The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-08-08

modern era. The Thirteenth was The age
Of chivalry-a century of s%plendcr; the
Fifteenth was the century of discovery,
when new continents arose out Of the sea;
the Eighteenth was a century OF tevolu-
ton, when great ideas OF truth and free
dom r~eorganized political and social life;
he Nineteenth Century was one of inve!l-
ton, when man by his skill and wonder
full contrivances began to play with the
mighty forces of nature; the Twentieth
Century is destined 70 be one of commerce,
in which the ends of the earth will meet
face to face and exchange gifts and
wealth and service.
Now. what Is to be the relation OF re-
llgion to this busy. dominant. commercial
age? In the past centuries religion vas a
guiding force in life. The knights of the
Middle Ages sought TO rescue the sepulcher
of Christ from alien influences. The ex-
plorer took possession of new lands under
the banner of the cross, and with hymns
and prayers. In like manner religion will
continue to be the inspiring. regu ative and
constructive influence in this commercial
age. Things have not happened in any
haphazard fashion along tine track Of the
centuries. but in fulfillment of a divine
purpose. The fact that so much of the
drawn into the service of trade, that the
merchant prince and the captain of In
dustry are the central figures of the mod
ern world, is no mere accident. but the
fulfllment of a grand design.
The message is the same In all the
centuries-'Fo'low me- But the move
ment, the form or service. may De VdrleQ
and manifold. In this connection the call
of Matthew will prove instructive. As Je-
sus passed by he saw a man at the re-
ceipt of customs. He looked him through
and through. and saw the splendid posi-
bilities and higher uses of that life. ] am
disposed to read a great deal into that
phrase. He saw a man. We make much
Of manliness in this world. but our Lord
himself made much more of 1t. When he
first saw Peter. We read, he looked into
him and recognized the courageous spirit
that could meet the shock of conflict the
gospel message was sure to bring on with
the authorities of Israel.
st. Paul was a chosen vessel. His VOL
derful intellect and his intrepid spirit fit
ted him supremacy to be the Apostle to the
Gentiles. So in Matthew our Lord saw
abilities fitted for the work of organizing
the kingdom. He was evidently a man
OF independent character. one who saw
through the sham OF prosiac religion and
dared to follow his conviction. Such
a man was needed in the work of the
kingdom. 1t may be said that this call
of God was an Interpretation of the ordi-
particular time and to this particular man.
and for good and sufficient reasons. Mans
supreme loyalty to God. and the first duty
of a human life and its true glory. Is to
bring In the Kingdom of Goo on earth.
THE interests of the kingdom may de-
some specific form of service: indeed, it
may be necessary to surrender life itself
at a sudden cal. Even SO. one must he
ready for the imperious call to higher
things. and stand in life as the Moravian
symbol nictures It. like an OK between an
altar and q ,loy, ready for sacrifice or
service. So Christ called Peter from his
nets, Matthew from his desk, the young
man from his estates, because the king
dom of God was at banda new era was