Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-09
RELIGIOUS NOTES
AND COMMENTS

eS Christianity TO oit1Esnship. The discus.
sion. In this instance. grew up around .
question Ia the london Times corFsspond-
sucs column ~ 70 whether politics should
be discussed IN ohapsla. The Daily News
Qondon) remarks that life cannot b espa-
rated Into two compartments. sacred and
secular. A writer In Golfers Weekly CNew
Torlo whom the editor charAoterixes a.
- great oerative artist whose reasons for
anonymity seem sufficient to us al to him
self" asks II there IL such q thing as Chris
tan citizenship. and finds an answer in the
negative. He claims. however. that It could
DO created ''The process" he alleges.
would be quite simple, and not productive
O: hardship to any one"
1T will be conceded that every mans
first duty L. to God" he continues. ut will
also be conceded, and with strong emphasis
that a Christians first duty Is to God. 1t
then follows az q matter of course, that
1t 10 his duty to carry his Christian code
of morals to the polls and vote them When
ever he shall do that. he will not find him.
self voting for an unclean man. a dishon-
est man. Whenever a Christian votes he
votes against God or for him, and he knows
this quite well. God is an issue in every
election: He is a candidate in the person of
every clean nominee on every ticket: His
purity and His approval are there, to be
voted for or voted against, and no fealty
to party can absolve His servant from his
higher and more exacting fealty to him;
He takes precedence of party duty to Him
Ia above every claim of party"
If Christians should vote their duty to
God at the polls. urges this anonymous
writer, they would carry every election and
do 1t with ease.
'They would elect every clean candidate
IN the United tSates. and defeat every
soiled one. Their prodigfous power would
be quickly realized and recognized, and
afterward there would be no uncIean candi-
dates upon ticket and
cease. No church organization can be found
in the country that would elect men of foul
character to be its shepherd, its treasurer
and superintendent of its Sunday school
It would be revolted at the idea: 1t would
consider such an election an insult to God
Yet every Christian congregation in the
country elects foul men to public office,
while quite aware that this also is an omen
and deliberate insult to God who can not
approve and does not approve the placing
of the liberties and the well-being of His
children In the hands of infamous men. 1t
is the Christian congregations that are re-
sponstble for the filling of our public offices
with criminals. for the reason that they
could prevent 1t II they chose to do It, They
could prevent it without organizing league,
without framing platform, without maxi
Ing any speeches or passing any resolutions
in word, without concert Of any kind
They could accomplish 1t by each individual
resolving to vote for God at the pols-that
Is to say. vote for the candidate whom God
would approve. Can a man imagine such
thing as God being a republican or a
democrat, and voting for q criminal or a
blackguard merely because party loyalty
required it?"
Alexander H. Japp, writing in the London
quarterly Review, examines the problem OF
sents itself in England. His finding is that
Judaism Is imperiled by its multitude of
counselors. and by the absence of a spirit
OF charity and harmony within its body pol
tito Jewry Is not bound by ties of blood,
but by spiritual idea" once declared Mr..
Zangwill. This spiritual idea according to
Mr.. Japp, is in danger OF being lost sight
OF amid chickering's and discussions. "Divis-
not issue in the actual formation of new So
cleties or synagogues, the effects are seen
IN the old bodies, and may be summed up in
hack OF unity, Unveiled opposition and con-
AS illustrating this tendency he mentions
some of the well-marked classes into which
the English Judaism Of today Is divided.
First, there is the unyielding orthodox
party, to whom the most trifing point of
ritual is as important the most serious
question of ethics Then there are the
liberals" who stand between the orthodox
and the reformers." The latter according
to Mr.. Japp, would sweep aside what are
indeed the essentials of Judaism" Then
comes contingent of those who go to
synagogue only once or twice a year and
favor free-t thinking openly In most impor-
tant matters. Again, there are the zion
ties and the nu-Zionites-with their sub
DIVISIONS; and yet again there are the de
tacned Jews, many Of whom have com
pieted their detachment by the enormity of
mixed marriages.
Although he perceives this weIter of con-
tending opinions to be sapping the founda-
Iiohs OF english Judaism, Mr. Japp does not
despair of the situation, but Indicates what
he believes to be The only true main hacL
70 real unity. life and fellowship in the lew
1 Il as Ia any other religious community
A current publication SAYS:
Inc gulf between the conservative and the
advanced schools of theological thongbt
especially in Germany where these Anil
theses find their sharpest expression. has
recently received emphasis and definition hy
omclai declarations that are being made
from both sides. Such declaration. re-
Gently published, and signed by such lead
ing conservative men as the theolosicel nro
1essors Cremer of Greifswald (now deceas-
ED, koehler of Halle, Schlutter of T,1bin-
gen. Braun. general church superintendent
In Berlin; Faber. holding a similar position
and the influential agitator, Dr. Johannes
Lepsius of Grosslichterfelde. contained an
appeal for an unofficial Silent Union of
the conservatives "a union no sooner sug-
gested than accomplished), on the basis of
the following principles:
i. The current scientific spirit as this has
gained currency in the learned world of the
day, and not least in the theological meth
DDS and manners of the times has accom-
plsneo the following RESULTS (a) 1t has
practically ruined theological science; (b);
1t has barred the way to faith for the peo-
Piles of our own times. even for those who
are well disposed and has deprived them
Of the proper appreciation OF the value of
the word of God and of the church and its
divine mission and it's practical work
In addition modern theology has produced
the following evil results, viz. has made
the work Of the church very superficial In
its character: has made it impossible to sat-
isfy the spiritual needs of the believers; has
produced a weakness in the defense of
Christian truth. and has seriously damaged
the influence Of Christianity on the people
at large
2. In conscious and decided opposition to
this false type of theological thought 1t is
imperatively necessary to emphasize the
true Biblical teachings, as these find their
expression in the faith, In the living God,
and in the only begotten Son. the crucifled
and arisen Lord, as these things were con-
fessed by the apostles and the reformers
This work is to be done: (a) with all the
means of thorough, theological, and
Bible-believing investigation; (b) with the
corresponding influence in the practical life
of the church; (c) with the aggressive
struggle against the opposing views, in all
of their consequences, also in the public life
of the people; (d) with q full power of a
personal Christianity on all occasions.