Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-28


to receive the influences prevalent in the
atmosphere around us than when we are more seri-
ously engaged; it is then moral contagious infect
us more easily than at any other time And it is
certain that, if we do not consider carefully the
moral tendency of an amusement before we indulge
it, we will not give to it proper attention after
have become absorbed in it. For these and other
reasons perils to piety approach us through our
recreations more stealthily than through other
engagements; they come upon through our diver
sions when we arer off guard and when we are
least watchful. Hence more people backsde through
their amusements than fall by absolute immortality.
They absorb moral malaria when they least con-
scious of danger to their souls.
These things being so, it is important that chris
tian people exercise the utmost care in choosing
their recreations. And the standard by which
christian man will Judge amusement is not that
of mere: secular morality, but rather the standard
of spiritual religion. Many have been misled by
considering the amusement question upon too low
plane. An amusement may be unfriendly to piety
which might be tolerable under a system of mere
morality inspired by mundane motives and con-
formed to worldly type. 1t is not always possible
for example to prove that the dance leads directly
in every to immortality, although unquestiona-
bly, it has resulted thus many thousands of
Nor is it always possible to sustain an indictment
for gross immortality against every play that is put
upon the boards of the modern theater. But shall
christian people avoid nothing except the down
right immoral? Is the loss of the Chrstly spirit not
to be feared? Is the fostering of the spirit of self
indulgence and the remuneration of the spirit of self
denial of no consequence to the soul?
The primary law of discipleship in the kingdom of
Christ Is self-denial Said Jesus, eff any man will
come after me- let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow me-" With this solemn decla-
ration of our Lord all the Scriptures agree St Paul
says "She that veth in pleasure is dead while she
veth" and this must be So if selfdenial is the law
of life in Christ Jesus; for if selfdenial is the law
of life selfindulgence is the law of death In the
light of these principles, how any mind be-
leve that the diversions which all church members
in their purest periods have denounced worldly,
are, or be, compatible with christian disciple
ship? These diversions may be compatible with the
mundane morality of goddess decency, but they can
not be harmonizeds at all with the laws of spiritual
life which Christ has proclaimed.
Hence the question of worldly amusements in its
last analysts reduces itself to the simple question,
Do intend to be real christian? or do intend to
observe only the decencies and propreties of con-
venona responsibility? If one finally determines to
be a. real christian, he will forthwith turn aside
from all those "pomps and vanities" which
nounced in the baptismal covenant. These things
he knows unfriendly to the highest type Of pety
and he does not propose to fall below that type in
his daily living. Just a florist studies carefully
the soils that are friendly or unfrendy to his plants
in order to secure the former and avoid the latter
so the man who is intent bringing christian
games perfection in his life will note the things
which help and the things which hinder such spir-
ual things in the life Or to change the figure, just
as the athlete considers carefully the foods and hab
its which make for muscular development it,
the christian will have regard for the things
which promote spiritual strength induce spiritual
weakness
Too many persons are content to live upon the
lowest plane of common morality, and delude them
selves with the notion that life on that plane is
christian life. They seem to think that any is
fit for heaven if he is not condemned by the rules of
decent society; that any one is fit for the kingdom
of heaven if he is guilty of nothing that would ex
pose him to the penalties of the criminal statutes
But being outside the pententary is not proof that
one is inside the kingdom of Christ. The Pharisees
were as decent a lot their times afforded, but
Jesus said, Except your righteousness exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharsees, We shall
in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven 1t may
be doubted if the theatergoers and the dancers and
the devotees of bridge" in day are nearly good
as the Pharisees whom Jesus denounced.
One of the worst features of much of the religion
of present-day professors of christianity is not
much the evil of life which they pursue, but
the utterly unchristan standard Ly which they judge
all things good and bad. Goddess conduct is bad
enough, but goddess rule by which to measure all
conduct is far goddess rule of life confuses
all moral values. 1t debases the moral currency of
the kingdom of heaven. 1t puts darkness for light
and bitter for sweet and ncurs all the woes which
the inspired prophet pronounced against such moral
perverseness
Spiritual life is the purpose of Christ in the sal
walton which he offers to lost world, dead in tres
passes and sin. He does not aim at a superficial
moral reformation, is he content to become the
arber of deceneies and proprietes. He said of
himself "The Son of Man has to seek and to
save that which is lost. If being lost is more
than the occasional infraction of mundane morality
and being saved than conformity to earthly
ethics there was no reason for the Son>of Man
ing at ALL Pharisaism is abundantly able to accom-