Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-07
Moral Derrqcks Are Not the Means
To Lift the World out of SIN

cited as In themselves securing the
indefinite progress of nations and
mankind. 1t would be absurd to
doubt that these causes operate with
constant and beneficent- power on the
mind of a people; but on this very
account an exclusive and irrational
reliance may be placed upon then.-
1T is obvious that ~twu, methods .
exist, of aiming at human improve
ment-by adjusting circumstances
without and by addressing the al
. fections within: by creating facili-
ties of position. or by developing
force of character; by mechanism or
by mind. The one is Institutional
and systematic, operating on large
scale; reaching individuals circuit 9
ously and at last: the other is per-
-sonal. and moral. the influence Of.
soul on soul, life creating life. be-
ginning in the regeneration of the
individual and spreading thence
r. over communities; the one, in short,
reforming from the circumference
L. to the centre, the other from the
/; ,centre to the circumference. And in ..
comparing these it is not difficult TO
show the superior triumph of the
latter. which was the method of
f. Christ and primitive Christianity"
1t is the social worldly type of mind
that relies upon mechanical movements
rather than upon the regenerative' power
of the Holy Spirit to renew mankind. 1t
is quite easy for such a worldly mind
to give itself to pretentious schemes of q
visible sort. Such schemes appeal TO its
ambition and call forth its energies TO
make itself conspicuous before men.
Before the death and resurrection OF
Jesus, the Twelve Apostles INDUCED such
false notions. They were ever dream
ling of politico-religious government in
which they should occupy chief seats.
They yearned for government from
whose capitol at Jerusalem mankind
might be made subject to the God OF
heaven from the operation of physical
force. This persistent carnality OF mind
which prevailed among the Twelve was
a grief to Jesus, and the same type of
mind in our day is not less grievOus 10
Him.
After the Pentecost when the ApOs-
ties We're energized with power from on
high, their minds were cleared of these
false notions. Possessed of spiritual
power, sent upon them by the right hand
of the Majesty on high where their Lord
was enthroned, they. ceased, to dream OF
employing physical force in order to re-
generate the world. Nevertheless, with
spiritual power only they speedily
changed the face of the times in which
they lived. When they had. worked only
"A few years they were described as
'They who have turned the world upside
down"
Many problems. social and political.
confronted them; but they did not solve
those problems by any methods to which
our modern problem-makers and reform
ers are so addicted They solved the
problems of their day by the proclama-
tion' of salvation through Jesus Christ.
In, .rl1,. do nTr1s tvOV. n N--l1l p
formers look in every other direction
for the solution of the problems, which
they declare must be solved by. other
schemes than by the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Not few preachers have
succumbed to their dictatOrial dOmi-
nance and are running hither and thith-
er in the prosecution of all sorts. of
schemes to ameliOrate human life.
These preachers are simply wasting
themselves on spectacular performances
that cannot accomplish any spiritual
good at all. They need an experience
like that which the Apostles had at
Pentecost in order that they may re-
coVer their, faith in the spiritual forces
and be rid of their vain confidence in
the mere forces of earth and time.
A decidedly. evil effect which arises
from these reform schemes Is that null
titudes of people have ceased TO blame
themselves for their wrong doing, and
have fallen to waiting for some move
ment to make sin undesirable to them
and righteousness attainable by them
without effort. They are paralyzed by
these false notions and are waiting for
some one to put them in the healing
pool when the waters are troubled. Thus
they perpetuate their moral prostr2tiOn
by postponing their repentance to
season which by help of the reformers
will be entirely easy and cOnNenient.
Thus the world is being filed. with
spiritual invalids, who refuse to lift
the weight of their hands to overcome
their sinfulness, and wait in silly pro-
crastination for some one to change
their circumstances in order that their
characters thereby may be transform
ed.
Their aspirations are turned out
wards rather than inwards; ana
their conscience expresses itself
more in complaint against their
circumstances than in repentance
for their wrong doing. They insist
on having the world mended before
they can be expected to be better
than they are. They hope TO OBJ
tain manufactured characters. pro-
vided for them by the reformers,
who offer TO supply all the spir-
itual needs of all the moral mendi-
cants IN the land.
At the center of many of these reform
schemes, which some prefer to the re-
deeming powers of saving grace, is the
fatal misconception that self-interest is