Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-04-02
Our Common Faith.

Since the world war has pushed iti
horrors ever wider, not few men and
women have been fearing its effects on
our common religious faiths. SO long
% the great masses OF men seemed TO oe
developing ut ease, we were we'll con-
tent to leave the problem OF evil pretty
much to itself. The old doctrines Of
eternal goodness ut the heart of thing,
were readily stated and easily hold. But
since applied science began to make
U-boats and air bombs and gas pro-
iectors, since Kultur stripped on heI
mask and showed her narrow eyes and
heavy Jaw, since cruelty came out OF the
dark and took open control In Belgium
and Poland and Armenia, not . few Of
us have put away our optimism and
wondered with the children why God,
| II be ID God, does not stop the war, OF
why In Gods world war could start
at ell. Some of the ministers, even, are
now speaking Of religion rather softly.
The pastor of one Of our strongest
suburban churches recently declared
that the war was forcing him to resbspe
his theological beliefs; he had held that
the good was the only source and end
of things; now he believed that the good
10 In eternal conflict with evil, each OF
them a. original and real as the other;
be could no longer view the course OF
history a. q divine achievement with
mems free help, but a. wavertng and
anxious conflict In mems pitiable behalf.
Surely 1t is time we took wider look.
Before We cut any Of our needed hawsers
It will do no harm II We remind our
selves that this sll-involving war 10 not
the first unpleasantness that men OF
faith have bad to face. The faith that
We have taken at our fathers hands 10
no phantasmal affair. Nor ID this trust
In an unseen power that unconquerabiy
makes for Righteousness formal trinket
from the schools; 1t has lain like Q coal
at the heart Of plain hard.handed men
for age after age. This religion OF way
faring men, that In all the scale of being
the realest thing is the best, that per.
fect goodness does not contend on equal
terms with utter evil, that our deepest
duty is good will, cost what 1t may, and
that selfishness and hate are social
poison-all these simple convictions are
we'll able to take care OF themselves, no
matter how adverse the days facts BY
telegraph and cable.
Our common faith was born In the
open, and under hard skies. 1t was
toughened In csptivities and exiles. II
was compacted In conflict with heather
philosophies. Il was stained red with
blood from men and women Of unbreak'
able will; 1t was charred with the fires
of persecution. It took on strength
among savage peoples when great en-
pires we're weakening till mems hearts
failed them for fear. There never was
time dark enough to quench its light
and warmth. Call 1t religion or the.
ology or just . working faith, It hai
stood the hardest gatherings and the
sharpest solvents that the forces oi
western history could centre on II
through 5000 years. Those persons who
fear that In the light of this belated
world. war our fathers religion must
perish, or at least remake itself 10 con.
cessions, fail to understand the nature
of mon and the nature Of mems faith
Anxiety for these deepest convictions
may better be saved for things OF slightel
make.