The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1916-11-11

greater degree OF freedom.
Such is the big war, Of which all
other wars, and the interims which
we call peace, are the component
parts. That war is fought every
where and continuously where man
comes in contact with his kind. lts
victories are won in peace lcrisla-
tion as well as in warlikc combat.
II goes on in field and factory. in
shop and store. as well as in trench
and turrct. II is the fight for free
dom which can never cease until
permanent freedom is won for all
people.
Such was the war which Martin
Luther renewed, but did not start.
when he challenged the learned
doctors TO debate. To be sure he
disturbed the unity which was so
agreeable TO Rome. There was a
similar disturbance Of unity when
Jonah parted from the great fish
that had swallowed him. Luther
refused TO swallow Romish dogma
with his eyes shut or to be swal-
lowed by the fish stories and fall
lacious claims Of sacerdotal sophis-
TRY.
He rebelled just as any decent
self-respecting man must rebel
against what is manifestly evil and
untrue. In so doing he challenged
a tyrant and won the support Of
freedoms friends. Tie upset papal
unity just as Europe afterwards up
set the unity Bonaparte was trying
TO fasten upon it.
Unity is desirable only when es-
tablished on a practicable basis
and one-man rulership can never be
that basis. The race is seeking
unity such as recognizes the indi-
yidual and his right to life and lib
erty. Luther was the champion Of
that unity which does not unity the
world by subsection TO emperors or
popes, but by union of man with
man for a common purpose and the
common good.
Luther was a religionist, but his
religion was so true and so vital that
1t bore political as well as religious
fruit. His reputation of papal
authority contributed directly and
immensely to the rise Of democracy,
and indirectly to the fraternalism
and unionism that today make for
the coming unity.
Pallen's figure, Of a pyramid
standing upon its apex, fits nothing
so well as the Romish regime in
Luther's time. Rome would now
restore its inverted pyramid with
its pope at the apex and the human
race very much up in the air. But
democracy, as an outgrowth OF
Luther's pioneer efforts has already
restored the social pyramid to its
proper position with the people as
its basis and its apex occupied by
public servants who administer af-
fairs not according to their own
whim and caprice but according to
laws enacted by common consent
To be sure, the social, political, and
economic pyramid is not vet per-
feet: but it is right side up which
is Of fundamental importance.
How silly to every sane mind
must be this bombastic declaration
that the present war is Europe's
punishment for the Reformation
the so-called apostacy. Such a con.
ception is possible only to a mind
narrowed by poring over the mcdi.
Rval moonshine of Thomas Aquinas
This war is but the continuation OF
the world-long struggle that must
60 on in some form until true
greatness is dominant and prove.
its greatness by social service.
The first step toward Christian
unity was the reputation of papal
unity which Luther accomplished
The next step was reputation OF
all pretenders to rulership by di.
vine right, which was realized polit.
ically by the American colonies
There are many steps yet TO b,
taken before the goal Of Christian
unity becomes an accomplished
fact; but it was exemplified twenty
centuries ago when the First Chris,
tian gave his blood and body for the
salvation of the world, and washed
his disciples feet with the admoni'
ton that all should serve, each
one the other, as he had served them
Christian unity is to come with
universal service instead Of uni,
versal rulership. Get that point
clear, for upon that fact hangs tn,
law Of life and the realization oi
the Gospel. Papsl unity offers it.
self with the barbaric trappings oI
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