The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-08-20
WAS CHRIST A SOCIALIST?
Raw. p. n. Orr Of st. Marks Reform Church

Rsv. p. n. Orr of st. Marks Reform Church
Lincoln, Says He Was Not
Rev. P. M. Orr last Sunday preached
at st. Marks Reformed church, Lin
coin, on the theme, WAS Christ So
cialist?" His text was /. Peter 2:17,
Honor all men," Only a few para
graphs of Mr.. Orr's sermon can be
given, but they will suffice to show
the distinctions made between the So
cial teachings of Christ and his apos-
ties and those of the present-day So
cialists. Mr.. Orr said In part:
THE words of the text are the words
of Peter, a pupil of Jesus Christ. By
these words he expresses the prin-
cirles and preeepts taught him by his
Master. The whole work Of Jesus
Christ was for men and among men.
He was from the common people, trav-
cling the obscure walks of life. He
taught as no other man taught and
His aim was to place men in the ideal
social state.
s'The ideal social state is the aim and
end of socialism. Jesus Christ and the
socialists agree in two fundamental
aspects Both see that society needs
reorganization and both aim at re-
organization that will be for the best
Interest and happiness of the individ-
ual. If Jesus Christ were living today,
teaching as He taught, should He be
classified as q socialist.
"Jesus Christ does not differ from
the socialist in the thing to be at
tanned, but He does differ in the man
Fer or method of attainment.
"The socialists would reach the ideal
social state by external Improvements.
they would have municipal ownership
of the means of production; a just dis
tribution of the wealth produced, CO.
operation rather than competition
Through these means they think to
obtain happiness and build up moral
character among men.
"Jesus would reach the ideal social
state not by external application, but
by internal improvement Jesus Christ
would change the Individual and
therefore improve the social condi
tions. He made no attempt to change
the social order or the social organism
OF His day. In His time, taxation was
oppression, unjust and aboninabie
Yet He said never word about taxa
ton. The condition of labor was slav
cry, yet He says nothing about slav-
cry. Still slavery and oppressive tax
alton cannot exist where the true
Christ spirit lives. He would change
not methods, but men. He struck no
at the outward clothing of the wrong
tut at the wrong itself. He proceed
cd on the assumption that if We car
get rid of sin in the individual We
shall get rid of the evil in the state
but if we leave the sin in the individ
ual, all social reforms will result only
in a change in the form of social evil.
''he socialist would readjust society
Christ would readjust the individual
and then society would evolve or grow
into the ideal state.
Jesus Christ would bring about {
Just distribution of the wealth pro
duced, by making the Individual just
Whatsoever We would that mel
should do unto you, do we even SO tt
them This is His law of justice, Thu
Ierfect law of justice which requires
the lawyer to put himself in the place
of his client and then plead his case
the doctor to put himself in the plac
o. his patient and then prescribe tn
r,edicine, the business man to pu
himself in the place Of his custome
and then deal with him; the emrloye
to put himself in the place of the EN-
ploye and then share the profits.
"Christ would bring about co Opera
ton not by destroying competition
but by teaching men love. Thou shall
!eye the Lord thy God =. and tn
neighbor as thyself. Christ told tn
parable of the good Samaritan and b
it taught the universal brotherhood o
man. Selfishness is at the bottom O
all competition. But when selfishnes
is displaced by love, cooperation an
not competition must prevail.
Christ would bring about equalit
not by taking from some, but by Civ