Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-01-16
"CHRLST OR CHAOS"
By Bishop w. A. Gambler

The caption which stands above is
the title Of rather striking book which
has recently appeared from the pen of
Mrs. e. S. Watson, a popular English
writer.
In 1t the argument is made that the
Christ OF Chaos; that no security and
no real and worthy progress can be
hoped for without the sanctions Of
christianity upon morals and the, spirit
Of Christ in the life.
On the utter futility Of certain mod.
ern attempts at social reform Mrs. Wat
son speaks emphatically as follows:
One sees plainly that social re-
formers of every camp are in need
of an authority. Their kind
did not exist two thousand years
ago, and will cease to exist when
ever, in the arena OF criticism, the
figure of the Master disappears.
Jesus is as important. as
necessary, to the socialist, the hui
manitarian, and progressive, as He &
is to the scholastic theologian, the
. Churehman. the priest, the bishop
In this view the writer is eninently
correct. The prescriptions Of sociolo-
gists have shown themselves to be for
the most part Quack nostruns which
have inflamed rather than subdued the
disease which they were intended to
cure. This has been notably the case
with reference to the distribution OF
property and the issues between the par
ties commonly designated by the vague
terms capital and labour." Nearly all
our sociologists, in dealing with those
issues, have made themselves the par
tisan attorneys of one of the contest
ants. and not few preachers have fall
len into the same snare. In this they
differ notably from the method of Je-
sus. None OF the great teachers Of the
earth have shown such tender sympa-
thy for the poor as the Man of Naza-
reth, yet he never made Himself the
partisan of class. whether high Or
low. With reference to material goods
He taught all classes "that the life
consistent not in the abundance OF the
things a man hath" Our modern re-
formers put far too much emphasis on
the possession or want OF earthly goods;
and thereby they inflame covetousness
far more than they inspire brotherii-
ness. They engender envy Of the ricn
by the poor, and they lead the rich TO
attach more value 10 their wealth than
really belongs to 1t. BY consequence
we see both rich and poor following
the pursuit of gain with q strenuous
ness out Of all proportion to the worth
Of what they seek, and growing hatsrul
towards one another with every effort
they make to win for themselves earth
ly goods. This mad competition and
frenzied rivalry can not so on without
bringing collisions and intensified
strife; and yet it will go on until men
return to the teaching of Jesus upon
the subject of property. Modern inven-
tons constantly increase the productive
powers of men In christendom, and, If
all hands are to set their hearts upon
the possession of the, products thus
made, it stands to reason that greed
must continue to liner ease in prevalence
and power among the christian nations
until tie industrial and commercial
world will be kept In unceasing war
fare. Such is almost the case now.
The forces engaged in this war are til
tanic. One party is able to arm itself
with such agents as dynamite and nitro
glycerine. while the other fights with
all the powerful machinery Of capitalized
commerce. In such a contest both con-
testants may be overwhelmed, and chaos
be the outcome. Only the prevailing spir-
1t Of Christ can avert such a disastrous
result
The rich must learn from Christ that
money is stored power for good, and
that its selfish use In hurtful Injuries
and vulgar display is such wickedness
A wholesome public opinion must be
brought to pass which will condemn to
well-deserved disgrace such heathenish
folly and silly wastefulness. Hitherto
we have been too disposed to honour
such vulgarity and sinfulness, and to ac-
cord 1t social distinction to which it is
in no wise entitled, "A large part of our
opulent people are living thoroughly pa
gan lives very like the vicious lives of
the ancient Romans and no more worthy
of approval than the courses Of conduct
which led to the corruption and destruc-
ton of the Roman commonwealth. There
does not appear to be any more reason
for honouring the follies of these modern
heather than for esteeming the vices of
their ancient predecessors. These rich
pagans need to be told what must be the
end of their riotous living; for they are
an ignorant lot and will never find 1t out
for themselves.
On the other hand. what are called
the labouring classes must learn that as
wealth is not the highest good, so the
want of it is not the worst evil. They
are far too feverish about gain; quite
as much so as the opulent. BY conse-
quence some Of them hate the prosperous
for no better reasons than that they are
more successful than themselves. Such
a spirit is utterly unworthy and mis-
chievous. Poverty is not a discredit, nor
is 1t always a disadvantage even; but
bitterness towards others more successful
than ourselves is disgraceful. The Scrip
lures give US TO understand that the
greatest gain is found in "godliness with
contentment." But both contentment
and godlineBs are all too scarce among
us in these later years. We are putting
too much store by the possession of mere
material things. Every man wants to
have as much as his neighbour, If not a
little more, and he becomes envious and
angry IL his neighbour goes ahead Of
him. The end of all that sort of strife
is destruction. We must put 1t away
and come back to Christ, or we will come