The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-03

scientific mind The romance of science
in the last century captures the i'm
agination Of all forward looking men.
No longer shall tradition and supersti-
ton enslave us. We believe that the
free mind, dealing with everything in
heaven and EARTH can subdue nature
and have dominion over 1t and so bring |
man into his proper heritage as lord of |
creation BY virtue OF invention and |
scientific investigation we can see the |
end of two of the historic scoufges of |
mankind. famine and pestllenee. I'M |
proved agriculture and agricultural ma
chinery already promise thau, other |
things being equal, no people need ever !
starve. The sources and processes of |
disease increasingly yield their secrets
to devotion and skill and we look, with
Pastcur. for the time when man shall
free himself from certain great classes
Of physical Ills Never was man more
confident than today, never more hope
| full of the future that science prophe-
| sizes.
| But of late our confidence and zest in
living have been yexed by evil fore
| holdings. We have the mechanism of a
great new civilization in sight but what
ruling ideas and ideals, what dominant
motives and passions shall DIRECT and
control it +? 1t is sun clear just now that
even great nations with the most elabo-
rate material equipment may turn their
great heritage to the ends of destruc-
ton and death and find their wealth
only the means to multiplied evils. Some
great thinkers, like James Bryce, won
der if mankind may not have builded
a social machine too great for It's pow
ers of control. At least we now under
stand that the power Of control is the
last and highest necessity IN handling
the social mechanism.
1t is time that the claims Of Chris
tianity be seriously reckoned with. They
arc not hard to understand. In Jesus s
. revelation of the essential nature and
4 datv of<man and sof the disposition of
God toward man we have a set Of ideals,
ideas and motive forces set forth as adc-
quate to provide for the highest human
welfare if accepted and made regnant
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan
I, lie taught us who our neighbOr is and
that all our hopes Of life here or here
, after depend on right dealing with
, that neighbor. IN the Parable OF the
: Prodigal Son He revealed God s dis
. position toward men. His children, as
He lets them try their experiment of
: life in freedum as He yearns over them
} when they stray into the far country
and welcomes them when they return
TO the Father $ house. Ia obedience to
2 these divinely simple principles Of life
with all their vast implications men are
F., promised a kingdom of God on earth.
We should clearly understand the al
tentative to this Christian ideal and
$ controlling spirit. History leaves no
E. experiments have been tined, cunning
; and fraud and brute force on the part Of
men and nations. The shores OF time
5 are strewn with the wrecks of these ex-
r Ipermcntal VOYAGES Sensible people
! might reasonably ask if it is not about
|, time to try some better way
Though the principles are simple, we
: will ind that their applications are
often very difficult. Social organiza.
Y ton is infinitely complex and is full OF
n old, perversc traditions and men are ig
+ norant, stubborn and hard of heart. Our
G most careful thinking and most con
5 ssiSt1nt, efforts will i>e REQUIRED tie bett a
= matters, even a little, IN our brief day
I For Us individually 1t is a question OF
e how large a life we care 10 dive. one
{, bounded by today 5 business and pleas
a ure and tomorrow s personal plans oi
one concerned for finer life for all mer
i in God ) great tomorrow, bent on max
/ ing patriotism a great symbol of al
e America purified and ennobledi and fiji
I for world career in righteousness anC
Y service, eager TO have q part in the au
II gust onward march Of humanity to il,
II better day. The church exists Ito hell
II men To this high vision, to provide til,
u spiritual disciPlines that make for in
z sight and power, and to serve as van
/ tage ground for our spiritual warfar,
in this world. Only in great religion
If shall men and nations find worthy hap
it piness or righteous peace. We ar
d challenged to do our part