The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-07-20
THE MYSTERY OF RELIGION.
Terse Comments ON the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic of the Young
Peoples SOcieties-Christian En-
deavOr, etc.-FOr July 25, "Christ
in Me-" John 15:1-11.
(By II. ELLIS.

Both the grave reviews and the sen
satlonal magazines are giving extra
ordinary attention to religion this
year. The fact is one Of the most
important symptoms of current liter
allure. All sorts of expert and mex
pert pens are undertaking to analyZe
and explain contemporaneous Chris
tianity. And every one Of them
treats the faith of the followers of
Jesus precisely as he would deal with
the philosophy Of Zoroaster OF Budd-
ha, or C~onfucius. In this, all these
wise commentators miss the mark
entirely. The truth cannot too often
be stressed, or too strongly, hat the
Christian religion is not a mere sys-
tenn of philosophy or ethics, or a
human organization. The essence of
the Christian faith, the mystery be-
yond words, is that it is the indwell-
ing of the Spirit Of Christ in the lives
Of His disciples, vitalizing and attest
ing the historic truth Of salvation
I through faith. Your materialist
would scott at this. He claims to deal
only with things outwardly- provable.
To him, as the Greeks Of old, the cross
may seem fo%olishness; but over
against him rise up an ~uncounted host
Of Christians, from the Apostle Paul
down to the unknown saint on a re-
mote farm, who testify hat Christ
in them is their hope of glory. With
the poet they cry,
"Closer is He han breathing,
Nearer than hands or feet"
More real han husband or life, par
ent or child. friend or companion is
Jesus Christ to those who love Him.
To be I'm Christ which is a
phrase beloved Of st. Paul is to have
Christ in us.
Every days newspaper fills us tc
repletion and heart-sickness with
stories Of wars might, and of mill
tary prowess. We are witnessing the
extreme limit Of "The boast Of her.
aldry, the pomp of power" If sci
ence and shell could conquer the
earth, the task would be done while
we look. Yet before our eyes there
eng1nery Of war, a force to which
kings and cabinets and armies are
bowling down. That power is thu
sovereignty of the ideals Of the TWEEN.
tleth century. We are all abou
agreed that no nation can do VIC.
lence to the code of Christendom ant
prosper. Is this not the very same
1 spectacle that ancient Rome witness
! ed? Are not the teachings of Jesu.
I quietly, steadily, irresistably assertins
their sovereignty owe the forces O
g armed might and worldly sophistica.
r ton? The new Christ-life in tn,
e hearts of a small company Of peopl,
changed the whole character am
< same today. Out of this war there i
4 sure to emerge a new God-hunger an,
e a new God-consciousness. The in
t dwelling life of Christ is veritabl,
King of the world.
n No speedier, surer O
moral reform has yet been discov
!, cred than the implanting Of the min,
Of Christ in individual men an
women =
One must go to the writings of tn
! Apostle Paul for the clearest teach
: ing Of the highest Christian truth
and, by the way, if there were a NOR
. general reading of Paul's letter
;. there would be less spiritual and in
tellectual confusion among us. Owe
and over again, Paul's refrain
Not I. but Christ His is the rno
ing slogan, Il can do all thine
4 through Christ which strengthened
3 me-" Again, it is he who puts int
a sentence the biography of a Chris
tian Snu1. 50" ~.