The Washington herald., 1915-03-21

God interested in technical unceremoniai right
eousness; and he held the ground, as he has
nearly always, partly because he was more
useful to the politician than was Christianity,
the moral ideaiist prophet. and partl% because
it is much easier for the wealthy man to pay
the priest for sacrifice than it is to control
his passion and curb his evil propensites.
The discovery that the Old Testament, in
stead of being the record of GODS Wishes was
the record OF mans more or less successful
conflict with man, each seeking to understand
himself and God, had profound effect upon
modern theology. 1t has created q new school
of religious thinkers, whose final work is not
yet complete.
One effect is to cause man to- turn from
Moses and the prophets to Jesus Christ.
Before these new ideas came. there was scarce
" life of Christ written. Since then stories
of his life have come by the hundred, and
from every angle of opinion: Geike and Elders
helm ReRan and Reuss, Beecher and Andrews
represent the far-reach of these. The Chris
tan world discovered in the nineteenth century
that its religion came from The Carpenter of
NazarC. H. and not from books of the Old Tes-
lament. Therefore emphasis has been laid in
.creasrgy what Jesus said, and what he
was. The rediscovery of Jesus constituted
epoch in religion, and it proceeded to revolu-
tionize religion. Out of it grew the modern
missionary movement which goes to the hea-
then world: not teaching Moses and the pro-
phets but Whatsoever l have commanded
YOU"
The social impulse of the latter part Of the
nineteenth century intensified in the twentieth,
is due to this epiphany. Men are no longer
anxious to mollify Gods wrath: they have
gained the ideal of Jesus who went about do
ing good. They are no longer worrying over
an archaeological hell. They Are trying to
abate helsh conditions earth. The outcry
against today's world-war is a symptom of the
same impulse. Judaism justified war-Jeho-
yah commanded Jews to plumber the territory
of other people, to massacre women and chill
dren. Israel was to conquer by the sword.
Christian religion imbued with Old Testament
ideas was necessarily warike. The attack on
Iege is justified entirely on the Mosaic basis.
But the religion Of Jesus has no place for
war. 10 apology for violence. rapine or seizure
of territory
chosen people needed no other people. Gentiles
were abhorred. A man became favorite of
Jehovah by surgical operation. Slavery
justified and regulated by the Mosaic code.
Polygamy was provided for. The land was
held by entail to the families of the aris-
tocracy in the theocracy.
Jesus the chief comrade of a democ
racy of equal men. "All We are brothers," he
said to his friends. and his most characters
tic object lesson was to wash their feet in
turn at the last supper.
The worst political government the in
genuity of men has ever devised is the gov
eminent by priests. selected by heredity. 1t
was this precise kind Of wretched government
that Judaism developed. Its kings passed
away, and the hereditary priest ruled, until
the wrath of God and man destroyed it for
ever. Jesus insisted the separation of re-
lgion and politics. Render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars, and unto God the
things that are Gods" He refused any polti
cal power or Office and went to the cross as a
result of his self-abnegation.
The morals of Jesus are distinct and
unique. His first requirement is modesty. HIS
second is responsibility. His third is self-con-
troll. Jesus goes to the sources and founda-
lions of conduct-the motives. 1t is true