The San Francisco call., 1909-04-02
BRYCE ADVOCATES
CHRISTIAN POLITICS
British Ambassador Says COM
binatiOn of Ethics and ReIig-
ion Benefits National Life

BERKELEY, April 1.-The Chris
tianity of the gospels is sometimes re-
preached" said Ambassador James
Bryce in the course OF his concluding
lecture on Ethics and Religion" before
a large audience IN Hearst hall to-
night. .'cn the ground that Il contains
few or no political doctrines or pre-
cepts" DIT. Bryce spoke tonight on
The Application OF Ethical and Relig-
ious Standards to Some Political ana
international Problems" and declared
that the growth in the last two CEN
turies OF liberty in the political sense,
OF the participation OF the people at
large IN government, had given far
greater Importance to public life and
had raised many new problems which
had been scarcely considered by Chris
tian teachers or by ethical philoso-
piers
ADVANCEMENT OF LIBERTY
The Advancement OF liberty IN the
present age over the ideas in the minds
B OF the people OF the time Of Christ, he
explained, was inevitable. He said:
IN the country and at the time
where and when Christ and his apos-
ties delivered their teachings self gov
eminent IN our sense did not exist, and
81 would have been useless to exhort
men 10 the discharge OF a particular
class Of functions which they did not
under the law possess, and wnich as
things then stood they could not have
secured. What Christianity did was
10 proclaim the principle OF the equal
ffv OF all men before God. and that
was. & principle Of the deepest signin-
csnce and the most far reaching In
auence II ultimately brought ABOUT
the extinction of slavery, and wnen
the time came for the mass OF the
people 10 demand and obtain share
in the government OF the state this
principle powerfully worked for them.
Moreover. the general teachings, both
Of ethical philosophy and of Chris
tianity. when applied TO political re-
lstsons. were simple and unmastakaole-
Duty TO GOD AND MAN
~As 2 good man. sensible OF bis duty
"a Cod and 70 his fellow men, ought TO
carry the sense OF duty and the love
OF his neighbor into every department
OF life. SO he ought 10 be guided IN
voting OF in the discharge OF any pun
lie once TO which he might be elected
~ 1be same principles OF honesty and
benevolence which were prescribed for
him<in private life
what was the application OF an en-
1fr-hteued conscience to the problems OF
practical politics and what effect mas II
Lad on international Tela0onsE asked
DR.. Bryce. In pointing out the results
OF the new ethical Christianity, he an
swered this question;
Here. as in the case of national poll
tics there was no divergence between
the precepts OF ethical philosophy and
those Of the gospels. The latter natur-
sliv did not contain any direct reference
20 the subject because those to whom
Christianity was first preached had no
voice in international questions, and
,, ton
then lay in tne hands of q heather
Roman emperor. But the proclamation
by Christianity, as by the stole philoso-
piers, OF the unity Of mankind. and
the further proclamation by Christian
tty OF the brotherhood Of all men, had
q very important bearing upon all oues-
fions that arose between nations, and
especially upon those grave and some
times warmly debated questions which
arose regarding the treatment Of tho
weaker races by the stronger.
DUTY OF CHRISTIAN MEN
No duty was more plainly incumbent
upon a citizen and a Christian than TO
try 70 make his nation act fairly, con-
siderateIy. tenderly, by the members of
A backward race. Whether or not the
members OF such races should be ad-
mitted to political lights or 10 inter
marriage was different question, but
they ought TO be protected from being
exploited by unscrupulous adven turers,
as had happened in the Spanish West
Indies, and was happening still in some
regions where Europeans came in con-
tact with natives"
The subjects OF war and arbitration
occupied the lecturer for a few min
utes, and then he summed Up the rela-
tions which systems of morals had
borne to religion.
Religion" he declared, Should be
the stimulating force, pervading and
'energizing the soul and will Ethics
ought TO consider the direction in which
this force could best act, examining
the changing conditions of economic
and social life and supplying practical
. precepts fitted to those conditions.
Christianity contains a principle of de-
-velopme7t which enables # to adapt
the permanent and universal elements
II contains TO the needs of each age
Ethics is In so far a progressive sci
ence- that by the observation. of human
Tature 1t is able to adjust: genera
truths 10 particular conditions.
The more closely ethics and relieion
go tegether the better. for the com
mUnity. The moral welfare of ns
tfon is its highest good and its mos,
enduring strength. pure and earnas,
religion, with a worthy standard a,
conduct, is the basis not only of indi-
Tioual happiness. but of the greatness
OF people,