The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-04-09

standing" ruling in their hearts at al
times, and under all conditions-wheth
er 'in sickness or health, in poverty's
vale, or Astounding in wealth"
But our question does not relate tt
these sanity followers Of the teachings
of Jesus, who walk in His footsteps
Our question is in respect to the civil
cation which Identifies itself witt
Christianity, without accepting the
terms of discipleship. Has this civiliza
ton brought to the masses Of Europe
and America great blessing, and, If II
be extended to the far East, will II
prove a blessing to the hundreds OF
millions there?
If larger houses, better streets anc
sewers, better water supplies, better
clothing, better schools, etc., are bring
ing to the people of Europe and Amer.
lea more joy, more peace, more happi
ness, more contentment, more kind.
ness, more usefulness in the present
life and more preparation for the life
to come, then our Western civilization
Is q blessing to US, and would doubt
less prove blessing to the far East.
But has it brought these blessings
Alas, no! AS far as our observations
In China and Japan go, we are led &c
believe that their peoples are far hap
pier. far more contented, than the PEG
pies of Europe and America. We are
not blaming this upon Christianity
mark you've have not yet said why II
is SO. We are merely noting facts
which must be manifest to everyone
who has seen the two in contact.
A Reason For This.
Our fourth question was, Why is il
so? What peculiarities are connected
with Christian civilization or the
Christian teachings which produce
such diverse results-brnging one
class, the sanity followers OF Jesus,
into the utmost peace and JOY. and
bringing others, the masses who are
merely nominal Christians, into this
most unsatisfactory and unhappy con.
dition of any people in the world, even
when they are enjoying greater bless
ings and luxuries than the majority?
There is but one answer to this ques.
ton: It is because the teachings OF
Christ carry with them broadening
of mind, an emancipation from super
stition, spirit of liberty. True, there
were Dark Ages. during which many
so-calIed Christian superstitions pros
pered. But such superstitions were
not the teachings of Jesus and His
Apostles, but the misrepresentation
of their teachings. Those superstttions
did indeed for a time make the PEG
pie of Europe drowsy, and it was the
custom of such religious teachers to
restrain human thought and to fettel
and becloud the intellects over which
they had influence.
We are not discussing such condi
tons, but merely the general influence
of the teachings of Jesus and the
Apostles and the Prophets Of old. The
discomfort which we are noting began
to come to Europe at the very time
when the Bible was brought out from
obscurity. 1t is the teachings Of the
Bible that have had the enlightening
effect upon all the nations which have
been in contact with them. 1t is the
Bibles teachings that have brought the
special rest to some hearts, and the spe-
cial discomfort to others-the masses.
This is the answer The Bible alone.
of all religious books, sets forth promi
nently the equality of all men before
the Almighty God. This thought once
grasped breaks all letters of the mind.
But all are not prepared for such lib
erty-some evidently would enjoy great
peace and would be more quiet, more
reverential and more submissive If they
continued bound with a measure of
superstition, than If the truth should
make them free.
The only persons who can rightly
appreciate and properly enjoy full lib
erty are those who have made a full
conservation Of themselves to the
Lord-those who have given over all
earthly ambitions and favors to the
one great ambition of the Gospel of
Christie become heirs of God and
joint-heirs with Jesus Christ their
Lord. Those only can be fully en-
trusted with liberty who have realized
the imperfection of all human judg-
ment, and who have accepted instead
of their own the Divine will. This is
the class of whom st. Paul spoke,
saying, 1--WE have the mind of Christ"
and this he declares is the only spirit
Of sound mind in the world at the
present time
Nevertheless, some Of the sanity
people are disesteemed by many of
the worldly-minded who are moving
heaven and earth at home and abroad
to amass wealth, power and fame for
themselves, their families, their friends,
their names, none of whom are con-
tent, none of whom are satisfied, none
Of whom are at peace, either with God
or with themselves. Who can doubt
that the carrying of our western civil
lization to the people of the east will
carry to them similar discomfort, I'M
rest, unhappiness, anger, malice, envy,
hatred and strife which Is peculiar to
the Occident? But most likely the
effect Of the Western civilization Of
the Chinese will be to wake up her
hundreds of millions to discomfort and
strife, and possibly bring anarchy to
her doors sooner than 1t will come to
Europe and America.
ASK and Will Give the Heathen."
But our text declares that II Mes
siah will ask Of the Father, He will
be given the heather for an inner
itance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for His possession. VIII He
ask for them? Why has He not al
ready asked for them, and what would
he do with them, and would not His
dealing with them have much the
same influence that the Gospel Mes
sage now produces-to make them dis
satisfied?
Our Lord intimates most distinctly
His reason for not asking for the
heather at the first advent. In His
prayer the same night in which He
was betrayed to death He said, 81
pray not for the world (the heathen).
but for those whom thou hast given
Me''-the household Of faith, His foot
step followers, 1.-The Church of the
First-born, whose names are written
in heaven"
The Redeemer knew the Fathers
will and prayed only in harmony
Herewith. He knew that the first
work of the Divine Plan was to be
the calling and testing Of an elect
"little flock to be His associates In
the Kingdom, His Bride, to share with
Him His glory, honor and immortali-
~ Ha acIxad not thar Co. 49, ~-o-Id