The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-06-04
Religious World
CHRIsTIAN!IYrs BIG TASK.
The International Sunday school Les
son for June 9 Is. "HearlnS anu
Doing" Luke 6:39-49
(Ry WILLIAM It. ELLIS.)

Il LILLIAN l., l-I-I-lD''
fayoritc diversion Of that large
class OF persons who love TO count
themselves liberal is to trace the
r~esemblanceS between the various
great religious of earth. The quest IS
interesting and not without its points
Of merit: for il has tended to toler-
ance and it has given some of n
seekers an elemental knowledge Of
what religion is.
The study is not best. however.
unless it develops the radical differ
nee between Christianitv and other
faiths. The teachings Of Jesus have
their points Of resemblance in the so
called thnic faiths. but essentially the
Christian creed contrasts with all
other Creeds in its greatest fundamen-
tails. With the religions of Buddha.
C~onfucius. Zoroaster. and Moham-
med forms Of outward observance are
counted Of rimar Importance.
Christ's doctrine is first Of all a Sc
cret hidden life. a new relationship
between the individual soul and God.
1t has to do with the deepest convic-
tons Of the heart. the outward mani
festatiOns being purely s~euuential.
1t was this simple faith. which,
transforming the lives Of its adher-
entS, met and conquered mighty
Rome. working the miracle of time.
Robert Browning, the centennial of
whose birth the English speaking
world has been celebrating in recent
weeks. sets forth this faith in his
few lines. An Epitaph In The Gaia
combs"
II was born sickly, poor and mean,
A slave. no misery could screen
The holders Of the Pea of price
From Caesars envy therefore twice
/ fought with beasts, and three times
My children suffer by his law.
At last nv own release was earned;
| was some time in being burned,
But at the close q Hand came
through
The fire above my head and drew
My soul to Christ. whom now I see
Serjius. a brother. writes for me
This testimony IN the wall
For me. | ave forgot it all"
The Real Social Cure.
AS in religion. so in sociology, there
is Il deal Of dilettantiSm today. Fad
diSts are Skimming the surface Of
great truths and pluming themselves
on their up-to-dateness. "Parlor So
cialiSts" are popular. 1t is "the
thing" to go Summing. or to attend
fashionable teas where the woes Of
WOrkingwOmen and children are pre-
sented by women in Paris gowns. One
gets sick at heart as he beholds these
theorists who seem not to abate one
jOt Of their own selflsm. and these
politicians who make a mere vote
catching creed OF the amelioration OF
malign social conditions.
The fundamental defect Of all the
current socialism is that they are
trying to make humanity over by pO
litical enactments and social pro
grams. We may legislate until thu
crack Of doom. but selfish hearts viii
still work out selfishly for mankind
Only a new mind Of ministry an
mercy. only the cry Christ passion
for human veal, will cure our man,
social ills. When. like Christ. me-
and women learn to think more 0
the welfare Of other people than the
do Of their own. and when they hav
been taught to 'lOve thyself last.
then will the new day Of brother
hood dawn, and not until then. TIL
cure for social evils lies in the old
fashioned gospel Of regenerated hu
man hearts.
The New Life.
The most notable phenomenon 0
the days religious horizon is tn
great change which has come to pas
within the memory of all who rea
these lines in the attitude Of til
church toward social questions.
used to be that these were counte
as lying within the field Of the soci;
economist. and as being only mo,
indirectly the concern Of the churcl
Now 1t is the rare minister who do.
not recognize and preach that soci;
service Is a logical expression Of tt
old gospel. He has for this ne
order, however, the changeless me
sage that the kingdom that meal
mans veal as we'll as Gods glory
to come only when the slain Lam
is in the midst of the throne" tt
sovereignty Of Selfishness secures sa
walton. ChriSt's atOning sacrifice al
the ~self-sacrifces of all Who nan
His name. are to bring in that ne
day of justice, peace and brOtherhOt
for which the whole creation groar
Almost Of a sudden we have cor
to perceive that, in the most pra
teal sense INC in the realm of {
relationships between man n ma
Jesus is the saviour Of this prese
world Go Wa tnrn frn", thn Mi