The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-21
sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON AND
YOUNG PEOPLES TOPIC.
Big Business and Religion. The Inter-
national sunday-sch0ol Leason
for August n "Paups Third
MisafonaPy Journey-The
Riot at Ephesus.r Acts
XIX 23-xxy
BY wTLIIAM r. ELLIS.


which stalks deathless through the
centuries like the Wandering Jew. On
the present occasion he Is called De-
metrfus. the silver-smith: sometimes
he Ia known as Vested interests"
sometimes as The System" sometimes
as q big Business: always he claims
special consideration from kings and
church and parliament and peasant;
ever he 10 glib to profess any faith
that may serve his own interests. and
always Is he clever In cloaking his own
specious pleas In the sarb OF the mo-
ments most popular cause.
A mark OF the wise man and the
the good citizen IL ability to discern
Dametrtus in the garb of, capitalist
or labor asitator or politician. 1t IL
well to remember that he is not
patriot, but only q silversmith. Along
with a wholesome trust In ones fellow
men should ever go careful skeptic-
ism concerning the motives OF popular
agitators. For Demetrius Ia the worst
foe of any people at any time.
The Modern Golden Calf.
At the recent Christian Endeavor
convention in st. Paul, Mr.. William
Jennings Bryan related how he had
talk ed with q man concerning the sub
5ect of uniting with the church. The
man at length confessed that the rea-
son he could not become a Christian
while frankly admitting that ha
should de so-was that he was engag-
ed in business which was inccA sistent
with the Christian religion. and given
his choice between business and reli-
gion he chose business. That Ia
twentieth century habit. Our times
frankly defy business. We are put
ting 1t above family relationships.
personal health and happiness. and
above honor itself. 1t Is not alto
gether an unknown thing for persons
to unite with the church merely to
further their own business interests.
The crude. open, and unabashed
fashion In which Americans exalt busi-
ness above worthier considerations
cussion concerning the Chinese rail-
way loan. Some American dnanciers
have expressed desire to participate
TO the extent Of a few million dollars
in loan to the Chinese
government. The officials at WASH
ington have gone to great
length to support this entirely proper
claim. Yet in the few months that
this subject has been under considera-
tion the newspapers OF the United
States have given more space to It
than they have given for eight years
past to all the varied and important
interests Of American missions in Chi
ma. although the latter represent an
Infinitely greater investment. Thus
do we disproprionately put the dol
lar IRE. Similarly, all the tariff dis
cussion of recent months has had as its
background the shrewd and sleepless
insistence of vested interests for spec
ial consideration at the hands OF law
makers. Every parliament on earth
knows the power of big business in
demanding more than common consid-
sideration. The. golden dollar is the
modern golden Calf.
Some Presemt-DRy Dianas.
The popular Ephesian deity was Ar
tennis. or Diana, the Goddess OF Life
who was worshipped with vilest de-
baucheries. Her great idol. which was
sold In miniture to the ceasless stream
of pilgrims, thus making a most pro-
ductive industry was the principal OBJ
ject of interest in EphesusJ and her
temple was one OF the seven wonders
OF the world. Somewhat analogous
to that ancient situation is the shrine
of the Lady OF Lourdes, or the Shinto
'shrines of Yamada, in Use, Japan. or
temples at Benares. In all these
places the commercial life of the city Is
interviewer with the worship and tho
pilgrimages. The entire population
would rise up to protest against any
innovation that imperiled their busi-
ness.
We need not go to heather lands to
find analogies. Present-day Christians
have Identified religion with institu-
lions. Our Interpretation and express
sion of Christianity has become con-
fused with Christianity itself. Sup
pose 1t should appear to the conscience
of most Christians that organs should
be abolished from the churches, or the
reverse or that all choirs should ha
| put into vestments. What a row would
immediately follow. Or, moge serious
ly what II the enlightened Christian
conscience of to-day should lead the
| churches back to the simple meeting
house Of an older day? What an Ep-
hesian riot in behalf Of the churches
and cathedrals would be created.
So most denominations have built
up in bricks and mortar expensive de-
nominational headquarters. They not
| only receive, but seek entailed be-
quests: yet It is manifest denominat-
| ional lines must be abolished. Great
merges are coming among the
churches; but see what barriers are
erected by these property rights and
by these professional positions. 1t IL
an open secret that the Northern Pres
byterian Church and the Dutch Re-
formed Church do not unite. chiefly
because the. lawyers have said that the
title to the immensely valuable Dutch
Reformed properties would not hold
valid in such union. Likewise, the
proposition that is being considered in
several churches to consolidate boards
Is meeting with shrewd and powerful
| opposition from the men whose posi-
tons might be imperiled. Is not all
this an exaltation of special interests
above the free course Of truth, and the
welfare of the Kingdom
Demetrius, and Some Others.
This whole lesson hinges on the vi
tai question Of special interests cloak
ed by religion. Det us not rant about
Ephesus. when in our own day De-
metrius is fiourishing In many quarters
Some OF our denominations are honey
combed with ecclesiastical politics.
which put the interest Of individuals
above the welfare of the Church.
Bishop Hamilton told the PHILADELPHIA
Methodist ministers. at the time of
their last conference, that he was
shocked by their self-seeking, and he
oade them go home and practice what
they preach. The Northern Presby-
terian denomination lately took 40
ton In its highest court against the
use of tobacco by it's members, but It
had not word to say concerning the
Demetrius of ecclesiastical pol ftical
practices that would disgrace the se-
GUAR parties. In the name of the Cos
pei that prevailed at Ephesus the
| church must have new courage to
cleanse herself. Christianity must be
pure before 1t can he nowerfYl Only