Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-05-08
new ERA APPEARS
Bible and Christian Civilization
May Be Made Dominant
in the East.

4 q new era is widespread among
| thoughtful men, Everywhere those
who are in touch with social and spir-
itual movements, whether at home or
abroad, feel that the situation is criti-
| cal to a supreme degree. They trem-
Bile in their joy, for as they are
amazed at the unique opportunities of
the new era, so they are bewildered
| by it's responsibilities and dangers.
We are living in an age when 1t
| seems that nations are born in day,
| or at least when they are awakened
| from their sleep Of thousand years
| The danger is that in the hour of their
| awakening they may be turned into
wrong course and given wrong ideals
In this new era some fear pagan
renaissance because the great pagan
| nations of the east are SO rapidly COM
ing into power and influence. This is
time then when Christianity should
recognize its opportunity, for we have
come to one of the great watersheds
of history when it seems that the
course of humanity may be turned in
either direction.
tian nations to make Christian civili-
cation dominant in the east as well
as in the west. The whole Orient is
astir as it never has been before. The
long sleeping east has awakened.
Hermit nations which few years ago
seemed to take no part in the worlds
progress have become world powers.
There is deep unrest in India; Japan
and Korea are rushing towards the
new era; the vast Chinese empire is
throbbing with new ideas and aspira-
tions.
1t is the primary duty of the Chris
tian church to enter in and occupy
for her Lord whenever and wherever
she can. Never have there been SO
many open doors as there are now
each with its eloquent appeal for the
Gospel of better age. The great
barrier to much development in the
east has been Mohammedanism but
even there of late years have been
signs of shaking among the dry
bones. Unknown to the Christian
world, conferences have been held to
discuss the decay of Islam, and to pre-
vent its disintegration. A conference
was held on 1907 at Cairo, the subject
of the conference being, The Causes
of the Decay of Islam" 1t Is evident
that not even Mohammedanism which
has long been regarded as practically
hopeless by many Christians, can
stand against the pervasive influence
of the Bible and of Bible-inspired civ
ilization. And what is the Significance
of the present war, and of the defeat
of the stronghold of Islam before the
arms of the Christians whom Turkey
had SO long oppressed? 1t means not
only another open door, but In Gods
providence it means the removal of
the last great barrier to Christian civ
ilization in the east
Our gracious God is never ahead OF
time nor behind time IN his DISPOSE
tions of the affairs of men. When the
fullness of time had come he sent his
Son, and all things in his Providence
come in the fullness of time. There
fore, If we are to know Gods will we
must observe the course of events
and be awake to the signs of his Prov
idence. Goethe regarded the universe
as "the living garment of God,'' and
Carlyle called history larger Bible,
which contains, for all who have an
eye and a soul to read Alright, a clear
record of Gods dealings with men and
clear indication of his purposes.
Now, it is recognized, that not only
to the lands of the east and to the
islands of the sea- but also to our own
land comes the crisis of the new era.
Let us turn our eyes to the homeland
and we find among ourselves groupings
strivings, longings, for things not fully
defined. There is an undest among our
people, a dissatisfaction with things
as they are. There are great move
ments on foot which we regard as po-
1itical or social, but which at bottom
are religious, that is, they are the
outcome of the Christian conscious
ness of righteousness and equity. The
cause of the church is coming home
to the masses of the people, and our
thinking men are beginning to see
that the cause of Christianity is the
cause of the nation.
, Perhaps we cannot further the sal
| walton of the world better than by
, evangelizing this land in which we
: live. Think what a power among the
, worlds peoples would be a united,
. Christian America. America is known
as Christian land, but there are
thousands of heather in it. America
, bears the Christian name, but I'M
, righteousness, vice and crime are ram
pant among us, and often go unre-
: buked. Alexander Duff knew the
: abysses of vice in the east and espe-
cially in India, but after visit to the
!, slums of Philadelphia he left the tes-
! timony that such vileness, debase-
ment, drunkenness and shamelessness
. he never saw surpassed in any heath
en- land We comfort ourselves with
the thought that this was so years ago.
| but there are still sIums in our largo