The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-08-22
The
Religious World.
A NATlo.-s MEN AND REiiGIO>.
The International Sunday school Les
son for september Sd i "a fcHle"
of the OF Judah. rs. 10.

(By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.)
OpportuneIy. this study OF the de-
cline of ancient judah comedies Win
the opening OF the much heralded
Men and Religion campaign III
this country. The latter seeks 60
arouse the men Of the entire nation
to a sense Of their religious respon-
sibility. The enterprise is about the
biggest project undertaken IN the MS
tory of organized church work on
this Western Continent: and it en-
bodies the idea Of patriotism end So
cial religion along with personal plety
in a manner that will probably arrest
the attention Of thoughtful people
everywhere. The completeness OF the
organization. with campaigns IN
ninety cities as pivotal centers, is al
together UP to date.
After all has been said, this most
unusual and modern enterprise has
nothing essential in it that is not ex-
pressed by the history Of ancient
Judah. These three teams Of cx-
perts, who are to canvass the cOun-
try, in the name of the organized
religion of North America, are merely
the p~resent-day substitutes for the
old prophets, who called Judah back
to Jehovah. The need is The same;
a sense that the people are going
away from God, in the blind follow
ing of the worlds fashions; and that
continued life and true prosperity for
America consist in her remaining
loyal to her unique mission among
the nations.
Is a peculiar" Nation Needed?
This is the day Of world stand
a~rdization. Massachusetts shoes,
Philadelphia hats and Troy linen are
being worn in China and Japan. The
clothes Of the women in Moscow and
Warsaw are quite like the latest
fashions in New York. Specifically,
nothing is more noticeable in a tour
of the whole earth than the similar
ity Of styles and usages that is be-
ing rapidly effected everywhere.
How deep does this principle run ?
Are we to have no distinctive and
peculiar nations? The Jews of old
had a mission to mankind, which they
were to express by adhering. rigidly
to their distinctive traits. When they
ceased to be different from their
neighbors, and followed the prevailing
fashions, they were wiped out as use
less. Does that law no longer prevail :?
Do nations now fulfill their highest
destiny by being as like as possible
to other nations?
Nobody can study closely the world
of today,-and especially the older ma
TONS. without being convinced that
the place and mission of America
and by America I mean North Amer
lea, for there is no essential difference
in the ideals of Canada and of the
United StateS-iS as absolutely dis
tinctive as was that of ancient Judah.
The new life of the old orient is
being shaped principally by the his
tory and idealism of this new West,
which has been p~rovidentially placed
in its magnificent geographical isola-
ton in order to work out q unique
destiny A veritable teacher and
prophet among the nations are we.
may vaguely be called the
American spirit is the most powerful
leaven at work on the earth today
Mo sordid, materitl influence this;
it. is high idealism and spirituality
1t spells liberty and brotherhood anG
justice and emancipation. Those grea1
conceptions which created this West,
ern World are today the deepest neeG
and desire of u~ncounted millions O.
earth.s people, who are heirs of op-
preston, subordination, ignorance
and fatalism. Judah failed to be trut
to her mission; and she not only for.
feited her own existence, but she also
failed to serve the nations to whom
she had been commissioned a school
master.
Where Politics Become Religion.
All this is more than politics o.
craftsmanship: it is religion. For tn
deepest concerns of the life Of an indi
vidGal or a nation are always re
hgious; and politics is really shaped
in the depths Of a peoples character
Party platforms have less to do Will
a nations political character thar it
religious books The preacher is
greater man than the politicians; ant
the statesman achieves real greatness
only when he is primarily a prophet
It is safe to say that, if this Mel
and Religion campaign. which 1
just now being launched. achieves it
proper dimensions. it will bulk NOR
powerfully in the nations life thar
all the busy m~aneuvering which a
the same time is engaging the poll
ticians.
A primary lesson of history. which
cannot too often be reiterated, is tina
religion is the first factor in a ma
tons life. The great and CROWN;