The Penn's Grove record., 1916-01-21
MOVE TO AN IDEAL
World Ever Pressing Forward to
a Goal Which Is Its UIti-
mate Destiny.

When the prophet declared that of
the increase of the governments of the
coming Messiah there should be no
end he set forth the permanence and
the growth of the kingdom of peace
upon the earth. For the government
Of Christ is the government of peace
and of good will. Men are ever prone
to turn to the extraordinary, the spec
~tacular, the unusual, the catastrophes
as the gauge of their judgment of the
times. Back Of the spouting volcanoes
lies the eternal law of tranquility, back
of the storm lies the law of the tides
and the calm of the cea Back OF
the vast var that now holds in deri
sion the sentiments of the Christmas
season lies the normal state of man,
the state of righteousness and Of
peace. The peace on earth and good
will toward men that was pronounced
by the angels in their heavenly salu
tation has to do with the settled
state of society than with extraordi,
nary occurrences such as wars. These
will cease to be only when the society
in its general standards shall carry out
the law of love. This Jesus came to
proclaim; love and the prevalence of
love in the relations CT life will bring
about an equitable peace. Far more
disastrous than occasional war is the
iniquity, the injustice, the wiles of
man toward his fellow men. The rar-
ity of Christian charity is an indict-
ment of society that compliments the
ideals Of Christ. In all these respects
the state of society is vastly better
than it has ever been before. The
growth of ideals in the industrial re-
~lations, the growth of ideals in the po-
litical relations, the growth Of ideals
in humanitarian viewpoints between
men and their fellow men mark the
advance of society toward the compre-
hensive ideal of the far-off divine
event toward which the whole creation
moves.
Eternal Purpose Prevails.
Sorrow may endure for a night, but
joy cometh in the morning. In the
fullness of time God sent forth his
Son made of woman, made under the
law, that he might redeem them that
are under the law that they might
receive the adoption of sons. This
exalted setting forth of the mission
of Jesus Christ finds its fulfillment
in the influence Of that Life whose
challenge to the world has ever been
in behalf of the common life. When
the organ loft of the skies resounded
to the choral chant of the angels the
great organ of humanity was moved
to melodies whose strains are ever
seeking to match those of the celes-
tial celebrants of the birth of the low
ly one. When the shepherds upon the
hills listened to the music whose
strains reft the clouds to let the joy
of the perfect life radiate to the i'm
perfect son of men they were listen
ing to the strains that told of the in
auguration of the government of peace.
Many governments are rocking
upon their once firm pillars; many
thrones are now in the balance of
the DEGREES Of Providence. But there
is one government whose foundations
are laid in eternity and stable
than time. Its throne cannot be over
turned. The wicked have ragged and
CRASHED against the government of the
Almighty in their impotent fury. 1t
has stood. 1t has become eve
stronger. 1t is a government of
righteousness. The enthroned Prince
of Peace has set up his kingdom in
the hearts of men. Who car say thai
the present state of the world shall
not witness the establishment of the
kingdom Of Christ over the thrones
of the nations? Certainly if a method
can be devised to secure the peace of
the world permanently, the domination
of the principles of Jesus, the suprem-
acy of the kingdom of peace will be
at hand.
Always in Right Direction.
The world is moving nightly in
the right direction. Yet how much
there is of human wrong to undo and
human love to dispense. How much
need for the brotherly kindness that
would lead men to look upon their
fellows as Jesus looked upon all men.
He regarded them as upon a common
footing, as children of the Heavenly
Father and subjects of his love and
protection. The world is moving
nightly toward this ideal in society.
I'll - -L-11 H.