Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-04
By BISHOP WARREN A. GAMBLER.

This is the age of specialism. In
some spheres of life it means good, al
though it is in any and all spheres at
tended with more or less narrowness,
which is neither admirable or useful.
There are medical and surgical spe-
cialists who have rendered the highest
services to mankind-services which
would have been impossible without spe-
cialism. In the scientific world there
have been specialists like Mr.. Thomas
A. Edison, whose discoveries and de-
vices have promoted greatly the well
fare of the human race. Closely allied
with these have been many useful men
who have done much special good In the
realm of the industrial arts.
But the specialists in the region of
moral and religious endeavor do not de-
serve the same approval as the special
lists in medicine, surgery, and the indus
trial arts. There is not the same room
for specialism in this region, and men
who narrow their efforts to one line Of
moral reform are scarcely worthy of the
name of specialists" They deserve
rather to be called lobbyists" and no
class of men are more lop-sided, dicta
torial and dangerous. They are espe.
cially fond of lecturing the church be-
cause il pursues its supreme spiritual
mission and refuses to oestow all It's
energies and efforts upon the particular
schemes to which these lobbyists
have committed themselves. An accusa-
tive cry which is raised frequently by
each of them is, What Is the use of the
Church, if il will not espouse this cause
of mine and carry it to victory?" Now
one and now another, raises this cry.
Today one cries, What is the use of the
Church. If IL will not proceed at once TO
put down all wars and rumors of wars =
Tomorrow another shrieks, What is the
use of the Church, if it will not, or can
not, settle the issues between capital
and labor?" And still another screams,
what is the use of the Church. If 1t
will not instantly eradicate the social
evil?''
Now, all these evils, and many others
like them. must be cured but their eradi-
cation would be postponed indefinitely
If the Church made hobby of any OF
them, and turned aside from the fulfill
ment of its supreme spiritual function
in order to give itself wholly or chiefly
to the promotion of mere schemes of
social reform" There is no sentiment
in the world today for peace on earth"
which has not issued from the Prince
of Peace through His Church, and If
ever wars cease utterly and forever on
our war-torn planet, it will be because
the Church has continued to make of
the sons of men followers of Jesus
Christ by calling sinners to repentance.
Not a truly spiritual service of the
Church is held which does not tend d.
rectly to the curing of the social evil,
and the healing of every other running
sore of society. Wherever and whenever
a revival of religion prevails temperance
Is promoted more effectually than by
any scheme Of the reformers. In truth,
but for the religious work of the
Churches there would never have been
any movement for temperance reform in
this country. All the services of the
Church, by their very nature, protest
against all evil and promote all good.
Such being the case, the Church can
not narrow its mission to the lines or
any sort of hobby or moral specialism.
1t is not engaged as a specializing re-
former among men, but as the regenera-
tor of a lost world through the saving
grace of its divine Redeemer.
Its supreme function is that of dis
penser of salvation to a sinful world;
but as sin is universal in its extent and
multiform i'm it's manifestations, the
Church is called upon to render, as
Christs representative vast and varied
services to a race of sinners. schemes
for human Improvement which aim at
the cultivation of some single virtue or
the eradication of some special vice, or
humane movements which look to the
advancement of some particular social
interest or the amelioration of some spe-
cific evil, doubtless accomplish some