News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-07-22
And He That Sat upon the Throne Said, "Be-
hold, | Make All Things New" Rev. 2l:5.

1t would be difficult to find any more
important factor in making the world
and its inhabitants as we find them, than
the revolutions which preceded orgaDiza-
ton, development and growth along all
lines of human activity. Our brilliantly
lighted streets and homes are the results
of revolution against the power which
makes for darkness when night throws
its shadows AROUND us. Our cultivated
fields and smiling meadows are the re-
suits of the revolution which men in the
pioneer days waged against the primeval
forest, which seemed 10 forbid the adj
vance of their marching fee. Our liber-
ty of today is the result OF a revolution
against tyranny and Cypress ion.
wonder if we have attained the high
est possible degree of freedom and pow
en- Can any one whose eyes are open to
see the host of those who in government
and society are preying upon the weaker
ones, say that things are as they ought to
be? Is there warrant for revolution
today? Yes, revolution which will
shake the very throne room of the devil.
barricaded as he is, behind bulwalks
which the ages have built up; revolu-
ton which will stir the blood of right
thinking men to battle for the right as
the blood of patriots in all the ages has
| been fred against tyranny and oppression
There is sound of revolution ia the in
dustria world. Dealing very often as he
| does today, with his employees, at arms
length, the employer ceases to know the
needs and to sympathize with the dis
tresses of his employees. Differences
| arise and the Industrial war is on. The
leaders of the industrial revolution must
have in mind, not only the Cbristianizng
of capital but the equally great task of
making labor reasonable. The settlement
of the existing controversy on just lines'
and the doing away of conditions out of
which the warfare arises.
AS Chill and Argentina melted the can
non built for war between them and out
of the molten metal shaped the figure of
the Christ of the Andes which stands on
the mountains of their common border,
so may the day speedily come when the
weapons of industrial warfare may be
melted and compact of peace made.
The coming revolution will make itself
felt most nightly in the realm of poll
tics. Some one here arises to ask what
has religion to do with politics?" Are
we here meddlipg with something out
side of our province? Political bosses
say 'yes." A certain type of commercial
interest says Eyes" We are warned that
we degrade religion when we drag the
church into the mire of politics. 1t is a
sad day for nation, state, a city or viii
lage when its political conditions cannot |
be looked upon by that branch of society
which nominally, at least, stands for bet
ter things without its being defiled and |
degraded.
We do no seek the rule of the state by |
the church. God forbid return to such |
conditions. Christendom had that for |
500 years and both church and state were
plunged into darkness. The world has
become too enlightened to submit to the
rule of bggots Ecclesiastical tyranny
is more paralyzing than civil despotism.
We want something better than that.
We want to establish connection be-
tween the principles of Jesus Christ and
the administration of the public affairs of
a Christian nation" There is all the
4 hat
despotism in national affairs and the
dominance of the spirit of Jesus. One
closes the door and keeps out the sun
light. The other opens the door and let's
in the sunlight and the breezes which
come blowing from the land where angels
dwell. Between these two conceptions
there is chasm as vast as between sell
fishness and unselfishDess and this chasm
the far reaching armament is not wide
enough to measure.
Christians should be concerned about
knowing the truth, because this knowl.
edge is an essential preliminary to cleans
ing the political arena. Yes, my friend,
politics is one of the agencies of the king
dom of God, and Christians who have
been on the hilltop with the Christ dur
ing his moments of TRANSPORTATION are to
carry with them into the commonplace
of politics, some of the radience of that
vision.
If there is no place for Christian ideals
in politics. then Christian ideals have no
place anywhere. Let us take them out
and with tears of regret for wasted ener-
gies in past efforts to adapt them to hui
man need, bury them deep in the remot-
est corner of the earth. But Christianity
has a vital message, a message which
spells revolution against conditions as
we too often find them today. 1t has
whitening rebuke for, and in the end the
overthrow of political situa-
ton which puts unlimited powers in the
hands Of INSCRIPTIONS bosses to squan-
der the assets of the people.