Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-04


those societies. as they grew and multiplied there ap
peared presently men and women OF all classes peas
ants and nobemen artisans and artists cultured and
uncutured people, all brought together and closely
united in the pursuit of holiness That one great OBJ
ject overshadowed everything else in their lives. In
their association with each other they came to love
like brothers, and without the slightest touch of
cant they addressed each other as brother" and
sister" The poor man in such fellowship felt no
envy of his more opulent brother, and the of
wealth looked with tender care upon the wants of
his less favoured feow-christian. Thus was re-
peated the record of the early church as set forth
in the Acts of the Apostles: And they continued
steadfasty in the apostles doctrine and fellowship
and in breaking of bread and in prayers"-(Acts
HEAD The christian fellowship which was thus
brought to pass averted the greatest industrial DIS
turbances and social disorders in Great Britain and
Ireland Speaking of this social consequence of the
Wesleyan revival the historian, Lecky, in his great
work, England in the Eighteenth Century," says,
The true greatness and welfare of nations depend
mainly the amount of moral force that is general
ed within them. Society never continue in
state of tolerabe security when there is no other
bond OF connection than money tie, and it is
idle to expect the different classes of the community
to join in the sefsacrice and enthusiasm of patriot
ism if all unsefish motives excluded from their
relations. Every change of condition which widens
the chasm and impairs the sympathy between rich
and poor cannot fail, however beneficial may be its
other effects bring with it grave dangers to the
state 1t is incontestable that the immense increase
of the manufacturing industry and of the .manufac'
turing population has had this tendency; and 1t is
therefore conceive, peculiarly fortunate that it
should have been preceded by a religious revival
which opened new spring of moral and religious
energy among the poor and at the same time gave
a powerful impulse to the philanthropy of the rich
To the same effect speaks DR.. w. H. Fitehett in his
brilliant treatise entitled How England Saved Eu-
rope" He says of Wesley's work, HE affected for
good the whole tone of English society; the religious
revival of that period had the Office of healthful salt
in the national blood. 1t purified domestic life; it
bands of quick and generous sympathy betoiTt
all classes it put more robust fiber into national
character; it gave a new tenderness to charity, a
nober daring to philanthropy, loftier authority to
morals, we'll as a new grace to religion, So it
helped to cleanse the national life"
None of these things could have been accomplish
ed by the revival if it had failed to restore christian
fellowship. Emphasizing the supreme Importance
of personal holiness, and drawing multitudes of all
classes into the closest fellowship in the pursuit of
holiness it purged English society Of strife and bit
terness and turned away a revolution in England
which IL not averted would have been more bloody
than was that Of France. Across the channel in
France inhdes preached the doctrine of the equality
of all men in such way to set every mans hand
against his fellow; they proclaim individuasm
apart from all brotherly fellowship In England
Wesley and the other revivaliss preached the equal
ty Of all men, and coupled with their preaching the
doctrine of the communion of saints The difference
between the bloody results which were witnessed in
France and the blessed consequences which ensued
England shows what comes from procaiming indi-
vidualsm without fellowship and what springs from
preaching ndividualism with fellowship. And the
lesson of this contrast do well to lay to heart to-
day
Nothing will country from the worst of
violent socialism but the restoration of christian fell
owship brought to pass by fixing the hearts of men
upon the supreme object of personal holiness The
mad pursuit of mammonism by all classes means
division and strife 1t has already brought sharp
antagonism between wage-earners and wage-payers.
The pursuit of money aienates and divides the pur
suit of holiness unites in the tenderest and most
sacred bonds. The pursuit of holiness in Wesleys
time made the loving bond-meetngs and the peaceful
class-meetings; the pursuit of mammon in our time
has made the trusts side and the labour-
unions the other. thus dividing society into two
hostile camps.
The pettifogging sociologists will accomplish no
relief for this acute situation by their little pre-
scriptions They propose superficial remedies that
deal with mere outward and material conditons
and they generate covetousness than they cure
What is needed is such emphasis on things spirit
uaI as VIII Iead ali men 10 see that money and the
things which money will buy are not our supreme
good. Magnifying the sin of wealth and dwelling
over much upon tn suffering of poverty, instead of
binding all men together in the spiritual broth
erhood, will drive all classes into frenzy of mutual
hate.
The restoration Of christian fellowship in the
churches is the shortest bring peace and pros
perty to society. And there will be no restoration of
christian fellowship until wish salvation from
cety needs new objective, and that objective is
personal holiness. Its objective should not be so
much social service" personal salvation The re-
demption of the individual man secures it's best go