Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-17

/
-~~~~~~~~~~-~---~~~-~~
High Priest, to the rights and priv
ileges of the sons of God. And with
the spiritual awakening there came
an intellectual renaissance. Chris
tianity became once more an ag-
gressive, civilizing, saving spiritual
force in the world and is today with
out question, the dominant factor IN
the worlds life and progress.
Worldwide Sweep.
LET US consider the worldwide
sweep in which Christianity is play
ing a part:
Il. The progress of individualism.
There is a strong movement today
for the emancipation and upl1ft OF
the individual man. There is an in
sistant demand in all lands that ev-
cry man shall have liberty to live
his life to the best advantage and
make the most he can out of him
self. This nation has been publish
ing to all the world the doctrine that
every man has an inalienable right
TO life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness.
Emerson intimates that it is a
disgrace to a man not to count as
unit of life of the world. He appeals
to us, We will walk on our feet, we
will work with our hands, we VIII
speak with our minds A nation of
men will for the first time exist be-
cause each believes himself inspired
by the divine soul which also in
spires all men in this last sentence
he reveals the root of this individual
ism which is a striking characteristic
of our American life.
"It is the religious belief that all
men are made in the image of God
with something of the divine soul in
them. This gives dignity and worth
to life. 1t opens up infinite POSSIBLE
tiles and privileges and arouses men
to stand up and claim them.
Christianity as Promoter of Liberty.
christianity is promoting this
doctrine of liberty of the individual
wherever the gospel is preached.
Jesus said, The truth shall make you
free and His truth in the soul is al
ways a leaven of liberty within and
without. 1t delivers from ignorance
and fear. Follow its light and it de-
vice, and when the soul has thus
been set free, it begins to demand an
opportunity to spread it's wings and
fly.
''It is Christianity abroad in the
world which is crulnbllng down the
tyrannies and expressions of Rus
sia's iron rule. 1t is the light of
Christ which is opening the eyes of
Japan and China to the power that
comes to a nation when the individ-
ual citizen is given power
Professor Paul Reinsch of the I'm
iversity of Wisconsin, contrasting the
east and west, says: The Orient has
the pessimism of completed knowledge
and disiiiusionment; it is quiet and
serene because it sees nothing worth
striving for; individual existence is
unimportant The west, on the 9TH
er hand. is intensely individualistic.
and filed with optimistic energy which
leads it to believe in an evolution of
the higher forms and progress to a
higher civilization
Sets Cubans Free.
"And he points to the fact that
with this individualism, our western
civilization has received from Chris
tainity a spirit of sympathy which
makes it feel the woes of others and
demand for them the liberties which
it seeks for itself. 1t was the Chris
tian spirit, the love of neighbor as
myself, the recognition of him as a
brother which set free the Cuban
sufferers, the serfs of Russia and is
now liberating the millions of China
and India from the thralldom Of
caste and hopeless limitations.
christianity is also promoting the
peace movement among nations.
"2. This movement is steadily
gaining strength in the minds and
hearts of man, even though it has
ing building of great navies. When
distinguished citizen of the world
like Andrew Carnegie, who really be-
longs to both United States and
Great Britain, is throwing all of his
influence by pen and by use of his
enormous wealth on the side of
peace, 1t makes a new era in the his
tory OF the world and warfare The
Hague conference has been called
the Parliament of Good Inten-
tons (But IA items have been
agreed upon to modify the horrors
of war;.
Putting Principles Into Law.
'3. Christ is taking part in the
new social movement for the better
ment of society. 1t is the followers
of Jesus Christ who are the leaders
and majority of laborers in settle
ment work in our big cities The
church is the foundation for the
Toynbee house in London, Hull
house and Chicago Commons in Chi
cago. 1t is Christianity which or
ganized the Red Cross society, the
Salvation Army, the Christian Vol
unteers. the Florence Crittendon
mission. the w c. T. U. and the
Anti-Saloon league.
at is Christianity which founded
The International Bureau of Reform