The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-21


Big Business and Religion
The international Sunday School Les
son for August % is -PauPs THIRD
Missionary Iourney-The Riot a
Ephesus." Acts 1a:23-20:1.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Here enters a many-named figure
which stalks death1ess through the
centuries, like the Wandering Jew. DE
the present occasion he is called De
is known as Vested Interests. some
times as a~The System" sometimes as
"Btg Business; always he claims
special consideration from kings ana
church and parliament and peasant;
ever he is glib to profess any tairh tnat
may serve his own interests, ana al
ways is he clever in cloaking his own
special pleas in the garn OF the mo
mark Of the wise man and the
good citizen is ability to discern De
metrfus in the gaFb of capitalist or Ia
Dor agitator or politician 1t Is wen 10
remember that he is not a patriot. but
only q sfIversmfth. Along with
wholesome trust in ones fellow men
should ever go careful skept1cism
concerning the motives or popular ag-
ftators For DemetriuS is 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 ne mad
talked with a man concerning the
subject of uniting with the church. The
man at length confessed that the rea-
son he could not become Christian
while frankly admitting tnat ne snou!o
do so-was that he was engaged in
q business which was inconsistent with
the Christian religion, and given his
choice between business and religion he
chose business. That is twentieth
century habit. Our times frankly defy
business. We are putting it above fam
ily relationships, personal heaith ana
happiness, and above honor itself. 1t
is not altogether an unknown thing Tor
persons to unite with the church mere
" to further their own business inter-
ests.
The crude, open, and unabashed
fashion in which Americans exalt bust
ness above worthier considerations has
an illustration in the present discussion
concerning the Chinese railway loan.
Some American financiers have ex-
pressed a desire to participate to the
extent of a few million dollars in
loan to the Chinese government. The
officials at Washington have gone to
great length to support this entirely
proper claim. Yet in the few months
that this subject has been under con-
sideration the newspapers of the Uni
ted States have given more space 10 II
than they have given for eight years
past to all the varied and important in
terests of American missions in China,
although the latter represent an infin-
itely greater investment. Thus do we
disproportionS<ely put the dollar first.
Similarly all the tariff discussion of
recent months has had as its back
ground the shrewd and sleepless insis-
tence of vested interests for special
consideration at the hands of lawmak-
ers Every parliament on earth knows
the power of big business IN demand
ing more than common consideration.
The golden dollar is the modern golden
calf.
Some Present-Day 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 miniature to the ceaseless
stream of pilgrims, thus making a
most productive industry, was the pr1n-
cipal object of interest in Ephesus; and
her temple was one of the seven won
ders of the world. Somewhat analo-
gous to that ancient situation is the
shrine of the Lady of LourdeS, or the
Shinto shrines of Yamada, IN Use, ia
pan, or the Hindu temples at Benares.
In all these places the commercial life
of the city is interviewer with the wor-
ship and the pilgrimages. The en-
tire population would rise up to pro-
test against any innovation that i'm
periled their business.
we need not go to heather lands to
find anaIogies. Present-day Christians
have identified religion with institu-
tions. Our Interpretation and ex-
confused with Christianity itself. Sup
pose it should appear to the con-
sciences of most Christians that or
gans should be abolished from the
churches, or the reverse; or that all
choirs should be put into vestments.
What row would Immediately follow
Or, more seriously, what if the en-
1ightened Christian conscience of today
should lead the churches back to the
simple meeting house of an older day?
What an Ephesian riot in behalf of the
churches and cathedrals would be Gre
ated.
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 that before |
many years many of the existing de- |
nominational lines must be abolished. |
Great mergers are coming among the |
churches; but see what barriers are
erected by these property rights and |
by these professional positions. 1t is |
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.I
valid in such a union. Likewise, the 1
proposition that is being considered in |
several churches to consolidate boards |
is meeting with shrewd and powerful |
opposition from the men whose posi- |
lions might be impertled. Is not all /
this an exaltation of special interests |