The Penn's Grove record., 1912-12-06

HOUR
HERESY OF CAIN
MUST BE OVERCOME

YN HAT minister who recently came
into prominence because OF al
legged heretical views gave an
swer to his critics that he knew
of only one heresy in these times and
that is the heresy of Cain. Am l
my brothers keeper" Failure to ap-
preciate and to meet the obligations Of
brotherhood he esteems to be the
n heresy Of the day. In this posi-
ton he may be c~ontrasted with the
editor of a leading religious publica-
ton, who, in making a worthy appeal
for aid for superannuated ministers,
asked If it would not be well to shoot
them rather than let them live in
penury and then answered his ques-
ton himself by an appeal to certain
noted magnates to come to their as
s~istance, alleging that if it were not
for the preachers and religion the
workers would rise up and destroy or
take the big plants of the country.
Conditions for human living should be
such that there would be no incentive
for men to rise up and seize the pos
sessions Of others or to destroy the
plants of the big producers. If the
heresy Of Cain were not the heresy
of the times there would be no vast
labor unrest, no political graft, none
of the mammoth propositions Of plum
der and violence.
1t is almost giving Endorsement to
the heresy Of Cain to hold that the
men who have made big fortunes
through this heresy should be called
upon to support In their old age the
preachers who proclaim the living
word against it. The heresy of Cain
is one to be met by the love Of
Jesus. The clash of words. the rally
ing Of class against class, the over
turning of society by the forces OF
unrest-these are things that are for
eign to the spirit of the divine a
ter, who gave forth the beatitudes and
the golden rule.
The True Spirit.
The spirit of one who said to
Jesus. IF l have defrauded any nan
l will restore to him fourfold," is that
in which men of large means should
go about doing good. 1t is the spirit
in which they should answer the
query of st. Paul, How can they
hear without a preacher, and how can
he preach unless he be sent?" The
word needs nothing more than testi-
mony to the power Of the life that
confutes the articles of greed and that
opens the breath of all life in hope
and joy to the masses Of men. Mil
lions under the influence of the prac-
teal precepts of business and poll
tics are asking the question, Am l
my brothers keeper" and the scep-
ticism with regard to social RESPONSE
bilities thus set forth is accountable
for the total effects of wrong and op
preston in society. This is the tenet
of murder and rapine, 1t is the tenet
of avarice and envy, it is the tenet
of lawlessness and iconoclasm. The
work of the tiller of the soil is regard
ed by the Lord with pleasure, such as
that with which he viewed the sacri-
fee of fruits made to him by Abel.
The work of the newer of wood and
the drawer of water is looked upon by
the Lord with pleasure, because in the
sweat of the brow men should eat
bread while they draw with JOY wa
ter from the wells of salvation.
Era of Heresy Passing.
What a wonderful rate Of progress
the world is making toward the re-
demption of the earth from sordid-
ness and greed! The reign of terror
in industrial pursuits is passing. The
reign of a widened sense Of social
obligation, ranging from the highest
to the lowest, is at hand. Am l my
brothers keeper" asks the cynic.
and the words that cover up his mis-
deeds are hurled back at him in the
presence Of the one who taught his
principles to preach that men should
bear one another's burdens.
No one need feel pessimistic. Even
the underpaid preachers are coming
to their own. 1t may not be that
they ever will be relieved from the
condition of their service, the prime
condition Of poverty Of spirit. They
will, however. have the range Of their
work widened and the OK that tread
eth out the grain will not always be
muzzled by the men whose hearts
should be open to make restitution for
all that they have absorbed from
others, the lack of which has dark
ened those other lives. Men OF big
and little wealth need the gospel Of
restitution preached them, for selfish
ness and greed are vices Of degree,
and all men have the spirit of Cain
until they come under the power OF
the spirit of Christ. The n great
social heresy is being exposed to the
light, and its condemnation is the
light that l%ighteneth every man COM
ing into the world.-Baltimore Ameri-
can.