The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-17
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS


The world was old when Christian
itv was born. 1t was wise worio,
rine in sophistication, statecra1t anu
philosophy. We have never surpasSsu,
even if we have matched, the Worloly
wisdom of the men whose WRITINGS we
call the classics. They SOUNDED the
depths of the human mind ana hearl.
Nevertheless the ancient world into
which Jesus came was dying of its own
cruelty and moral rottenness. Ihey
that were strong oppressed the "eak'
MiIitarism held unquestloned sway
Sta+ecraft was dominated by ambition
and pride. Selfishness held the world
scepter What new could Jesus con-
! tribute to this old world, with its Won
derful civilization, it's organization ana
its brilliant intellectually? This Is
fair question to ask. Sir James Bryce
a few days ago answered it In an ad-
dress in Great Britain. He pointed
| out that Christ brought to earth the
doctrine of love. Upon his revelation
| of the love of God for man, and of
mans love of man, the whole DIS
tinctive fabric of Christianity is
reared. The changes which it has
made in the life of humanity since
and they have been many and pro-
found-have all been expressions OF
love. Now the prophecy is being free
Iy made, even in these days of hate
full war, that the fullest conception OF
love that humanity has yet achieved
will be revealed in the reaction fol-
lowing these days of unbrotherly
strife The cry is being sounded, In
time of hate, prepare for love-"
In Christianity this weary old world
has discovered the fountain of per-
petual youth; for in the love of Christ
the race is forever renewing itself.
am thinking of certain prisons I
have seen, in Turkey and in China.
L especially recall two, one at Eregli,
in Asia Minor, where the man inside
the huge cage was no more pitfable
than the wife and babe outside, to
whom he looked for food; and the
other at Chinkiang, China, where in
a mere hole-indescribable in its
filth-the wallowing victims of the law
cried aloud to the stranger for food.
In contrast with these, the worst
prisons in America that I have ever
known anything about, seem palatial.
Contrast with them all the vast move
ment for prison reform; and we I'M
derstand how, in new sense, Jesus
has brought deliverance to the captive.
He has put His own spirit of COM
passion for the prisoner into the heart
of Christendom.
What a builder of school houses has
Christianity been! We who have NO
personal knowledge of a social order
wherein everybody cannot go to school
do not realize that there has been nc
education for the masses of mankind
where Christianity Is not known
, Learning has been the privilege of the
J aristocracy. Christ has lighted the
, torch of knowledge for the whole
Europe was plunged into intellectual
: night, the Church kept the torch
alight. Now, in our own day, the
light of education is being carried into
: the remotest African kraal and the
.. farthermost village of Asia.
Your Christianity is what of Christ
is in you.-George Macdonald.
4 Christianity has carried civilization
along with it whithersoever it ha.
gOne.-Hare.
), Rome's wise men, and Greece!
t wise men, wrote beautifully upoI
: moral themes, but they did not fee
0 under any constraint to practice thei
. own precepts. Heather religions d.
r Christ lived holy life. His platform
n was one of holiness. OF His disciples
!, He required holiness-even the higl
: holiness which divine love inspires
h Christianity has done for the world
r we have but to look upon the unbrok
= en- line of saints, from the Apostle
g down to this very hour. who have dom
the world the supreme service of liv
ing in 1t a holy life.
" Wherever the cross rises, there serv
4 ice, sacrifice, selfishness and salvation
3 are proclaimed as the abiding ideal
4 of life.
/. Unique and distinctive, in a worl
Q embittered by retaliation and revenge
>; came Christ's teaching of forgiveness
= He made that a test OF membership il
. His kingdom. The unforgiving wer
IL denied forgiveness for themselve.
n That was how seriously Jesus regards
q the place of this divine quality in hu
J. man life. The world still sorely need
n Tnagnanimity; but what measure of
h We now possess in chiefly due to tn
teaching of Christ upon forgiveness.