The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-04-21
Christianity WELL 4.
Defined BY >STE[ZLE
Wide Difference Between Re.
igion and Christianity Says
Eminent Preacher,
No More of a Religious Duty
To Go To Church Than It Is
To Go To Work.

Chicago, ILL.,, April 19.-In his weekly
news letter, Rev. Chas Stelzle Of the
Presbyterian church writes as follows
on What is Christianity?"
1t Is not an ecclesiastical rite. To
be baptized or to attend a communion
service is to some men the sum and
substance of Christianity Others have
insisted that the church represents all
that there is of Chrictianity. I'm
fortunately while the church has been
the instrument by which the truth has
been proclaimed, it has not always
oeen true to It's own message.
Others have said that religion is
Christianity A man may be very re-
ligious, and yet not be very much Of
a Christian. There is a great differ
ence between Christianity and RE
ligion." Sometimes it Is said that a
man has become insane because he
had too much religion. That may be
true, but you never heard of a man
becoming insane. because he had too
much Christianity.
What then is Christianity? There is
text in Scripture which reads, IF
any man have not the spirit Of Christ,
he is none, of his" Christianity is =
character and life; the possession
and the manifestation Of the spirit Of
Christ. Some men have given us dis
torted pictures Of that life, and others
looking on, have said, THAT is Chris
tian1ty"
It is not the life Of the monk. Some
great and good men and women have
secluded them selves from the sin Of
the world and the power Of it's temp
tat1on by entering monasteries, but
Christ, in praying for his disciples,
said, Il pray not that thou shouldst
take them out Of the world, but that
thou shouldst keep them from evil"
The world needs its best men and
women as forces for righteousness.
Neither Is the Christian life the life
Of the stole. The Puritans were noble
characters, but for the most Of them
this world was a bowling wilderness.
10 them laughter and mirth were the
signs of an unregenerate sould. Christ
does not command that a man should
shut his heart and his mind to the
good and the beautiful things of the
warld-the flowers and ferns, the rocks
shine, the melody and music. Christ's
life was a constant protest against the
narrow spirit Of the Puritan.
The Christian life Is not the life of
the Pharfsee. The Pharisee was a man
who thought himself too good to
mingle with ordinary men, for fear Of
contamination. Christ has nothing
but: words Of condemnation for such
men.
The Christian life is not the dual
l1fe-a double life. Sometimes men
separate certain acts, and say of them,
"this is my religious life;" and an
other set of acts. this is my secular
life." Christ never made such a dis
tinction. He taught that every act Of
mans life is a part Of his Christian
life. 1t is more of religious duty for
you to go to church on Sunday than it
is for you to go to the shop, or office,
or store on Monday. One is just as
sacred a duty as the other. The life Of
the preacher is no more a religious"
life than the life Of the day laborer
should be. They simply serve in diff
ferent ways.
Christianity is not an eternal thing
somewhere up In the sky. It has to do
with the here and now There is no
more practical thing in the world.
What that life and that spirit is Christ
has told us in his teachings and in
his own life upon earth. Here, then is
the test of every mans Christianity,
If any man have not the spirit Of
Christ he is none If His'