The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-05-02
CHRISTIANITY and LITERATURE
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CHRISTIANITY and LITERATURE
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nearly 500 references to it are found
IN his poems. If Shakespeare is sat
urated with Scriptures, Browning is
fairly inundated Submerged Christ
mas Day" and Easter Day." two
short poems contain more than a
hundred each. In the "Ring and the
Book" there are nearly a thousand,
% of the % books of the Old Tesla
ment having furnished this versatile
author with materials for his great
masterpieces Many of his best poems
are based on Biblical subjects
There are about 1900 Bib
licaI references in Ruskin's
works, and ne always quoted from
memory. 1t is remarkable that only
one small misquotation has been dis
covered. Ruskin wrote of the 'tthree
smooth stones out Of the brook"
with which David went to meet Coli
ath. The Bible states that there were
five. But some one remarks, THE
odd two are hardly worth throwing
at Ruskin's memory"
Prof. Albert T. Cook found in a
book of descriptive sketches of Italy
SO statements based upon Bible
facts, and IN volume relating to
wild animals he found IL Bible pas
sages. In one of Thomas Hardy's
books he discovered 10 statements
that require knowledge of the Bible
for their understanding. Some years
ago ex-president Harrison contribut-
ed to the North American Review an
article on 'Musing on Current Top
cs.'' A reviewer later, referring TO
this 13-page article, called attention
to the Fl quotations, Of which were
taken from the Bible.
The Bible is dynamic in the moral
world, motor force in the spiritual
realm, a battery Of such moral and
spiritual energy and power that 1t
makes the world Jingle to its fingers
ends. What age, what nation, what
worthy institution has not felt the IN
huence of the BibleI 1t has vitalized
art, literature, music and philosophy.
It gives worth and permanence to
everything it touches and uses 1t
has entered the very heart of advanc-
ing civilization with all its depart
ments of activity and progress. It
holds its throne there above all riv-
] ais and sways, its scepter by right of
+! its matchless superiority. 1t has fur
nished inspiration for the master in
| tellects of the world. Its themes and
figures and principles are perhaps the
most conspicuous elements in our lit
erature today. Take away all Bible
al references from hymns, sermons,
poems, essays, history, fiction, laws,
painting, sculpture and music, and
you rob the world of its most price
| less Jewels. 1t penetrated the being
of the great artists, it guided the hand
that painted the "Last Supper" and
directed the chisel of the sculptor
when the Moses and the David"
were taking shape in stone. Could
the world afford to lose its Da Vincis
and its Angeles? It is true that myth
ology has a large representation IN
art and literature, but its moral value,
its chief consideration, is largely neg
tive. Since the music of the Word
entered the souls of Handel and
Haydn the messiah" and the "Crea-
ton" cannot be forgotten
The New Testament-the source
book of Christian doctrine and prac-
tice-is quoted even where it is not
obeyed. The Hun may claim special
partnership with God, but he knows
really nothing about its teachings. 1t
is an authority even where it is not
praciced, and is stoutly defended
where it is not honored. Even the
L W. w. has it glibly upon his tongue
and quotes its teachings in terms of
his selfish and narrow scheme of So
cial reconstruction, or rather destruc-
ton.
So today Christianity expresses it
self through current literature. True,
much of the present day writing is
ephemeral but its source and inspira-
ton are Christian and cannot be mis-
taken. In a generation Harold Bell
Wright may be no more read than is
E. P. Roe today, but they have had
their vogue and have borne their wit
ness to the clean and sane influence
of the Christian spirit:
There are the Pseudo-Christian
writer's, the so-called Christian writ
ers, who, after a very tardy and sup
CRITICAL conversion brought about by
the horrors of the present world war,
want to be listed among the elect
spirits of the 'fNew Christianity" as
they call it! With brilliant style and
faultless form they are bearing their
talented witness to the influence of
Christian thought, although they con-
tinue to exploit their ancient errors
their false and unChristian views OF
marriage, their bohemianism, and
their anarchism. They hold to the in
teIIectual rather than to the spirit
ual conception of Christianity, plac-
ing reason above faith, and idiosyn-
crasies above common creed. What
they call faith is only Irritation with