Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-03-03
A Religious
Movement Which
Changed History

uf poverty. the enmity OF hts CON
temporaries. the Indifference Of the
political powers under which he lived
and the humble origin of his first fol-
lowers. the wonder Of the result grows
When We also remember that this
reality has come 10 pass not by de-
pendence upon the forces upon which
world movements have relied. such as
arms. wealth. intellectual powers. and
social prestige. but purely through the
Inherent might Of Jesus religious
ideals. the marvel reaches its maxi
mum
To produce this result. two great en-
vironmeuts had 10 be affected Ju-
daism's venerable system Of piety al
ready fixed in Journalism and legalism
had TO be displaced by a religion Of
vitalities which substituted love
for law. and allowed love to use
its own forms OF self-expressiou
Heathenism. which was lacking In
ethical content. had to be permeated
by visions OF living righteousness
which would virtually create n pure
code Of morals. and lead the great
world outside Of Judaism to the knowI-
edge OF hitherto unknown God who
is holy and loving.
I A Superb Dream Made Real.
No citizen Of the world ever had
/ such a dream "a filed the heart OF
/ Jesus. He saw the kingdom OF God
I that social condition OF humanity in
which all men should live as sons OF
the heavenly Father. and therefore as
brothers with one another This ideal
was 10 express itself. not in churches
or ecclesiastical organizations. but in
all social life. The realms OF industry.
the home. the parl0r. government. and
all other organizations in which man
kind expresses its social instincts,
were to be the spheres in which this
SUPERB dream was to be made a liv-
ing reality. So far as Jesus thought
OF churches. they were to be. not
Noah's arks into which a few OF the
elect we're to be brought to save them
from impending disaster. while the
rest Of mankind was committed TO
the food. but social energies com
posed Of those who shared his match
less dream. and who were 70 work
to make actual his unique vision.
every individual OF them in the realms
in which he lived
This great achievement was 70 be
realized. not by legislation. nor by
mechanical and political means. but
BY the transforming power Of human
lives made over again so that they
could themselves see and enter into
this kingdom The children Of thu
kingdom were the good seed in the
field of the world No one before him
had ever dared to imagine that hu-
manity could be transformed by the
simple power ~ such goodness as was
/ due to a sincere filial relation to God.
inearnated in the lives Of men. He
rested the entire future OF his work in
the hearts Of a few disciples. and be-
lieyed that they. and others in sue
cessive generations, would so live
what be himself had stood for. that
at last every human being would enter
into his kingdom. and thus hts hope
should be realized
RAIN the MEANS OF Conquest.
No less striking Is the means upon
which he relied 10 accomplish this
vision He called for simple faith in
himself. In doing so. he leaned upon
the most commonplace, the most en-
ergizing and the most rational power
which We know. All men have eoafi-
dence in some others. or some things
Every man knows that faith Is the
most vital thing in the world. for
nothing comes to pass unless some one
believes that it is possible. It is the
most rational thing that humanity
knows. for il begins with the child
on the mothers breast. and coutiu-
ues through all the relations Of life.
and thus has the sanction Of universal
experience 10 vindicate its reasonable
ness. This faith does in religion what
IL does everywhere else. First. il gives
US the vision OF an ideal. L Yields
conviction Of the reality Of unseen
things. and gives substance to things
hoped for The man OF faith sees as
concrete what IS only vision. Again
faith opens the life 70 all outside IN
fiuences that can assist II in realizing
this vision To this. witness the child
in the school. and all forms OF our
communication with others. and the
whole story OF education and com
merce. Faith in the realm OF religion
opens mems souls to the power Of
God that pours itself through count
less channels into every heart that
has the hospitality born OF confidence
Again, faith stirs all energies within
US. All things are possible TO him who
believes. Faith stimulates our intel
lects TO devise. moves our feelings and
enthusiasm to vitai.ze, and stirs our
wills to act When Jesus. therefore.
declared that his matenIess vision was
to come TO pass first Of all In each
personal heart BY faith. and then in
all social life by faith. he made The
most daring experiment the world has
ever known. and began a miracle.
which will not be completed until his
dream is fully realized.
Inspired visior Of Jesus.
This is the score. OF Jesus work
de saw a transformed humanity in
spite OF all adverse indications: he
saw its possibility through despised in
srumentalities; he seized upon a ua-
i've human capacity. which We call
taith. to realize his vision. From this
program OF Jesus there has come the
stimulus that has revoIutionized every
NE and nation it has touched. and has
given to the Christian fraction OF hu-
manity the virtual monopoly of the
learning. the arts. the industries Of the
world.
Jesus only began to do and 10
teach as Luke tells us. He has been
doing and teaching ever since he left
the earth The Teacher who declared
that the truth shall make you free
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