Delaware City press. (Delaware City, Del.) 1913-19??, 1913-04-18
new ERA APPEARS
Bible and Christian Civilization
May Be Made Dominant
in the East.

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 its 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 eSa some fear pagan
renaissance because the great pagan
nations of the east are SO rapidly COM
ing into power and influence. This is
a 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.
The opportunity lies before Chris
tian nations to make Christian civili
zation 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 10 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 asplra--
tons.
It is the primary duty of the Chris
tian church 10 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 a better age. The great
barrier to much development in the
s@tst has been Accommodation but
even there of late years have been
signs of a 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 disintegratjon. A conference
was held on 1907 at Cairo, the subject
Of the conference being, THE Causes
of the Decay of Islam.' II is evident
. Aidl ilOl GNGn WnlCn
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
FEof me strongnold VI lsiaaI Derore rne
arms of Che 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 disposi-
! lions of the affairs of men. When the
fullness of tins 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 soul to read Alright, clear
record of Gods dealings with men and
a clear indication of his purposes.
Now. 1t is recognized that not only
to the lands of the east and 10 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 DO
litical 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 ouI
thinking men are beginning to see
=: that the cause of Christianity is the
ar cause of the nation.
ID Perhaps we cannot further the sal
ia walton of the world better than by
"a evangelizing this land In which We
n. live. Think what a power among the
w worlds peoples would he a united
Christian America. America 70 hnowr
st US Christian land, but there ar,
m thousands OF heather In 1t Americ,
ia bears the Christian name, but un
a righteousness, vice and crime are ram
a pant among us, and. often go unre
ar. buked. Alexander Duff knew III,
Ell abysses Of vice in the east and espe
cially in India, but after visit to tn,
slums of Philadelphia he left the ties
- timony that such vileness, debase
IL ment, drunkenness and shamelessnes
he never saw surpassed in any heath
on en- land. We comfort ourselves will
the thought that this was go years age
but there are still slums in our larg
cities which are standing shame {
We a Christian land, and there is muc
ms work for this nation in the cities, 4
In the towns and in the country homes
Try These things are not remedied by law
an nor by socialistic schemes. The onl