East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-01-12
REV. ALFRED LOCKWOOD.
Rector of the Church of the

Rector of the Church of the
Redeemer.
The late Prof James of Harvard
college had through his lectures and
books made us acquainted with the
philosophy of Pragmatism. We re-
garded 1t as we regarded SO many
other systeps that have had their
day and ceased to be as something
theoretical that concerned scholarly
professors but not the common man.
But this gigantic and titanic war that
Is rocking this old world as In the
throes of an earthquake has made us
al pragmatists. For as James says
the term is derived from the same
Greek word meaning action, from
which our words. practices and prac-
/ teal comes. So he tells us that THE
! praSmatist turns toward facts. to-
! ward actions and towards power"
! whether we call ourselves prasmatists
or something else. we are one and
all asking the questions. will 1t work.
what will it do. what is its practical
contribution toward the winning OF
! the war, what is its present utility in
bearing the burdens, or mitigating the
sorrows or lessening the heartaches
of the hour. Whether II is a new ma
chine gun, or a new submarine de-
stroyer. or a mobilization of the rail-
| roads under direction OF the Presi-
dent or a Red Cross Society, or a
belgium relief organization, or an Ar
menian ministering society, or the or
ganization of the wood and fuel of the |
country under competenI administra-
tors. or the Gospel of the Son of God |
the consultations of our ford Jesus |
Christ, and the ministry of the Chris /
a nk,Y v,F, "a
what we want to know of their worth
Wilderness in this great crisis. wheth-
er they produce results and accom-
plish those purposes VIC all have in
view.
Religion in War.
We are not concerned with those
agencies that center in and around the
various governments that are Joined
together for the overthrow of Cor
man autocracy and dcspotisms. This /
field belongs to the editor. But we
are concerned with the religious fore
es that are modified for services in
this conflict and do insist on an ans
wer to the questions as 20 whether
religion can stand the tremendous
strain put upon it in this hour and
does provide the world with what the
world most truly needs
christ NO Pacifst.
Perhaps the first question to he
asked is the Bible and especially the
teaching of Jesus, Christ pacifistic
Certain it is that some of the utter
lnces of the Divine Master would in
dicate that he inculcated the doctrines
Of non-resistance. He has been and
s still known as the Prince of Peace.
But when palpabIe wrong was being
lone that injured the moral life OF
individuals and the state he did not
hesitate to use physical force to de-
itroy those who were responsible for
hat wrong. The greedy ones whose
concern was more for money than
or men and who were prostituting |
he temple to their own base purpos.
IS never forgot the stings of the lash |
nth which he drove them from the /
acred precincts and made them know
hat the forces of God were against
nose who made the I,..- of prayer |
place of traffic and trade. If we
'elieve in God at all Cand every man
oes today we must believe what
'ennyson believed that there is a far
If divine event toward which the
'hole creation moves. Perhaps the
est definition of that goal is the
lingdom of Heaven or tine Kingdom
: Ncb' Ms Iili5nl ue uelIneu III
ne of two ways. either as human So /
iety organized according to the will
+ God as the Kingdom of the Devil
8 human society organized apart
rom the will of God or we might say III
hat 1t is that ideal social order ever
einS approximated in which the re-
ttfon of man to God is that of sons III
nd to each other thar of brothers.
lowever we define IL we do believe
nat the human race Is In the grip of
nat principle we call evolution and
unfolding into some higher and
etter social order. Now elf this Is
'ue. then any force or combination
forces that scc!;c c~-,--'o 'ousIy or
ven unconsciously to overthrow this
urpose must have arrayed against It
r them the whole weight and lnflu-
ice OF the Almighty's power.
The Correct View.
If we catch the right vision we shall
'e that Christianity ana Democracy
-e synonymous and that the Kingdom
God and the moral progress of the
ice are identical. Whcn one looks
this war even superficialIy it is
lsy to sec that Germans, stands for
ltocracy and autocracy means taxi
& the back track toward the brutal
OF ancient Babylon and Romeo II
cans rendering null and void all the
crifice and service Of 1000 years iu
the results of Jesus II
lrists personal ministry that makes
} for improvement and betterment. III
4 the other hand the allies represent
emocracy, the worth and value of the II
dividual and are fighting to make III
Is world which through steam and III
'ctricity. through trade and travel II
I'd has made a neighborhood into a III
al human brotherhood If this isn't ii III
irtstian l know of nothing that Is III
w If these great Dem mocracies that III
e allied together and in defense of III
rights Of the common man and the III
nservtng the progress of 10 centur- III
had been Coufaufad n haVe xyfaIda1 i