The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-08-25
Copyright, 1918, by The Ellis
Service

n Copyright, 1918, by The Ellis
Service
Professionalism in religion is a
peril like unto Prussianism in state
craft. Both have their roots ia the
same principle. Bottle are doomed
BY the present world upheaval.
To approach this delicate and diff
fcult subject as it exists in America,
and as it is related to general re-
ligious conditions as affected by the
war, one may discreetly begin as far
away as Russia. All the world is to-
falling up its account with poor Rus
sia, since we are now about the
slow business OF salvaging as much
as possible of the remnants OF that
pitiable nation. While Russia has
failed in all departments OF her ma
tional life, her most culpable col
lapse has been within the realm OF
religion. 1.-the Russian Church had
functioned, the people OF the land
would not be in their present sorry
plight; and the allies would not have
to pay so heavy q toll in blood for
Russia's recreancy.
What Allied the Russian Church
Ecclesiastical politics paralyzed
xthe Russian Church. Her peopel are
kcnately religious. No other land, un-
l1ess it be India. can compare with
Russia in spiritual questing and de-
votion From it, before the war came
more pilgrims to Palestine than
from all other nations combined.
Muscovite mysticism is famous.
Outside of a small revolutionary and
intellectual" group, irrelgion was
scarcely known among the millions
of the Cars subjects. When revo-
luton befell, no hand OF violence
was laid on the church.
But the priesthood as whole
stood apart from the popular move
ment. They had been a part of the
ramifications of the autocracy. Pol
itics was the breath of life to the
higher ecclesiastics. Court favor
controlled the important offices. The
church was a tool OF the state; and
tool often used for nefarious pur-
poses. The masses had long bill Of
grievances against the clergy, who
had done police work, had fostered
superstition, had condoned ignor-
ance, had blessed injustice, had been
silent upon moral questions, and had
themselves been crafty and avaric-
ious.
The Church Missed Her Chance
Still. with incredible patience. the
people bore with the church. They
looked to it for comradeship and
leadership in the new search after
liberty. 1t was hoped that at the
great Moscow conference the church
would establish herself upon a dem
ocratic basis and enter upon a new
era of ministry and ghtenment.
At the time of the conference the
people were like harried sheep, bleed
ing and with their fleece torn off.
4 the impulses of religion would
seem to operate to send the church
ont to the masses. in mighty min
istry and shepherding.
Nothing OF the sort happened. The
church was blind to the crisis, ex-
cept as her own dignties and peraui-
sites and rights were concerned. She
revealed herself as ruled by a COM
pany OF church politicians, to whom
emoluments meant more than min
istry or message. Today the Rus
sian church stands discredited, a
tragic exhibition OF the baneful eff
fects OF professional ecclesia sticism
The deep religious instincts OF the
people still continue. and may be |
utilized for the saving of Russia;
but that is another story. The i'm
portant fact for present considera
tion is that when wars testing blast
came, the church collapsed because
her leaders were ecclesiasticS in
stead OF shepherds and prophets.
Some day a new Tolstoi will tell the
story in all its ghastliness.
Ecclesiasticism in the New-Old East
Less intensified and dramatic than
the case OF the Russian church, but
likewise illustrative of the palsying
effect OF ecclesiasticism. is the plight
OF the anciept Armenian and Mes
torian Churches whose centers are
in the neighborhood OF Mt. Ararat
These bodies have had continuous
history for fifteen hundred years.
The second OF them once was the
most glorious exponent of mission
AIRY Christianity. its outposts reach
ing to Pekin. Now, however. both
churches are bodies so dominated by
tie spirit OF professionalism and
church politics. that they admitted
ly can be saved only by a revolu-
iion or revival. Already they show
sigIc of feeling the breeze of itali-
iythat is sweeping the world.
Ominous rumors have come west
ward to the effect that the Armenian
which has its capital beneath
the shadow of Mt. Ararat, has capit-
ulated with the Turks, who have
slain a million OF her members. and
IS making a separate peace that will
provide for an Armenian kingdom
in the Caucasus. There are so many
praye considerations involved in this