The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-24

Interested in doctrines. This IS not d
doctrfnaI era The idea of social Cos
mel and a socialized church has taken
hold of people. AS we read the reports
of the Men and Religion Movement
from city to city. we perceive that it is
the social service end of the campaign
that gets most attention from the press
The Church and the workingman; the
Church and the masses; the Church
and the poor; the Church and social
sneaualities-these are the themes that
resound, as if they were some new
gospel
How absurd. What is the Church
it is the company of Christ's friends,
who are trying to follow his example,
and to do what he wants them to do.
And is this new notion of a socialized
Christianity an Improvement on
Christ's practice or teaching2 Quite the
reverse; it is merely closer approach
to his way of life.
Jesus Identifies himself with the big
crowd of plain people. He was one Of
1.-The masses toiler and the son of
a toiler: he was in such close fellow
ship with the workingman that he was
called the Carpenter" DR.. VanDyke
has written truly
But I think the King of that country
comes out from his tireless host,
And walks in this world of the weary,
as if he loved it the most;
And here in the dusty confusion, with
eyes that are heavy and dim,
He meets again the laboring men who
are looking and longing for him.
No Buddha immured in lonely and
ascetic contemplation was he, but a
real man, touching life on all levels,
and vet closest to the dust-grimed and
sweaty crowd of common people. The
fo Oh - ct a G
the best Brother of all mankind, who
loved them up to the level of life and
the limitless measure of death is as
near to the simple gospel as preach
ing can get
Lining Up With the Crowd.
A snob wants to emphasize the points
of difference between himself and the
mass of mankind; a Savior stresses the
points of likeness. This lesson upon
the baptism and temptation of Jesus.
has one great message: the identity Of
the Master with the life and lot of peo-
pie. He was at constant pains to asso-
ciate himself with the sorrows and tolls
and joys and hopes and religious as
pirations of the big crowd of us.
Theologfans have written and talked
a great deal about baptism. but most of
them have missed the mark. It is only
sign or symbol. To Jesus it meant
lining up with the best institutions in
sight, and the one that had most of
God in it. Johns preaching was not
perfect: it was only a prepara ton.
none the less. Jesus insisted that he re
publicly enrolled as one of Johns
crowd 1t was like joining church. A
lot of cOnceited persons think the
church is not perfect, and not quite
UP to their standard; and SO refuse to
unite with it. To all such may be COM
mended the example of Jesus: he Joined
Johns church. He found the best
crowd and stood with it. No idle, carp
ing critic he. DR.. J. A. Francis was
interrupted in a Men and Religion
speech in Philadelphia by man who
wanted to know why the church does
not do this or that.
Are you a member of the Chris
tan church," came the instant query
from DR.. Francis
Yes"
Then you do your part"
That is all Each in his place stand
ing for the best he knows. and not
Withholding open allegiance to the best
and most hopeful organization God has
provided. is the program of progress.
Open and public confession by church
membership is the counsel conveyed by
the example of Jesus in his baptism.
He wanted to be counted among the
friends of God on earth. That way
comes Christian solidarity.
A Real Mans Battle.
After exaltatiOn comes depression,
the ecstatic experience of baptism,
when the heavens opened and the
Father atteSted his approval of the Son
was succeeded by the temptation in the
wilderness. Jesus went apart awhile;
to take the measure and meaning of
himself his new experience and his
mission. Every normal person under
stands the mood Jesus wanted to get
away from the crowd; to be alone with
himself and God.
But he did not get away from the
devil Modern philosophy is inclined
to ignore the devil; substituting dew
fish tendencies in humanity. Person
and accept Satan. Everybody who has
lifted his eyes six inches from the rim
of a book knows that there are forces
in the world which make for I'M
righteousness The ugly thing called
sin is no mere theological term; it IS
q fact of life.
A successful business man sat oppo-
site me in a club yesterday and said,
Il tell you, I know men and I know
myself. and it is only the grace of
God that keeps me from tumbling over
into the Volcano That man was not
talking about any metaphysical or sub
jective errors; he meant gross sin such
as the law Of the land recognizes rs
crime. Yet he is a good man, made such.
he avows, only by the religion of the
tempted Christ.
No sham Fight.
Into such battles as this-the kind
which most upright men know as more
real experiences than any struggle in
business-Jesus went. He fought the
fight that no good man can escape:
and he fought it with no weapons that
may not be ours
It was no sham battle that Jesus
waged. He could have fallen even as
we may fall. 1t was possible for him
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