Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-15

THIS is the cauStic phrase with
which Carlyle characteriZeS The
climax of the ultilitarianiSm of
his day He represents the prevalent
tendencies of his times as being such as
ran always in the direction of what was
called variously the profitable" 'the
eXpedicnt' and "the practical" lie at
firms that the only interest many peo-
pie had in religion was the uses of
earthly good it might serve, and de-
clares that they thought of the deity
not AS the object of supreme alteration
and love: but considered rather "the
utility of God
This combination of words - ''the
utility of God''--sounds somewhat pro-
fame, as indeed it is. But the thing it
describes is profane. 1t describes a
vaulting selfishness which would use
God to serve it's purposes, If it could.
Many people in oud day, as the men
of Carlyle's times, and infected with this
proof and self and they do not suS-
pect the infection. They care for the
Christian religion for the uses to which
they can put it, and they pirate much
about what they are pleased TO call
practical religion"
They insist that what one believes
is a matter Of no Importance provided
he will do benevolent things and lead an
religion that promotes social oredr and
political stability. In truth they believe
nothing. and wish to disguise their un-
belief under a camouflage of fair words
and fine phrases. In an age of decaying
faith such tendencies are always mani
tested. 1t was so in ancient Rome,
when the old religions were dying and
Christianity had not yet appeared.
In Gibbson's great work on THE De-
4v@As
that scriptural historian says 'the va
rious religions which prevailed in the
Roman world were all considered by the
people as equally true: by the philoso-
pliers as equally false and by the civil
rulers as equally useful" The masses
of the people were credulous, the edu-
ca ted classes wished religion maintained
because it was useful.
NuItitudes in our day regard all re-
ligions as equally false, equally true
and equally useful. Wherefore they
vo,Id have done with creeds and con-
victions of every sort and would con
Germ themselves only with practical
things" If men are TO have a COO
these practical men would inquire
first of all, what is a God GOOD Tor
Of what use Is he,'
Well. they should be caused TO un-
derstand that the true God refuses 10 De
used They may harness the FORCES Oh
nature. and think nothing of the subllm-
itv Of those forces. if only they can be
made 10 run tread-mills, turn water
wheels, or produce electric currents 20
operate proft-yielding machinery. But
thew can not harness the Almighty GOD
and make him their slave. God VIII ne
adored as a heavenly Father, not USED
as an earthly bond-servant
In the recorded history of our Lord
life in the flesh we find that Jesus re-
fused every effort of men to use him.
He fed = hungry multitude, and forth
with the miserable mob desired to make
him a King in order that they might
have ruler who could at VIII create
boundless stores of rations; but He re-
fused the allegiance of men who would
have put a crown on his head in order
| to receive commissary supplies from his
hands. He utterly refused to be an en-
throned Quartermaster General.
Nor is he less disposed now than then
to be used. He must be accepted for
what He is and not for any supposed
utility that may inhere in Him. Other
wise his followers would adhere to Him
NOT on account of His divine character,
but for the temporal and material ad-
vantages they might derive from Him.
In that case the whole world would De
filed with n prodigal race
The prodigal son of the parable wish
ed to be separated from his father. but
not deprived of his fathers goods
Hence he said. Father, give me the por-