name of Jesus Christ, but lacks His
spirit. Make Christendom Christian,
wholly obedient to the will of Christ,
and earth would become an Eden.
Christendom betrays Christ-often
for gold. 1t was not so at first, when
Christianity had no Christendom back
of 1T, no heavy load such as Constan-
tine, Charlemagne and Henry VIII.
TO carry. Note some results of MAX
ing Christendom Christian.
l. Changed lives. The religion of
Christ had suffered much from nomi-
nal Christianity. The Sermon on the
Mount shows what the Master re-
CURES of His followers-that they be
upright, honest, sincere, pure, holy.
But the lives of many Christians do
not harmonic with the rule of
Christ On the other hand, unholy
lives reproach and betray Him. The
mistakes of Christians turn the hands
on the dial plate of progress back
ward. Holy living is the great argu-
ment. Purify the lives of Christians
and soon the Master would rule the
world.
2. Governments would be revolu-
tionized. Christianity lays down rules
for nations, but often these are dis
obeyed and shameful crimes are COM
mitted. The Golden Rule has in too
many cases failed to regulate ma
tional conduct. Blood has been used
as INK to write the history of many
nations.
Cruelty, greed, lust of gold and in
justice have marred the conduct of
nations bearing the name of Christ.
Great states have crushed small ones,
grinding them to dust with heel of
steel. We may dream of the miIlen-
MUM, but it will not dawn until ma
lions regulate their conduct by the
laws of Jesus Christ.
3. Christian principles put into
practice would have a beneficial eff
feet upon commerce., which has
opened up the world to Christian in
nuences. Commerce has spread it's
white sails upon the ocean highways
OF the world, and with it have gone
noble men and women with messages
OF hope, love and salvation.
But commerce has often BETRAYED
Christ because not dominated by
Christian principles. Unparalleled
greed has marred commercial trans
actions, as when Christian nations
have fitted out slave vessels and sold
INTO perpetual servitude thousands of
the race. Not long ago opium was
forced upon the Chinese by bayonet
and cannon; and to-day Christian ma
tions-England, Germany and the
United States-are pouring barrels
of rum down heather throats for
gain. Unchristian commerce curses.
blasts and withers all il touches. IfI
men would act upon Christian prin-
ciples in business there would be
fewer failures and suicides and more
contentment, prosperity and happi-
ness in the world.
T. Christian literature and art
would he transformed. Christianity
owes much to the printing press.
While there are more good and
wholesome books than ever before.
still there are men who run their
presses night and day producing pa
pers and books fit only for the fire,
since these pollute the minds of
youth. Bad literature retards Christ's
Kingdom and advances Satan's-
which is kingdom of darkness and
death. Make unchristian literature
Christian and the world would be a
filter place in which to live.
What of art2 Much is good, much
immoral and degrading. Sad indeed
IL Is to see Christian people willing
patrons of an immoral art, covering
the walls of their homes with pic
lures which in their effect are de-
grading. Art should have a fine NOR
al purpose and enthrone beauty,
purity and loveliness-in a word,
Christ. Ruslin afirms that art
should make religion, not luxury or
pleasure, it's first object.
5. If Christendom were Christian
heathenism would disappear and uni
versal peace soon bless the world.
If Christians in heather lands
would let their light shine, if Chris
tian nations would act in Christian
manner, Confucianism, Buddhism and
Mohammedanism would soon cease
to exist, since these forms of error
would not be able, to endure the
white light of Christianity.
If says Dr. Seelye, "all men were
true and loyal disciples of Jesus
Christ wars would cease, oppression
and slavery would be no more, vice
ana CRIME or every sort would disap-
pear; there would be purity and love
among all men, and the spiritual life
which the Christian faith enkindIes
would furnish the unfailing impulse
to all intellectual growth and all in
dustrial activity. Not only righteous
ness but knowledge would flow
through the earth, while the wilder
ness and the solitary place would be
glad thereof, and the desert rejoice
and blossom as the rose"
1t should be the high aim of every
Christian to make the principles of !
the holy religion of Jesus Christ
dominant over all the movements
and forces of the world. Then the
coronation day of Jescus Christ viii
come.-David G. Wylie, in N. Y. Her
aid.