The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-12-22
LOVE TO
RULE HUMAN
BROTHERHOOD
By REV. W. X. MEDLAR
Pastor Of Linden Hills Congregational
Church. MinnsspOlis

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TExT-A new commandment give I'M
20 you. that you love one another.-John
XIII. a.
This was a new idea that Jesus pro-
claimed to men. II was a fruit that
ripened In the genial atmosphere which
he himself brought into the world.
This social consciousness or love for
others was a plant of slow growth.
The world had already arrived at a
good age when It began to recognize
this great principle.
Think for a moment OF the genesis
or evolution of love. When we note
the difference between the ancient
time, when the tribe or clan was the
only bond between men. all outside
being considered enemies, and these
modern times when a peace confer
ence at The Hague unltes the leading
nations of tho earth, we can see that
a great change has taken place in the
thoughts of men and nations toward
each other. This is a creation far
greater than the physical worlds.
Something of the biologists sense
OF time must be appreciated. Ages
and cons rather than years or even
centuries must be considered. The
impassioned reformer needs to be
trained to patience In his anticipation
of these best things.
1t took nearly 100 years for this
country to insert the anti-slavery
clause. which Thomas jefferson re-
jected. into the Declaration OF indie
pendence. This star. not yet risen In
Washington's time. came to the hori-
zon on Lincoln's day.
The encroachment of the sea upon
the continent is not more steady and
resistless than the climbing OF the
masses Of humanity into the prero-
gatives and favorable conditions once
monopolized by the few. Well fur
nished homes. with musical instru-
ments. higher education. amusements,
luxuries that once we're limited to the
rich and noble. are today becoming
the widespread heritage Of the COM
mon people.
One characteristic of President Nc
Kinley's administration was making
nearly a. hundred appointments from
the ranks OF the laboring man.
The classes of intelligence. wealth
and leisure are no longer looking with
stoical indifference upon the multi
tude in their pitiful ignorance. but
with sympathetic attention to the
causes which produce and the forces
which may change these unhappy con-
ditions. When all grades of society
will begin to cooperate In raising
mankind to the highest possible level.
then 1t will be recognized that the
life is more than meat and the body
than raiment. and man will have gone
far in entering upon his universal
kingdom.
Christian socialism teaches that the
individual cannot live unto himself.
and that the social individual is the
necessary unit of feeling A maximum
OF relationship with every kind OF
peoples is the substance Of the true
individual.
What, then, do we mean by the
awakening OF social Consciousness
this love for our fellows? II means
that we are clearly awakening to the
tug OF common life--the beat OF its
heart. the thunder OF its tread. Does
the mother recognize the tug Of her
child, perhaps at the skirts of her
dress, or as the little hand wiggles
into hers by her side. The tug of
100000 coal miners, In their oppres-
sion and wronged conditions! When
this common life Of humanity, with its
toll and sweat. became organized. the
tug could no longer be resisted. Self
fish and materialistic capital. with It's
greed. had to give way. So must the
social consciousness in the right OF
others be compelled to come to stand
ards of Justice and mutual rights.