The Southern herald., 1915-09-17
FOR ALL THE EARTH
Christianity and Patriotism Are
One and the Same, Accord
ing to the Bible.

g are told, is not national, but cosmC
p politan. Its tendency is to obliterat
4 boundaries and distinctions between
/ race and race.
I This cosmopolitanism Of Christian
ity, people say, is absolutely fatal tt
: patriotism. That was, for instance
| one Of the criticisms which the Japa
. nese passed upon Christianity. Pa
triotism amongst the Japanese has be
come exalted almost into a religion
: Devotion to their land and to theil
emperor seems to be their ruling pas
, sion, and one Of their objections tC
Christianity is its universallsm
which, they say, is fatal to patriotism
and that it would inevitably sap the
devotion to their country, which has
been the Jap's boast and pride.
Let us look at this criticism for a
moment and see how much truth
there is in 1t. If 1t could be shown
that Christianity is antipatriotic it
would lack certain element which
appeals to the American just as sure.
ly as 1t does to the Jap; for love for
ones land is not passion which ap-
peals only to the dwellers in that
eastern empire, but q passion which
should burn with an undying fame in
the heart Of every true American.
That Christianity is cosmopolitan in
its spirit cannot be disputed. It is
the gospel for the world. 1t addresses
itself to man as man, and not to man
as a member Of any particular ma
tion. Other religions are for the most
part tribal or national. But the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
is the God Of all the earth, and the
father of all who dwell upon it. This
Gospel of ours ignores all national
distinctions. Men come to the cross
from the East and from the West,
from the North and from the South:
1t is Just as much for the black man
as for the white. 1t reveals a love
that lavishes itself upon all without
respect to differences of race or color
or tongue. It breaches a universal
fatherhood, and consequently a uni
Versal brotherhood of men. The Cos
pei not only ignores natural and racial
differences, but it looks forward to a
time when these racial and national
differences shall cease to sunder and
divide men as they do today. do
not say that the Gospel looks forward
to time when differences shall cease
to exist Difference in itself is not
an evil, for believe that each ma
tlonal1ty has its important contribu-
tlon to make the civilization of man.
kind as a whole. But these differ
ences shall cease to be sources of ieal-
ousy and strife. The prophets OF old
were given the vision Of a united
world. Enmities we're to be aboI.
ished. The lion is to lie down with
the lamb, the calf, the young lion
and the failing together. Racial zeal.
ousies are to disappear; war and
Dioodshed are to cease; men are to
beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks,
IND to learn war no more. There is
10 doubt about 1t that the Gospel is
cosmopolitan in It's message and In
is spirit.
To Human Brotherhood.
NOW, l believe that every earnest
nan who thinks seriously is a cosmo.
'olitan in the Gospel sense of the
'oro' No matter what causes NAV
70 assigned for the great war which
ravaging the world today, It is evil
ent to every thinking man that the
Inmate cause Of the war is national
ealousies and rivalries. That is what
iys the great burden Of armament
pom the nations today: the burden
'hich has been growing greater and
eaVier every year. In spite of 900
ears OF Christianity the spirit Of
ar still RACES among mankind. and
% has permitted this great war to =
,ourge us as the inevitable outcome n
the Jealousy and hatred and rival. u
es among the nations, Perhaps we r
IN now see that only in the brother. /
'od Of nations can there be happi-
'ss and well-being. That does not Ri
can the death of patriotism. 1t G.
cans no surrender Of the love which III
have for our own land. Tennvson pe
IS a strong and vehement patriot pc
d yet he thought of the golden age do
a time when
9 tS t%Sarsdrum throbbed no longer. and 6lt
the pattle-f1ags were fllrled N''N Sic
tne parliament of man. the Sador.4,o, 81.
OF the world. -sNe' o'lVH 4Ae
It is an error of Judgment n .b,nb SIN
It this sort of cosmopolitanism-the
ID which the Gospel teaches--is de-.
uctlVe OF patriotism. The error ia
to a false conception Of what M.
otism is. What is patriotism? Nv =
uonary defines 1t as love of coun. IL
devotion to the welfare of ones
Ihtry; the passion which insn,rea
10 serve ones country" / am
tent with the definition. Patriot.
l. you Will notice, Is a positive
lg, 1t is love Of ones country II FC
lot natred Of other countries-it is As
OF your own. You can love vour =
FAMILY and your own home with.
mating your neighbor. But the
'she q which so many people make
1nt0HnTaaAs..-.