The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-21
SAVIOR CAME TO DEAL
WITH QUALITY OF LIFE
Christ More Than a Reformer,
Declares President Kane, of
Wabash. College.
AN ELOQUENT SERMON

President w. p. Kane. of Wabash Col
lege, preached at the Second Presbyterian
Church yesterday morning. He spoke from
the text found in John. X. 10: Il came that
We might have life and that we might have
1t abundantly.''
Following Is a synopsis of the discourse:
This Is the Apostle Johns summary of
Christ's mission into the world. Every age
has had Its reformers, and many or them
have been men of great purpose and power.
i would not detract from their character
or their mission but the worlds Savior
must be far more than a reformer. Christ
announced himself life gfver. His
purpose was not simply to change the forms
and customs of men, but to change that
which expresses itself through these.
The temptation has always been to look
at the outward forms of evil and imagine
that all that is needed, or the most that
is needed. Is to change the form and thus
make short cut to virtue. The real evil
IS not I'm the form, but in the kind of life
back OF II. To simply change tile forms
without changing the life is of little avail.
The old-time political reformers rose up
against the despotism of power cOncen-
trated In the Roman Emperor. They pro-
posed a remedy the distribution of ruler
ship among host OF petty princes And
so the imperialism of Rome gave place to
feudalism. But the same spirit of des-
potism flowed through the new form of
government, and the people found feudal-
ism to be as tyrannical as Imperialism:
The quality of life was not changed. and
SO the mere change or form accomplished
nothing.
Then the demand came for an absolute
democracy and the French revolution fol-
lowed, but only to inaugurate more fu-
rious despotism than ever The trouble was
that the kind or life that animated the age
was despotic and no matter what form Of
government was set up. the same old quail
ity OF life asserted itself Christ came not
to deal with forms but with the quality
OF life that lies back of forms and flows
through them and gives them meaning
rfG Do frfn nd iG far
than mere reformation.
Christ imposed His own mission , upon ,n
His chu-ch. What ne came 10 90 ana 10
teach the church Is to perpetuate. Two or
three conclusions follow this definition of
Chrfst's mission and that OF the church
This will explain why the Christian trans
Christianity seeks the determination OF
the roots Of evil not simply the looping
on OF the branches Mohammedanism was
nations under its rule in q few months
while Christianity has required centuries
But the difference was that Islam required
only a change I'm the outward forms OF
things. while Christianity demands new
kind OF life
The Christian missionaries, when they
enter q heather country. do not begin by
attacking the customs and forms they find
about them Their first effort is TO direct
the aims. the thoughts, the desires OF men
toward God and truth and righteousness.
When they have changed the quality or
their lives. the old forms and customs will
drop away.
This distinction explains, also why we'll
meaning and enthusiastic reformers some
times become impudent with the church If
not actually hostile toward IL. Preceding
the civil war a majority, perhaps. of the
leading Abolftionists We're severe In their
arraisnment OF the church. And 1 regret
10 say that We find the same tendency to-
day In most OF the temperance organiza-
tions. Read their journals or drop into one
OF their meetings and you are almost GER
tain to find a more or less bitter arraign-
uent OF the church II not actually hostile.
they are apt to be at least patronizing In
their reference TO the church 1 would not
DO misunderstood. / believe in the legal
prohibition OF the liquor traffic. whether I'm
barroom. saloon or drug store But l rec
ognizs. also. this fact. that the existence
OF the saloon Is the expression OF certain
kind OF life In the community. While that
quality or life predominates IL is OF little
uee 10 wage war upon any particular form
OF Its expression What IL needed Is that
tho quality Of life shall be transformed and
elsveted Then the abollshrnent Of the sa-