The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1913-09-19
new ERA APPEARS
Bible and Christian Civilization
Nay b Made Dominant
h The East.

new era u Widespread among
thoughtful msn. Everywhere those
who are In touch with social and spir-
itual movements, whether at home or
abroad. feel that the situation 10 crtti-
cal to supreme degree. They trsm-
bic In their Joy. for % they are
amazed At the unique opportunities Of
the new era, no they are bewildersd
BY its responsibilities and dangers.
We are living In an age when u
Seems that pations are born In . day.
or At least when they are awakened
from their sleep Of . thousand years.
The danger ID that In the hour OF their
awakening they may b 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 10 rapidly COM
Ing Into power and influence. This ID
q time then when Christianity should
recognize it, opportunity. for We have
come to one OF the great watersheds
Of history when II Seems that the
course Of humanity may be turned In
either direction.
The opportunity lies before Chris
tian nations to make Christian civil
zation dominant In the east ~ well
a. In the west. The whole Orient 10
astir a. II never has been before. The
long ;leeping 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 10
throbbing with new ideas and aspira.
lions.
II Ii 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 %
many open doors ~ 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 q shaking among the dry
bones. Unknown to the Christian
world. conferences have been held ID
discuss the decay Of Islam. and to pre-
vent It's disintegration. A conference
Was held on 1907 at Cairo. the subject
Of the conference being. The Causes
Of the Decay OF Islam" II 10 evident
that not even Mohammedanism. which
has long been regarded ~ practically
hopeless by many Christians. can
stand against the pervasivs influence
Of the Bible and Of Bibie-inspired civ.
ilixation. And what ID the Significance
Of the present war. and Of the defeat
Of the stronghold Of Islam before the
arms Of the Christians whom Turkey
had 20 lsng oppressed! II means not
only another open door. but In Gods
providence II means the removal OF
the last great barrier to Christian civ.
ilisation In the east.
Our gracious God 10 never ahead Of
time nor behind time In his disposi.
lions 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. II 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 q soul to read Alright . clear
record Of Gods dealings with men and
q clear Indication Of his purposes.
Now. II 10 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 err.
Let US turn our eyes to the homeland
and we nnd among ourselves gropinss.
strivings, longings. for things not fully
defined. There 10 an undest among our
people. q dissatisfaction with things
% they are. There are great move
ments on foot which We regard ~ 20.
litical or social. but which at bottom
are religious, that 10, they are the
outcome Of the Christian conscious.
ness Of righteousness and equity. The
cause Of the church 10 coming homs
to the masses Of the people. and our
thinking men are beginning 70 sss
that the cause Of Christianity 10 ths
cause Of the nation.
Perhaps we cannot further the cal.
walton Of the world better than BY
svAnselising this land In which VI
live. Think what . power among the
worlds peoples would BE- . united
Christian America. America h known
a. . Christian land. but there ara
Thousands Of heather In Il. Amsrics
bears the Christian name. but IN
Righteousness. vice and crime are ram.
pant among us. and often 90 usre.
buked. Alexander fAR knew tbs
Abysses Of vice In The east and espe.
cially In India. but after . visit TO the
slums Of Philadelphia he lsfs the tee
timony that such vileness, debass.
ment. drunkenness and shamelsssnsss
he never saw surpassed II any heath.
en- land We comfort ourselves with
the thought that this wss 90 ysars ago.
hat tkarA are afi11 alasna tn r,sss la.~s