Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-04-24

ordination Of their religious force.
Whatever tends to disrupt this feeling
after unity can be regarded IN nc
other light than a misfortune The
time has passed when one church can
attack another because the former
does not entirely agree with the
latter. The Christian churches are
not in the world TO fight one another.
but TO move as a united army against
sin, to destroy its power and to save
morally and spiritually human life
For churches TO attack one another
Is waste Of moral energy. It is a
sight to cause angels to weep an5
It retards real progress in spiritual
life.
Not Half Understood.
The call today Is for an intensivs
Christianity. Christian thinking Is
taking advance ground, and the world
is on the verge of profound changes
that will bring to bear a test Of the
value Of Christianity. The teaching
and forcible spiritual life OF Jesus
Christ is barely half understood, II
1t is supposed that the statistical
side of church work and life Is the
chief side Of Christianity. The i'm
portant question Is not how many
church members are gathered in. or
how many there are in the world
or how many church buildings have
been built in year, but in how
many is the actual hCrist in spirit
dwelling? In how many has His
teaching sunk deeper than the intel
lect and the emotion? In how many
is the consciousness possessed Of a
constant, persistent and consistent
connection with God at the centre of
being?
Further important questions are:
In how many lands have the spiris
and truths of Christianity trans
formed the institutional forms of in
dustrial life and the general social
life? How much of Transforming
power has gone into legislation and
into the international relationships
What progress has Christian truth
made in bringing estranged and con-
tending classes ~ society to a realiza-
ton OF common brotherhood Chris
tianlty Is OF the greatest individual
value when II is seen bringing about
these moral and social achievements
For the individual TO become a Chris
tian and to proclaim his salvation for
, the sake Of escaping a future punish
ment he fears seems TO indicate a
selfish aspect However much one
may be sure he Is a Christian. he
cannot escape actual penalty for vio-.
lation OF any moral law. Such law
VIII not be set aside In his favor.
The fact that one Is q professed
Christian does not make him neces-
| sarily immune. What Christianitv
does do Is to give a man who reaIizes
Its spiritual force greater power to
achieve the best in life; to love what
| is pure and good. merciful and bene-
ncial, just and right in human life:
| an enlarged vision of the course OF
| life; an insight into truth and lifts
| him nearer to God. But II one abuses
his privileges. neglects his duties and
-w-!fc!iyy tfaHssTe5ses against the
moral and spiritual laws of God he
win meet the consequences.
Cannot BE Confined.
| Tho character OF Christianity !.
changing rapidly In different sections
of the world, and the Interpretation
of 1t today differs in a number of par
ticulars from what its Interpretation
was 100 years ago. Christianity in its
essent tial message and service to the
world is for every age and cannot be
confined to any one mode of thought
or method OF application TO the needs
of mankind Men are growing larger
| In their understanding of all truths,
and especially in the moral and re-
| ligious plane OF Christian truths. As
Christianity spreads from land to land
and establishes Sunday schools, mis-
!, sions and churches ii Is making terri
1 torial progress. As IL affects institu-
| tions OF life, deepens the character OF
| individuals and nations. forces to the
| front ethical questions that seemed to
be hidden from view, and provides
the spiritual atmosphere within which
| the problems Of men, economic and
social. moral and religious. are to be
solved. Christianity is making an In
| tensive, a perpendicular progress. In
asmuch as its truths are cutting
down a shaft into the depths OF being
and developing uprightness In char
aeter and in the temper and tone,
method and spirit, OF all ranges Of
human activity. This sort of achieve
ment comes through church co-opera-
] ton, Christian brotherhood and spir-
itual fellowship. CLERICUS.