Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-26
CHALLENGE OF
CHURCH TOPIC
OF final TALK
Spirited Address Given BY Dr..
r. C. Brooks at Mid Week
Meeting at c. u.

Before large audience which near
" filled the parish house Of Central
Union church Rev. r. c. Brooks, d. d.,
delivered his last mid-week address
in Honolulu His subject THE Chal-
lenge 10 the Church Of the Present
World Situation was one OF intense
interest and the probing comments OF
the speaker gave his hearers food
for careful thought.
DismissIng on the one hand the
views of those glorious optimists"
who declare that war Is blessing in
disguise, like great fire. or q
mighty wind destroying much that
needed to be gotten rid OF In this
drastic way; and on the other hand
of the pessifnists who declare that
the present war marks the downfall
OF civilization, she beginning Of the
end, Doctor Brooks said that he con-
sidered the greatest service which
this present terrible calamity could
render was IN revealing the founda-
tion upon which our civilization rests
and In preparing us for larger ad-
ventures in faith.
The speaker went on to say. In
part:
THE imperative thing Just now,
difficult as Il is, Is to think our way
into the significance Of this war and
TO endeavor to get an insight into its
facts. What are the foundations OF
our civilization? Grossly material
istic. not profoundly Christian. Our
politics and industries are not Christ
ianized. Steam and electricity have
developed a wonderful material civil.
ization. Physically the world is one.
ultimately we must learn how to live
together. intellectually we affirm
that the world is one and intellectual
pursuits bind the world together in
international societies. Industry is
no longer private but corporate, no
longer local but international Yet In
all departments of life we see divis-
ion instead of unity. In the world OF
religion we see as never before that
there is an immense wealth of religi-
ous thought outside of the church Of
Christ. For the last five years the
tide has been running out in the
churches. In many churches there is
a dogmatic group. putting the emph-
asis on the dogma Of the church, and
again. In sharp contrast what we may |
cal 'anti-dogmatists' or the liberal |
group, neople with no convictions and
a lot Of vague good feeling. while a |
third group Is made up OF those who
are increasingly and with great sin.
cerity seeking to interpret religion as
the thought Of Christ
what is our task in the face Of
these factFs Is Il not to build new I
order OF ideas into the life OF the |
world? Lecky says that all wars are
caused by political, religious or
economic reason, q recent writer
claims that all wars arise from eco
nomic reasons. Has not this war re-
vealed q rift running through human
society, the clash of two orders? On !
one hand are those who believe In
competition as the organizing factor
in politics. religion and industry. They
realize that this means bitterness in
social intercourse, obscufantism in !,
education, the rankest kind Of sectar-
ianism In education, and war. Yet
they defend it as natural and newt
able. On the other hand there are
increasing numbers who say that the
spirit OF cooperation must be the or
sanizing principle Of life. We see
that cut-throat competition has had
It's day and that not until we build (,
the spirit Of cooperation in the life
Of the world will we have a eiyiliza-
ton that can be called Christian
Here is the challenge to the
church Religion must once more be-
come the expression OF certain great,
glorious conceptions II can never
again come under the sway Of dogma.
It must first stand for revelation, and
of glorious ideas next for the incar.
nation Of these ideas in the life of
the world. The great task is to build
these ideas into the social life about
ms. to live the social gospel The
emphasis Of the teaching of Jesus
was on our relationship with others.
re never gave any idea that the
shurchs business was to be that of
ferry boat, carrying people over to
heaven, nor that Of a fire insurance
company. In the third place religion
become again redemptiye, it must ;
know that It has vision big enough
% redeem the whole order Of human
experience. There was never so great
| challenge nor was the time so near.
v ripe for a glorious leadership on
he part OF the>church. but the church
must be baptized afresh and thrill
,nce more with glorious vision and