Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1905-01-06
IF CHRIST WERE To CONE.

Snouid Christ, the Nazarene, visit
this country OF ours in this holiday
time would be find much change in
the race be yearned TO save? He
would see a civilization wrought out
by invention and material progress.
Institutions have changed. Is not the
race of man the same?
He would iud the money changers
whom he drove in anger from "My
Fathers house" sitting not oaly in
the temples Of religion, but in the
sanctums Of the press, the courts OF
justice aud the public palaces Of the
makers and enforcers Of the law. He
would find the commercial spirit
against which He Numbered in the
sermon ON the Mount euthroned in
every place, even to the marriage al
tar The seller oiidoIs still cries his
merchandise. Ieprosy rots the bones
and the Evil Spirit rends the souls Of
men.
He would find the poor and rnis.re-
bic as in the days Of 5erod, the king
Lazarus feeds from the crumbs Of the
rich mans table as of yore. Ard
Dives2 He is richer than before Like
a great spider he spins his cunning
webs and watches them with the
facets Of his greedy eyes. He eats the
substance Of The people. He Is de-
vourer OF widows houses. Aud he
goes scathless! Since mercy is by ia
vor he robs il the name of the law
while the needy beggar that steals a
loaf of bread is pilloried in the courts
OF justice. And only the d jss lick the
sores Of Lazarus.
He would find here as in Palestine
the hard master and the Improbable
servant; those who daily offend his
little ores; the whited sepulchres,
Scribes and Phatisees; the ptodigal
son and the envious elder brother:
the bloodthirsty mob; the lepet and
the Magdaleue; Caesar still kills his
countryman the Jew. Plate washes
his hands And the populace cries,
Cruelty him, " aud releases Barab-
bas, the robber.
And be would fiud -strangest q
administers OF his teaching forget.
iul of their gospel message, tickling
the ears OF workings with TIL eir rhet-
ORC, cautiously silent in the face Of
wrongs Tor salary's sake, condouing
evils they should fight, prostitutiue
His religion to the claims of social
creeds OF The dictates of the powers
that be OF all things this would Of
fend Him most.
But
He would also be cheered to fine
hls iove enthroned III many hearts
lie would find more than one Johr
the Baptist crying IN the Wilderness
whose voice is being needed. He
would ind people whose eyes are
being opened to the sin Of corruption
in high places He would be able tc
muster great army anxious to be
led against the foes of His kingdom
lie would find rising indignat ion
against those who sin against the
widow and the fatherless. He would
find fg hters OF ialslty, lovers of their
kind, striving praying, hopiug-a
Christly brotherhood. He would find
the leaven of righteousness working
in many lives He would find dptv
at its post. He would find that Faith
had not fed the World, that hope is
undismayed and Charity still abides.
All, but it is slow, this regenera
ton OF race. But it is surel To the
All-Father thousand years are as
but a day. And the day that the
prophets have foretoli: the dav tina,
poets have sung, that day will come
that day when the lion aud the
lamb shall lie down together and I
little child shall lead them; the day
when Justice shall walk hand in hanC
with Mercy; that day when Prid,
shall stoop to kiss her sweeler sister
Humility; that day when in ever,
land and on every sea, man shall
meet his fellow man, and say to hin
My Brotherl