Gilpin observer., 1909-12-23

| results in the Figi Islands. The
first thing James Calvert did when
he arrived there was to gather up
and burn the skulls, hands and feet
of eighty victims that had been sac.
rificed at oannibal feast. He lived
to see the very people who had taken
part in that horrible meal seated
around the Lords table partaking OF
the bread and wine. At the close of
the fifty years 1900 churches had
been built, some of them upon the
population of 10000, 100000 were
habitual attendants at places of wor-
ship. This is one instance, l could
quote many more of like import.
In regard to morals: You contend
that there has been no improvement
of the moral code since the dawn of
preceipts such as the Golden Rule;
the forgiveness of your enemies, sac
rifice for others, etc., have all been
known in theory but little in prac-
tice.
Electricity has been known since
the foundation of the world, but was
no benefit until an exponent of it's
power was born and until it was put
to practical use.
So of Christianity or righteousness
whichever term you wish to use) it
was known in theory but little in
practice until an exponent of its pre-
ceipts was born and applied them in
a practical way, and impressed on
mankind the great blessings that
would follow their observance, and in
order to impress the world with his
sincerity he died death that was
inevitable to any one who attempted
to overthrow and denounce the exist
ing false conception of righteousness
at that time.
l make the statement without fear
of effective contradiction that the
nation or individual who does not
practice the teachings of Christ is a
failure
That there has been other great
teachers is true and they have all fill
ed place in the development of the
human race, but Christ surpasses
them all in point of granduer and SUBJ
Unity even as the snow-clad peaks
of the mountain chain surpasses in
point of granduer the lowly foothills
of that same range. The creed of
mankind before Christ was, IAN eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" 1"
puI Sul lSl Sdlu, LoNe soul
do good to them that persecute you
and despitefully use you" The creed
of Marques Ito of Japan was express
ed by Christ in the Eleventh com
mandment and it must be the watch
word of any progressive nation.
Japan is just now taking her first
lesson. You refer to the condition of
society and it's stagnation during the
middle or dark ages
This cannot be attributed to the
presence of Christianity but TO the
absence of it.
The leaders of religion at that
time were surcharged with bigotry
superstition and ignorance with all
its attendant evils. and progress was
impossible under such conditions, and
it was such Christians as Luther, Wy
cliff, Huss and others who awoke
them from their lethargy and started
a revolution of progress which has
resulted in our Christian civilization.
You speak of doubt being the
greatest civilizing agency the world
has ever known. 1t is only an evi-
dence that mankind has advanced
mentally beyond that age and de-
mands more enlightened standard
and higher idea of God and his at
titude toward mankind. Zenaphone
said that the greatest discovery Of
the age was not that God made man
in his own image but that man made
God in his own image.
Christ said nothing against Darwin
or his doctrine, nothing against KEEP
Ter or his doctrine, neither has Dar
win, Kepler or LIE Coute denounced
Christ or one tenent of his doctrine.
l never have or do not contend that
Christianity has had all to do with
the civilization of any country as we
know that the geographical position
its climate, its natural resources are
necessary for it's material welfare but
they are not sufficient and with them
alone they will not succeed. Abitra-
tion is an outgrowth of the teachings
Of Christ to Love one another"
Your summary of causes Of civili-
cation: First, the ability of the in
habitants to subdue the forces of
nature to the wants of man; Second,
Honest doubt; Third, Commerce;
Fourth, Gun powder; Fifth, Litera-
ture, are all material elements and
without sixth, which is righteous
ness, civilization would never be at
tained.
Eliminate from any OF the civilized
nations, such as England, Germany
or the United States and where
would they stand? In the same cate
CORY with China, India and the Is
lands OF the sea. think we will
agree in regard to your estimate Of
Christ, he filled a place in the world
as an exponent Of the law Of love
(Which is positively necessary for
the higher civilization) but not as a
God"
II he was a man we can follow him
but II he was God. we are still
without an escort. He had a divinity
with other teachers and benefactors.
but with this difference their divinity
was but a spark, his had broken in.
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