The Washington herald., 1916-11-03
If We Were Really Christians
BY JOHN d. BARRY.

Some one has lately been asking:
What would the Christian world be like
II people were really Christians?"
The question has a special interest at
this time when millions of members of
the Christian world are fighting together.
In the first place, Of course. there
couldn't be any war. In itself war Is a
denial Of all Christian principles. Killing
is only one of It's many violations. The
others include the breeding of hate, lying.
spying, malice, all the detestabie quali-
ties that work against the good Of the In
dividual and of society. In place Of war
there would be cooperation. For Chris
tianity is essentially cooperative. in
every aspect practical. with immediate
advantages to be gained whenever II is
given a chance.
With Christianity the people Of all ma
tions would be much more bfoad-minded
than they are now. They would be alive
to the truth experience is always teach
Ing that human beings are essentially
alike. not primarily English or French or
German or Russian. but primarily women
and men, with a marvellous capacity Of
Improving themselves. This capacity the
world would try to use in every possible
way. thereby greatly adding to the
wealth Of mankind.
1t Is said by those who defend our pres
ent ways that strife Is necessary and they
find analogies in the warfare that con-
stantly goes on in the animal kingdom.
But one difference Between men and the
lower animals is that they can learn bet
ter ways. They are not necessarily the
prey to those selfish instincts that cause
animal contention. Moreover they have
constant evidence before their eyes that
strife with their own kind is not neces-
sary except insofar as they make IL so.
The very advantages that are secured
by strife. the progress toward Justice
and higher civilization that the warriors
be secured IL there were adherence to
Christian principles. 1t is Christianity
that makes the way possible and easy.
SBy compromises the world keeps ad-
/ vancing toward the goal of rational liv-
ing which is the very essence Of Chris
tlanity. 1t seems reluctant to put into
practice the faith Il theoretically main
tained. Every day it learns the lesson
OF Christianity over again. Its mistakes
are items OF expense overwhelming in
the aggregate. But curious illusions. like
superstitions. hold II hack. largely by
the power Of names like the cheap gild-
ing that is supposed to pass for gold.
When war is driven out OF the world.
when men learn 20 help rather than TO
hinder and to harm one another. when
the universal quality of what is good is
a basis OF reason. is It not probable that
human beings will say to one another.
I'VE always knew these things We used
TO talk about them. Why didn't we have
sense enough to put them into practice
long ago."
Why haven't We sense enough? One
reason is, I believe. that we are imagina-
lively defective. We perfer the chance of
advantage for the moment to the GER
Sasr II lY,a go L.. N,Yky,
living that is so fundamentally different
from our own living. though It is attrac-
tive in theory. seems to us fantastic in
reality. We get into the habit OF regard
ing those who favor II as rather absurd.
Clergymen, of course, We forgive. They
favor Christianity in a professional way.
Besides. when the test comes. we ind
that most of them don't exactly favor II.
In wartime. for instance. they become as
narrow-minded as any other partisans II
they belong among the belligerent coun-
tries. The behavior OF some clergymen
during the present war has been a dis
grace. But they will never be called to
account
Another reason why We don't follow
Christianity is that we are afraid OF the
truth. We don't know where IT will lead
us. But we do know that II Christianity
were established among US many of the
objects we now prize would instantly be-
come vslueless and many Of the pursuits
we now engage in with devotion would
be seen to be worthless In fact. lightly
as We talk about Christianity. We know it
mainly as a theory. No country whose
history We have ever studied has given il
a real trial
The saying that truth Is a dangerous
thing applies with peculiar force to Chris
tianity. But the danger threatens only
what ought to be in danger and what is
strongly entrenched among US. bad judg-
ment, misdirection of effort. the indul-
gence in weaknesses. including jealousy
and fear. All these miseries Christianity.
IL applied. would set about at once to
cure. But do We really want to be cured !?