The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-25
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
The Church Folk Are Thinking About anoDo'ns-""e"s'0'
News From Elsewhere

7o.ror of heart while his hands
we're free from bloodst1in; thal rs
could be an adulterer at near. VIZ
conforming to the
As q man thinketh in his hearl' 50
he is"-that is the Jesus way or meas
uring character
This is high ground. That was the
,,ission of Jesus, to lift life up TO h1Sh
levels. His ideal was truth III 'he III
ward parts" He abhore 1 Pllarlsdiioih'
He had little patience with lorHlaii's'
Simple sincerity was HIS own pr
tica So He interpreted the law OF the
ooas in the terms Of g~en.uneness a
brotherhood. Only thus, He declared,
co,1d the law-the immutably etefhai
Iav-be fulfilled.
What is Crime.
IT is not an occasional death that
commits so much as it IS the spirit OF
murder in the hearts Of men, jesus
pointed out that the heart OF anger
and unloyingness is essential crime.
To hate ones brother is to enter muir
der's row. To treat a fellow man con-
temDtuously and p~rovOkingly is to III
cur real judgment.
More manifest is the principle as
Christ laid 1t down in the case Oh
adultery. His piercing vision dlscerned
that a State of rOtten-mlndedneSS IS
equivalent to the sin of adultery itself.
The merely careful. shrewd n SELF
regardful ones who abstain from SIN
and crime for fear of the consequences
got small consideration from him. We
look with horror upon the outbreak
ings of social evil as recorded in the
Far worse Is the moral
laxity which these represent. Who
can look beneath much Of the days
news without a shudder?
Religion has not taken sufficient
cogniZance of this. 1t Is needless OF
the coarse jeStS heard along the
streets; and OF the meaning Of the
looks and words of the corner loafers
and strolling handles. The church has
not weighed the Significance Of the
low stories that are ommon talk in
some clubs and offices and shops II
social gathering places. There Is q
mass Of putrid thinking which needs
the direct, burning application OF the
words Of our Lord. His gospel is
the only hope Of our times because It
goes down to the springs Of conduct
His ideal Is blessed are the pure In
heart, for they shall see God" But
reprohation.
'ucttlIE lua!t-
The way OF the world Is to get
square" with ones enemies. It is the
crude way OF the earlier stage. when
IAN eye for an eye, q tooth for a
tooth" was the law. But that was,
as Jesus was quick to point out, even
at the risk Of shocking his correct
hearers, little better than h~eathenish.
The Gentiles did that: they hated
their enemies n loved their friends.
They were kind to all who were kind
to them; life was adjusted to a give
and-take code. Bl~ood-vengence n
salt-hospitality ruled.
Now there is a better way. declared
this radical Teacher. Then He pro-
ceeded to declare the high-water mark
Of Christian teaching, save only that
set by His life. For the example Of
n Master ever went beyond lis
words. Here is the new and tremen-
dous n transforming ideal which
Christ erected for the new order OF
society which He called the Kingd ON
Of HeaVen-tLove you enemies, bles.
them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you. and pray for then,
which despitefully use you. and perse-
cute you"
AS II that amazing standard were
not enough, He went On BE We there
, lore perfect, even as your Father ir
/ Heaven is perfect" That leaves nc
room for self-satisfied Christians.
} GARiC1fAhllN AMnhr rI,r