The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-16

contemplate the place OF the cnqron
in the new scheme of things All our
presen. day problem! problems are Tse auession
is one of men and women,k Eetcn8
along together in kindlier, pleasenfeE
more brotherly fashion. Wtsc Hsn
tack big names on to what we wans,
but, really. all that we are AFTER y
that folks shall be happier and more
neighborly-all the folks. eserywnere
in this big world-and that nopoay
shall be allowed to hurt anypody.
Which means that we want good
society" for everybody; and good so
ciety" that is real is the society OF
good people. 1t takes more than q
Fifth Avenue tailor and bareer AM
haberdasher and manicurist to. TIT
nation must begin at the center OF
things, away down at the springs OF
being. And that Is the business OF the
church. She does not introduce can
didates for her good society. to GER
tain social leaders: she introduces
them to Christ. He takes them IN
hand and makes them over. from the
heart outward.
In simplest definition. the church Is
a company of friends of Christ All
congenial to Him. the members find
themselves congenial to one another.
The tie that binIE-them Is their COM
mon relation to the Lord Many par
riers separate them otherwise: Tor
race and condition of mankind. He
has taken all sorts of raw material
from the stark heather African OF
the jungle to the graduate OF Europes
universities. and gives them a new
mind, even His own He makes tneni
want the same good and shun the
same evils. Upon them all He put
His own stamp of brotherhood he
calls them children of His heavenly
Father, and imparts to them the FAM
lily spirit
When the Great Change Comes.
So we have this world wide fellow
ship of men and women and children
who give first allegiance to the per-
sorality and Spirit and teachings OF
Jesus. Devotion to Him is their COM
mon characteristic. They want to live
their lives in His way. To win His
approval is their highest ambition.
They care more about being Chris
tians-Christ's peopie-than about
being Presbyterians or Baptists or
Methodists or Episcopalians or Cath
olics or Gregorians or Orthodox.
In these war-times. when every
thing is being appraised anew. they
are learning from the singie-mind-
| ed soldiers, who have followed Christ
clear to Calvary. that 1t does not mat
| ter much about denominations or
! forms or methods over in France I
have seen Catholic priest and Pro-
| testant minister unitedly, in a COM
mon service bury both Protestant and
| Catholic soldiers in the same ceme-
tary, with no talk of "consecrated
ground" And high-church Episcopa-
| lians kneel beside Baptists and Pres
| byterians and men of no church at
the Lords Table. receiving commun-
| ion from the hands of a man of God,
| without once asking who ordained
him, OF whether he was immersed or
| sprinkled. This sacramental table,
spread under the shadow OF near
4 hut
made the ecclesiastical distinctions or
the homeland seem very unreal and
| distant. The soldiers are going to
help us back to a oneness of Christian
fellowship that will shame all our past
Sectarian narrowness and bigotry.
In this great and good society. there
Is the worlds best hope for social
solidarity. When the mind of Christ
rules all of us, then nobody will hurt
4 or cheat or Cypress anybody. Once
I the ideals of Jesus are given right of
way in His church. We shall have a
, real fraternity that will make all
scheme of state socialism seem paltry
and mechanical. Altho she does not
yet fully realize the fact herself. it is
none the less true that the master
word for this hour of social flux and
change is with the church. She will
do more than allay social unrest: she
will make over the life of business aI>l
industry and politics and society in a
hood She. and she alone. has mo-
&, tive adequate for this achievement.
Poor Russia's Blundcr.
In all seriousness. II may be de-
clared that TO work in and for and
thru the vitalized Christian church ~
the most direct means Tor bringing
about the long-dcsired era Of peace
on Garth. good will to men," When
men and women learn how to say.
The love of Christ constraineth me"
they possess u motive that can nice:
all tests. When business and consular
representatives are fleeing from the
=. most troubled parts of Russia and
Persia, it is the Christian missionaries
and the Young Mems Christian Assoc
citation men, and the Quaker Eecon-
struction Unit who elect to stay. Their
passion for helping people Is so great
sequence.
Russia-poor, laundering. bewIidcr-
ed and betrayed Russia-.s the days
most striking example of the incff-
cheney of mere socialism without 4
religious passion to sustain 1t. Thee
retically, no nobler ideals were ever
offered to a state than the revolution
lists proposed to Russia Practically.
tho. the overthrow of the old order.
and the breaking # former restraints.
bridled individualism. 1t set every
body to grabbing for himself 1 saw
and suffered from that blind and
bestiai loosening of primal passions.
amid a people who thought that L.
1 crty meant new chance to look out
for number one" Book socialism. and
practical socialism, have received their
4 worst ] low in Russia.
1t takes motive outside of self. and
supernaturally Empowered, TO bring in
the day of brotherhood upon which
Il we have all fixed our hearts. Re-
straints will not do 1t. forms will not
do it, programs will not do IL. There
must be such a divine purpose az
Jesus prescribes and fmparts. when
the love of Christ fills human hearts.
then love for brother man will over
flow.
This Is the church's opportunity. 70
carry out her Lords desires. To help
her fulfill this mission is the finest OPP