The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-08-03
RELIGION IN MODERN LIFE
Religions Inspiration Must Forecast
the Future and Give Plan for
Human Progress.-R
in Spirit and Life.

raul letter to the Romans, which
declares that ''the whole creation
waiteth for the revealing of the sons
of God, he said in part:
"The life of today seems to me to
be challenge to the religion of
Jesus. Has this faith anything which
mankind egenuine1y needs? Human
life has become masterfu1, intelligent
and somewhat arrogant in the last
century or two. We appreciate the
changes which have taken place when
we remember some of the ventures
which life has made and carried
through.
More than century ago men broke
from restraint and began to study the
material world with an open mind.
The result was the material sciences
and vast gain of confidence on mans
part. Later man began to apply this
science to practical tasks, and by
skill and inventions to transform the
face of the earth. The vast indus
tries of today and the wealth they are
producing, are direct result OF this
venture toward the mastery of the
material world. This also added to
mans power and confidence.
The greatest venture, perhaps,
which men have made in modern
times, was the political one. After
centuries Sof control by kings, who
ruled arbitrarily and claimed divine
right to do so, mankind finally tired
of this type of rule. So they took the
king downlfrom his throne and decid-
ed to be their own kings after this.
This venture of democracy was an
assertion of the soul of humanity
whose consequences we do not yet
perhaps fully appreciate.
No wonder the life of today seems
confident and masterfu1, and touched
by egotism! But yet at its heart there
is an unrest and a fear. Masterful
modern life is not sure but that it has
gone too far. Men are suspicious
lest they have lost something of pri-
mary value out of life. They are hes
itating about facing the consequences
Of their past progress. Masterful,
yet with inner misgivings, the life of
today challenges religion.
Can religion show that there is
lack in the life of man today? Can
religion supply the thing which is
needed? Can religion go as deeply
down into the meaning of the universe
as science, industry and democracy
have gone, and bring up a hidden
treasure of value beyond these? Can
religion see farther into the future of
history and discern safe goal of
progress?
This is the challenge, and religion
must take it up. It must meet it and
demonstrate its possession of the
reality which the masterfu1 age has
largely lost but sore1y needs. That
reality is the spirit of love, of sincere
and truthful living, of assured and
felt harmony with God, of willing sac
rifce Of things seen for spiritual
values and the future of the race.
The things which lie deepest in the
soul and life of Jesus of Nazareth are
the things which life needs. His
spirit and life is the final and supreme
good-the God whom at last ali men
will acknowledge as 1ife's highest
value.
Religion cannot meet this challenge
by ceremonies and forms or by claim
ing to have a mysterious divine right
to direct life. Humanity is through
with the divine right idea. No more
can she meet the challenge with
philosophy of the world, an authori-
tative system of thought. Humanity
can make it's own PHILOSOPHERS and
systems of thought. But she can
meet it by the revelation of quality
of Christ life so supreme1y attractive
as to appeal to all that is divine in
the deep and mysterious greatness of
mems hearts.
This Christ quality of life will have
it's own richness and sufficiency within
itself. It will have conscious sense
of touch with God. It will have the
courage TO live by its own inner in
buttons, feeling them to be the sug-
gestions of God to the soul. It will
have that type of personality which is
confident of it's power to survive death
and the travail of the centuries.
This Christ quality of life will have
vast power, but it will not be the kind
of power belonging to the strong arm,
or the high position, or the force OF
armies or of vast wealth. 1t will be
the kind of power which belongs to
the attractive ideal, to the higher
plane of consciousness and to the
larger insight. It will be the kind of
power which pulls at the heart from
the eyes and smile of the little child,
which compe1s admiration in the no.
BILE deed of unse1fshness, or which |
appeals in a se1f-sacrifce like that of
Jesus.
In the inspiration and insight of
this Christ life, the religion of Jesus
must take up the work for which the
world waits of forecasting the COM
ing form and history of the race, |