Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-23
Civilization at the Great Crisis Of Its
Development.


The civilization Of today Is at one
/ Cf the great crises Of It's development
ana this narrower method Of dog
I matte insistcncc on the part Of the
church-W which has not arrived at a
stage where II is lit and free for an
old-now evangelism based on the life
and teaching OF Cnc who formulated
"A gospel rs wide aS humanity: and
with vision a1d a message well cal
oulltcd 10 fire the souls ~ men as
nothing since apostolic times has ever
fired them. Is pcrilous' II not only
disappoints God. but bctrays human
ity AS wei. and an oXpcctant world is
a divine challenge to the modern
church 10 quit It's dissensiJns over
these nonesscntials and close up its
ranks
Here we have all religions pagan,
Roman Catholie. Jew and Christian,
LChever and unhclicver radical ana
conservative. men Of all types and
temrcraments thrown into the melt
ing pot There is not one Of them
from whom We cannot learn some
thing. But we shall never get to-
gcther II our separate theological and
religious habits are fighting one an
other. instead Of learning from one
another. Mutullity OF respect is the
solution of our ecclesiastical problem,
as II Is that OF the race problem.
! beg not 20 be misunderstood
here. Undoubtedly through the ages
there have always been great souls
sincerely fighting battles Of opinion
for the lo.e Of truth But you that
are at all conyersant with church
history know that the commonplace
run Of theological conflicts has been
nothing worthior than the blows and
counter-blows Of injured pride But
now-that Gods long evolution of
nobler ideals is teaching Christians a
better lesson on this polnt-the
plague OF the situation comes not
from the new breadth of sympathy
which they are learning. but from the
remnant Of the old bigotry which
they are unlearning. II is the SIMS
ter shadow OF that old bigotry that
does the larm. That bigotry which
men argue from even after they have
rejected It. They say that II ono
mans understanding of truth cant
be certified by outward authority to
he better than another mans. then
what can be the use of everybody's
holding on to his opinion or trying TO
get others to take II. II It's value is
so uncertain, let II go.
This leads us to the thought that,
since Christ hinsclf has taught the
churches that pride Of opinion IL the
emptiest and most foolish Of all the
prides OF men, that much-nccded and
valuable asset Of solidarity should be
acquired by the church. And If the
church can thus acquire. can show
that free and fearless self-sacrifice
equal to the emergencv-an which
should be found among all those who
claim to have been touched with the
Christ splrit-thc world will wait
only too gladly on its leadership
When this is fully perceived the
virtues Of the old picty viii return
and the new picty will be lust as
strong and more beautiful. Men will
then go to church because they can
not stay away. for there they will
meet with the Son of God. the living
Savior OF men for whom their hearts
cry out All the great voices of the
past will call us To Christ as greater
than the church end greater than the
bible; but we shall love both bible
and church more than ever. because
In the one we read Of his earthly life
and work, and In the other we see
his presence blessing the world for
which he died.
Both the fear and the hore of this
day and generation point to the