The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-25
Living LIKE JESUS

Something like Skept1clSm II not d.
rect opposition is seen in the religious
press respecting the Cleveland move.
ment of trying to Tive like Christ"
Yet the young people of that city fin
ished so successfully their experiment.
tai two weeks that they pledged them
selves on JAN II to continue to live
during the rest of their natural lives
as nearly as possible like Christ. In
a meeting called together to hear re-
ports fifty persons told of their expert
ences of two weeks says Cleveland
dispatch. "All say that to attempt to
live like Christ is easy and that for
one who tries faithfully at least par
tial success is sure" When Mr.. w. D.
asked for volunteers, "all in the vast
audience arose and agreed to conse.
crate themselves to the attempt to live
as Christ would live, and when to this
was added pledge to bend every ef-
fort to make the movement worldwide
lno one refused" 1t was reported that
the Rev. G. A. Eaton, who recently
left Mr.. Rockefellers church to &C
cept call in New York, had promised
to do his best to establish the move
ment in the eastern city.
The Episcopal Recorder (Philadel.
phia) does not wish to appear as criti-
cising any effort made in the right di-
rection, but it declares that the impli.
cations of this campaign are not at all
to its liking. 1t says further:
I'VE find ourselves asking questions
concerning it which snow how it
may be viewed by outsiders. Is the
religion of Jesus still upon its trial in
the sense that young people are to see
whether the divine life can be lived?
|! If these young Christians are just be-
ginning two weeks trial of living as
Jesus would were he upon earth
what have they been doing up to this
time? Are we to conclude that they
have been playing at religion, ard
that now they are going to begin in
Earnest? Is the Christ religion an I'M
litation of Jesus? Is 1t not the gradual
unfolding of the life of Christ i'm.
planted in the heart when it is borne
from above by the power of the Holy
Ghost9 It not this whole effort case
of religious priggishresso Does not
the hera'ding of it tend to defeat its
purpose2"
The Standard the Baptist organ of
Chicago. sees something of the pa
thetic in this movement" It says that
no Christian can look with anything
but approval upon an undertaking OF
this kind when real and marked by
thoughtfulness. We are in no danger
of emphasizing unduly the necessity
of living honestly, justly, forgivingly.
In far too great measure Christian
people content themselves with believ-
ing something about Jesus. But
Just here is the pathos of the stu
alton. Why should it be necessary for
Christian people to bind themselves to
live as Jesus would have them for the
space of two weeks? Why two weeks?
This effort is of the essence of the
Christian religion No man can be
Christian in any true sense who does.
not set himself to the task of meeting
the mind of Christ in his words and
deeds and choices. It is a pitiful
thing that Christian men and women
should feel it necessary to band them
selves together in an effort to realize
that which is vital part of disciple
ship"
The Central Christian Advocate Of
Pittsburg adds: Already there are
plans for national movement. AS to
that, we would advise caution, slow
and orderly growth lest an impulse
that may be born from above should
be degraded into hvsteria. into bigoted
dogmatism. and the demands of
cranks and zealots without knowledge
or self-control"