Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-12-12
WHAT CHRISTIANITY MEANS.
Religion Calls for the Recognition
OF Gods Authority Under All
Circumstances.

III Christianity means anything at
all, says Rev. Charles M Sheldon,
in the Boston Congregationalist,
It must mean every act of life govern
ed by the same ruling personality. The
curse of misappled Christianity is
dual existence; recognition of God,
OF conscience. of righteousness, even
OF salvation, on the part of a man, in
his home life, in his church life and
his private life, and an abandonment
of the same principles in business. in
politics, in amusements and so-called
culture and education.
Perhaps no one thing has really done
more damage TO the church of Christ
In all ages than the sight OF men who
have called themselves Christian. and
have borne the outward marks OF dis
ctpleship in the church. the prayer
meeting and the home, and have not
applied the teachings of Jesus to their
money mailing, to their political life,
to their recreation! The heart of
Christianity itself is summed up In the
verse, Whatsoever We do. whether We
eat or drink, do all TO the glory of
/ God"
| 1t is the part application Of the Ser
mon on the Mount: IL is the parti.l at
tempt to follow Christ in the world,
which have brought chaos and confus-
Ion into society. II the teachings of
Christ apply to the home life or to the
! prayer meeting. they apply no less d.
! rectly to the store. to the Office, to the
legislative hall. If the minister is sup
posed to live according to the highest
standard of Christian living. no less
the bank president, the railroad direc-
tor. the hotel keeper, the newspaper
| editor. The Christianity which will
not bear the test of the market place or
the amusement hall is not worthy of
| the name.
There is no Christianity unless it Is
the direct living every day of what
Christ taught; and if in answer to the
question, What would Jesus do?" the
business man finds it would wreck his
businessmen It is a business that
ought TO be wrecl-edi
believe there is no doubt that II the
disciples Of Jesus should follow him as
they ought in their business and polit-
ical lives to-day. the result would ma
terially be a wrecting CT very much
Of the present business and political
life in the world. But If our princinle
holds good, that to follow Christ him
self is to follow Him regardless of re-
suits. then there is nothing else for the
Christian to do. 1t Is not a case of
saving the life, it is case of losing il
In order that the real life may be
saved.
: The world will never realize its mill
leItlum until the disciples of Christ fol-
low Him all the way, not a part OF the
way, and follow Him in the affairs of
daily life. as well as in tie devotional
and strictly religious acts of Christian
discipleship.
Practical Christianity means that
Christ claims ownership and lordship
Of all the world, and He will never be
satisfied with that type of Christianity
which is real only in name, which de-
MES His right to rule over all the af-
fairs Of the world. which follows His
standard of conduct where il is easy.
and abandons II when it becomes diff
cult. This is not the Christianity of
Christ, ii is simply the definition of it
which men have given. 1t will never
satisfy Him, neither will II satisfy the
world