Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-18
BY DR.. Charles w. Eliot,
President Emeritus of Harvard University.


of the nation. 1t loves them only If they turn
out on trial to be worthy OF love; that is,
serviceabe. honorable, humane and inspiring.
1t thinks of them as leaders rather than rulers,
and is heartily glad when they turn out TO be
capable of leadership.
Democracy thinks OF government az
agency II has itself created for directing and
performing various kinds OF work for the peo-
pies benefit, and not for the special benefit
OF any ruling class or fraction Of the COM
munity. Government Is, ought to be.
pervastve, incessant, Industrious promoter OF
the common welfare. The real power behind
government In these days is what IL called
public opinion, and that government Is best
which Is constructed that 1t can give effect
TO the genuine, wel-consdered opinion OF the
mass OF the thinking people. Hence the su-
preme importance OF universal education In
democracy. This conception Of government
and Of public opinion the spring of govern
mental action is inconsistent with the ancient
thought OF Cod but perfectly consistent with
the modern thought OF Him.
The best observers of the social Sevolution
which has been going on In Europe and Amer
lea during the past hundred years agree that
democracy has been the most powerful force
in the great moveneht-a force disintesTat
ing. dissolving and in some sense destructive,
yet IN high degree constructive, fore-reaching
and vitalizing II was against ancient author
tiles and traditions but sets up a new and
better authority OF Its own creation Its at
titude towards religion has been generally un.
friendly. because the official Christian Church
has been for many centuries ally Of the
governing classes and has been organized in
the largest Christian bodies on lines OF aristoc-
racy or privilege, or in ranks orders which
exercise q sacred domination
Church Must Give Up Dogmas
Ever sinoe the Protestant Reformation de
Christian Church. considered as an institution
possessing legal privileges and a special au-
thority over the minds and lives OF its mem
bers, has been In declining state as regards
power or influence: but the rate OF this do
cline has been greatly quickened during the
past century Of democraoy-and the end In
not yet
With any established church Democracy n
inevitably at war: but under democratic insti-
tutfons churches supported by voluntary con-
tributions and endowments may flourish er-
ceedingly In great variety. they do IN the
United States 1t is not, therefore, religion
against which democracy contends, but the an
cient establishments Of religion which have
long been in possession OF special privileges
and peculiar authorities. The most demo
cratic nation may be profoundly influenced by
knows how to stir the hearts Of the common
people.
The American democracy. which h to q
large extent unchurched. manifests a remark
able Indifference to many dogmas. formulas,
observancos and rites which have had great
historic significance in the development OF
Christianity. The democracy feels no Interest
whatever In the old dogmas about transub-
sanitation, predestination. vicsrious atone
ment, or apostolic succession. It takes no side
In these discussions, and Is incapable Of being
int ssted in them.
In his respect the mass OF young democrats
in my Christian country closely resemble the
thinking Chinese and Japanese who find II
quite impossible to understand or take any In
terest IN the theological discussions which
still seem important to many Christian mis-
stona-ies In those fields. Dogmas or creeds
which have been matters OF life and death in
Christian lands for centuries seem to the
Chinese Japanese who are thinkinh OF be-
coming Christians to be matters OF no i'm
portance and no interest. In like manner q
democratic society turns IT'S back on the
Christian propaganda which gradually took
form In the first ave centuries Of the Christian