The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-04-20
WHAT NJ IS CHRISTIANITY? .
BY REV. CHARLES STELZLE.

The difference of opinion regarding
the nature of Christianity is due to the
fact that it has to do with life, and
with men. And as life expands. our
conception Of all related subjects
changes. We do not believe about
anything just what we believed about
1t 10 years ago-provided that we are
living and growing A row Of fence
posts placed alongside the road will
remain the same for many years, or
until they rot. But row of trees
planted in the same place will grow,
and hence change, every day, because
they are living.
The fact, therefore, that mems
opinions concerning Christianity and
in favor OF the men whose minds are
expanding. For while the fundamen.
tai basis of Christianity must always
remain the same, and while the fun
damental principles of mems charac-
tiers are eternal, both are capable Of
infinite expansion. They cannot be
limited to the ecclesiastical termino-
logy Of the theologian in the one case
nor to narrow Interpretation Of life
in the other.
Our conception of Christianity de-
ponds largely upon our peculiar ma
lures Or our previous environment. To
the Russian Jew, Christianity, means
the brutality of Kieff or Kishenieff.
To others it means the Catholicism
of South America or Of some half
enlightened European country. To
still others it means the Protestant
ism Of a former generation or even
the monstrosities that have grown
round about it in our own day. But
these are not fair illustrations of any
of the churches or denominations in
VOWED.
Organized labor demands that it
shall be judged not by it's worst char
acteristics, but by it's best hopes and
aspirations. BY the same token, the
church must be judged not by it's
| weakest but by it's best output. But
we are discussing not the church, but
Christianity. We are quite ready to
| confess that the church has not al
| ways truly represented Christianity
Neither is religion Christianity.
Some men are very religious, but they
are not very good Christians. You
! insane because they had too much
religion, but you never heard Of a
man who became insane because he
| had too much Christianity. Christian
| ity is not a scheme to. increase the
population of heaven. Its cardinal
principle is that given by it's founder:
| HE that saveth his life shall lose it,
! and he that loseth his life (for the
sake Of his fellowmen), shall find it,
It's purpose for it's followers is not to
get to heaven. but to bring heaven
down to earth.
Principally, then, Christianity is a
character and a, 1ife-the possession
| and the manifestation Of the life and
the spirit of Christ. Not essentially
! the life of the monk, or the 'Phar-
isee," or the stole, or the puritan"
these may all be Christian in very
important sense, but they are abnor-
NAL. The healthy Christian life is
! interested in their everyday affairs.
It is lived at the primary and in the
! labor union. It is lived in the shop
and in the office. There is nothing
which concerns the well-being of men
which can be alien to the Christian
life. It does not involve belief in
an impossible dogma. It does not de-
! 1nand an absolute acceptance of the
inspiration of the Bible. It asks mere
1y that the man who wishes to become
a Christian shall bring his life into
conformity with the life and the pur-
pose of Christ. and that he shall accept
Christ as the governing power of his
life, helping to carry out His will and
plan for the redemption of the world.
Such an appeal must seem reason
able to any right-thinking man. I'm
less he has better program, why may
he not accept that offered by Chris
tianity?
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