Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-16

bic, degraded outcasts into men who
become valuable servants of the king
dom is the best possible evidence for
the divine origin of the faith. And
we imagine that II all tho business
men and professional men who are
skoptical of the transforming power
Of Christianity at home, and its up
lifting power abroad. could be put
face to face with the wonders 1t has
accomplished, and become convinced
of its tremendous influence tor the
advance of civilization In oriental
mnds-where 1t had not been at work
before-we should have little skep-
ticism.
The supreme Test of II Religion Is Its
Product.
You will infer from what has been
said that the only worthwhile re-
ligon is always operative-one might
say that II is automatic and not me-
chanical. There is a certain type of
religion. however, which snuggles
warmly under the blankets of the
doctrine of election" A religion
that aims to make men supremely
self satisfied and self-centered. 1t
seeks to continually emphasize the
blessed and the blessing" and to
forget the burdens and the drudger-
les and the duties of life. IL seeks
the Mount of TRANSPORTATION, and
forgets the Mount of Calvary. To
quote the lines of the poet.
TT carries the elect to the skies
on flowery beds of ease,
While others fight to win the prize
And sail DER bloody seas"
Those individual Christians who loll
easily through life. who never stiffen
up to grip duty or consent to carry
u burden: who will not even question
what is wanted of them. amount to
nothing worthy of respect. Such
life. let it be understood, was not the
life of the Christ who said. Il am
come that ye might have life, and
that ye might have it more abund.
antly." but, rather, stands for the ne
CATION of every moral principle
framed by the Christie religion. let
alone ethics. 1t partakes of the phil
osophy Of the lotus eaters 'and is
| one of the chief stumbling blocks to
men and women outside the breast
works of the church who. otherwise,
might be 'chiefest among ten thou
sand"
The first quality in the Christian
| character, that would accomplish
things for the upbuilding of Christ's
kingdom. is purpose and. after that,
determination. which will permit
neither distractions disbursements.
nor peril, to divert them. That is TO
say, the Christian life that counts is
a life adhered to: life pursued: a
life planned and executed along the
Christie lines. Let the negative
Christian who is drifting along
through the world. avoiding obliga.
tion; declining to brace up to re-
sponsibility: neither deciding what
they ought or ought not to do. put
themselves in touch with the great
heart of the people and hear what is
revealed unit babes; then human hap
piness Will. somehow, accompany the
process as an inevitable by-product.
This leads up to our final thought,
that our individual characters are
made and developed in the field of
| action. And what Is true OF our
selves is true also of men and women
about us everywhere. Only two
statements are worth recording in the
lives of men. "He was born" "He
died" These two vital facts in our
lives are beyond our control-our ar
rival and our departure. But, listen!
what we are Is the one most i'm
portant thing. All about us there are
forces at work making or marring
human character. What then should
be the attitude of the Christian to.
ward these forces? What should be
the attitude OF the Christian church?
Are the battles Of our Lives purely