The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-11-12

Democracy Is to Master the World,
 What Is to Master DemOcracy.-The
 American Crowd Not To Be TrIGed
 WIth-ChristIan Control of the Great
 Human Forces.
 The following are some of the points of Dr. smyths sermon at Center church;
 Matt. 23:1O. "Nelther be ye called masters, for one is your Master, even the Christ"
 The text is from a discourse in which Jesus spake alike to His disciples and the multitudes. He made no distinc- tion between them when He thus spoke. It is a word for all men now. I would have you look up from the agitations of the times and from the passing poli- tics of the hour, and behold the real Christ who is to master both His churches and the multitudes. iWth a triumphal expectation would hail Him who is coming in these latter days to master democracy.
 Democracy is the last form of organ ized human power. It is destined to prevail. It is sweeping over the world. But if democracy is to master the world what is to master democracy? This is the ultimate question of modern civilization-the test of Christianity itself.
 There are nuny who are called mas ters of the people, some of them partly worthy, some thoroughly bad as, for example, the demagogue, who will speak brave words, like Milton's Satan, among the spirits of discontent; or the political machine-maker, who shall rule us all for a season until he gives place to another; or the industrial promoter, of whom much shall be required; or better, the schoolmaster with his little leaven for the whole vast lump; or the reform specialist with his quick social remedies; and many others. But not any or all of these can master for good or evil the stupendous forces of modern democracy To the worthiest of them we must say, almost in despair at times, Be ye not called masters; ye are not equal to this mighty task.
 One is the Master, even the Christ. He is not to fail in his last and great est work of overmastering this large limbed Goth," modern democracy. If he is not equal to this task and triumph of Gods will on this earth there is no power to do it.
 The Roman Catholic church is pro foundly right in keeping religion all ways at the front before all other tn- terests of men. Professionalism cannot save the people by putting the second commandment first. Our leligion is not to be put at half-mast. The Lord AL mighty is not in distress upon this earth. The Christ is here to take com- mand. One is your Father and one IS your Master, even the Christ.
 The hope of the Christian mastery of democracy becomes a serene faith when we realize Christ's superhuman control of the great human forces, There is not one of the mighty passions of hu- man nature which shall not be brought to Christian use and power. Try to realize the possible Christian service of forces which are not consciously or con- fessedly with Christ. Realize what He meant when He said, He that is not against us is with us. Let me mention as examples few of these forces which shall work to Christian issues. One of these, not often mentioned, but by no means to be despised, is manifest in the good nature of an American crowd. This is not a trivial element nor is it's X presence a superficial sign. There is resident and vibrant in it, tremend- our energy for the Christian control of the multitudes
 Dr. Smyth described his experience in the crowd along Broadway in New York on election night, and it's everywhere evident character of good nature. He said that there came to him in that throng a profound sense of the power of that universal good nature-conserv- ing power, saving power-a human po- tential for Christs conservation and use. Tn part it is the result of His com ing; 1t also is means and promise of the true democracy which is to be real ized on earth as in heaven in the Spirit of Christ. If man has lost faith in that he may sit self-satisf1ed in the seat or the ScornIul; ne Sndll nave no place or share in the .comradeship and joy of the militant and expectant Christ.
 But this good nature of the crowd is not a power to be trlfed with. It is ca pablo of flame; 1t may be misled; it may be used by Him to whom vengeance be- loneeth. The Christ Himself has told ,,, to,1, t,o raoards any seIf-rOmnla cent and damnatory contempt for the peo-